Best known as a columnist and commentator, Wellington-based Rosemary McLeod is also an avid collector of needlecraft.
Or, as she calls herself, a "rescuer" because she rescues vintage needlecraft from tea towels to toys, doilies to dollies, which she gleans from op shops, TradeMe and the hands of friends who know of her passion.
Because not only does she rescue the items but also covets these wonderful pieces of by-gone era domestic craft.
Ranging from 1920 to 1960, when so many objects were lovingly made at home, the exhibition, With Bold Needle And Thread - currently showing at the Sarjeant Gallery - showcases a wide range of objects from Ms McLeod's personal collection.
It's also a story about collecting and, as well as that, how objects were made and decorated.
Materials used tell of our own social history and culture.
Many of the works are supported with the original patterns and stories behind how Ms McLeod sourced them.
There is also a section of her own work - based on vintage designs - and made lovingly in a more contemporary context.
Ms McLeod began collecting homemade textile projects 30 years ago when they were easily found in second-hand shops and charity stories.
"It seemed to me that they told an eloquent story of women's ingenuity and creativity in hard times, a story I knew about from my own family," Ms McLeod said.
"The thrifty practices of 1920-60 had a grim background.
"The First World War ended in 1918, with 16,697 men killed in active service, and that year an influenza epidemic also killed 8600 New Zealanders at home.
"An economic depression followed in the '20s; then the world entered The Great Depression after the 1929 Wall Street crash. World War II followed, with the loss of 11,900 men, the highest death rate per capita in the war.
"Many women were widowed; many more had wounded and disabled fathers, husbands and sons to care for, and during the war they had learned to cope alone.
"Ideas for their handwork came from popular magazines and craft publications that were probably shared with friends and family," Ms McLeod said.
"This collection is not just about the objects. It is about women's hopes, dreams, beliefs and financial realities in a tough time to be alive. Funny, serious, clever, or just pretty, it records their courage and the value they placed on domestic life."
On February 22, at 2pm, at the Davis Lecture Theatre, Ms McLeod will give a light-hearted survey of the hidden meanings - both personal and historical - behind a selection of her favourite vintage aprons.