Steve Irwin

Sunshine Coast Daily

A $9,000 quilt featuring the late Steve Irwin will be among more than 200 creations on display at the Brisbane Craft and Quilt Fair.

The 143cm by 166cm creation features the face of the "Crocodile Hunter" who was fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming off the coast of Port Douglas in Far North Queensland two years ago.

Quilt creator, Lorraine Carthew of Brisbane, said Irwin was an inspiration to her: "I admired the man for how much he achieved during his short time on earth.

"It took me nine months on and off to sew 2,050 one-inch squares," she said. "I used a photo of Steve's face and matched it with 200 different types of fabric."

The Crocodile Hunter is the fourth personality Ms Carthew has patched a quilt after. Sir Donald Bradman, JF Kennedy and RM Williams have featured in her previous creations.

The Steve Irwin quilt has been sold to a NSW collector for $9,000 and will not be judged at the exhibition which opens tomorrow at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre in South Bank.

Hundreds of quilters from Queensland and NSW are taking part of the fair which includes quilts as large as three metres by three metres and as small as 50cm by 50cm.

The fair wraps up on Sunday.