Textile artist Donna Hughes will be the special guest at this year's Strictly Quilts exhibition being held at the Uniting Church hall in Wangaratta over Jazz and Blues festival weekend.

A Stanley resident, Donna has been involved with textiles from an early age, making toys, clothing and knitting.

She graduated from the Melbourne College of Textiles with a Certificate of Technology in Clothing, before embarking on a career in pattern making and design, and one of her early jobs was designing swimwear for Maglia.

Other brands who acquired her services were Everlast, New Balance, the Australian Open and Hiawatha.

Donna was also involved in the design and patternmaking of school wear for three of Australia’s largest school wear suppliers.

When Donna was 12-years-old she was given a subscription to a craft magazine, going on to make her first quilt at 13 for a friend’s baby, and gifting one of her early quilts to her brother as a wedding present.

At the age of 15, she entered the same quilt into the Melbourne Royal Show and received a “highly commended” award in the adult section.

Donna also won the Neme Sims Perpetual Trophy and Best of Show – Handcrafts at the Whittlesea Show for a hexagon quilt in 2005.

Quilt making has woven its way through her life for over 40 years.

In that time, Donna has created over 400 quilts in a range of sizes from tiny to large scale, in styles from intricate, hand-pieced traditional quilts, to modern contemporary pieces.

In the last three years, the focus for Donna has been on starting a new business called The Pattern Factory.

Her studio space is at the Mayday Hills Art Society in Beechworth alongside other artists in residence, creating custom quilts that are all hand-guided on a Sweet 16 sit-down long-arm machine.

To develop her creative side, she has moved into the world of textile art quilts, mixed media sculptural pieces and framed pieces for inclusion in local and regional art exhibitions.

Donna also has a passion for supporting charities such as “Backpacks for Kids” – a statewide not-for-profit organisation that supports foster children when they are being relocated.

The backpack consists of a quilt/blanket, shoes, underwear, clothing and toiletries.

"I make a lot of comfort quilts for kids because quilts are hugs – and kids need hugs," Donna said.

Donna’s work will be on display throughout the Strictly Quilts exhibition along with quilts from local quilters from across the Rural City of Wangaratta.

For Strictly Quilts, Donna has donated a set of matching quilts as a major raffle prize, which one lucky ticket holder will be lucky enough to take home.

Strictly Quilts will be held from Friday, 31 October to Monday, 3 November, open from 10am to 4pm daily and entry is $5.

There will be a trading table (with all proceeds going to Wangaratta Breastcare and Gynaecological Services at Northeast Health Wangaratta) along with raffles and Devonshire Tea.