A historic Otautau quilt, sent with the Red Cross to New Zealand soldiers convalescing in London during World War One, is returning home after the town's local RSA successfully won an auction for it last night (7 Jun).

The quilt is a patchwork of 40 small calico squares, each containing a hand embroidered message or drawing and the name of the local family who made it.

Drawings include a British bulldog, a rabbit and a dog beating a drum, while messages include 'Kia ora' and ‘We miss the patter of your little feet'.

The Otautau quilt is accompanied by correspondence and newspaper clippings. Photo: Gildings' Auctioneers

Otautau RSA president Andre Bekhuis said members became very interested about bringing the quilt home after learning of its existence and upcoming UK sale from Otautau Museum's Tania Beck.

Bekhuis and fellow members Royden and Faye Brown contacted the auctioneers and set themselves up to dial into the start of the auction at 10pm (11am, UK time) last night.

However the quilt was lot number 321 and they started at lot number 1, Bekhuis said.

The Otautau quilt that was sent to London for convalescing WW1 soldiers. Photo: Gildings' Auctioneers

"So three and a half hours later, at 1.30 in the morning, we were getting exciting."

"There was a fair bit of stress and panic," Bekhuis joked.

Bekhuis said once their lot came up, it was all over in eight to ten seconds despite there being 3 other bids.

Bekhuis said he was thankful to all his fellow RSA members who had contributed towards bringing the Otautau quilt home to Southland.

Otautau Museum's Tania Beck said the quilt was a significant piece of Otautau history.

"It tells the story of the families that belonged in the area because the quilt has got a lot of old family signatures on it."

"It was also Red Cross history, she said.

Beck said she had had a lot of people contacting her about the quilt in recent days.

The RSA were rightly excited about winning the bid and the museum was really excited for them as well, she said.

Beck said the museum would be happy to help advise the RSA on how to store and display the quilt so that it would survive another 100 years.