Quilts For Orphans

Brainstorming is 'soooo last year' people ... let's 'Barnraise' instead !!!

Well, here we are again .. another Working Bee get-together yesterday at the home of Gaynor and Reg Peterson, and the proverbial good time was had by all  ... .as is always the case!! A smaller group this month ... think everyone must have been out preparing their gardens for the new season. But we did have the company of Pauline, Joy, Lois, Yvonne, Amber,Isobel,Tracy, Carol, Emily, Christine and a new recruit, kay. Plenty of willing hands to make the workload lighter ...

Before I launch into our 'Show and Tell' session , where we display all our efforts in quilt creating for the kids in the COM Homes in India ... I want to show you a few pictures and tell you what we plan next for QFO 'headquarters' :) This is soooo exciting Folks!!!

Here we have our Gaynor ... showing Pauline, Yvonne and Kay the plans for the interior set-up in our soon- to-be-erected dedicated workspace. After much fundraising and a LOT of praying, our shed/barn is in the pre-fabrication stage, even as I type this. We are hoping it will be delivered in a month .. then the next stage ... and a LOT of hard work will begin before we can move all our quilting bits'n'bobs out of Gaynor and Regs' home and into the Barn..

We will be able to give Gaynor back her lounge room, kitchen, bedroom, spare room and verandah ... all these areas have been given over to the fabric, quilting machine and all other paraphernalia associated with this mission that is so close to her heart for the last three years. Just imagine how much more we will be able to achieve when we can come quilt and stitch without taking over every spare (and not so spare) inch of her home ... awesome!!!

   

 This is Gaynors 'spare' room ... crammed to absolute capacity with all things that will ultimately end up in our workspace, pelmets, doors, bookcases ... and of fabric. She has been collecting and stockpiling stuff for this project for ages!!!

 

Here we have Reg .. standing in what will be the middle of our workspace when it is erected. And the second picture shows just a fraction of the fabric that is currently stored around the verandah of his home ... great 'insulation' eh .... but he tells us that he would REALLY like to be able to resume the painting of the exterior walls. A job that was put on 'hold' once the furnishing fabric was donated :) Now don't forget ... this fabric is ALL available for sale ... we need to generate funds in order to purchase batting for our quilts ... we have run out ... and it is NOT cheap to buy. So call Gaynor if you would like to obtain top quality furnishing fabric at giveaway prices. 9756 7950 is her number ... but you probably knew that already, didn't you?

Now I am going to resume a little of the 'wheedling' that I did in my last Blog entry folks ... so prepare to be nagged ... perhaps you'd like to settle back and get comfortable before I start? Put on a happy face, just like Joy and Charlotte below .. and settle down for a good read :)

   

We need helpers ... we need qualified shed/barn building helpers. We need them to be qualified so that the footings and frame can be put up to meet council standards. This is most important. Once the footings and frame are installed we can then get stuck into raising this barn ... and woohoo, how brilliant will that be!!!! Somewhere out there I am SURE that there are people just waiting for the opportunity to do something wonderful with a spare few days ... I mean, how much golf can you play before it becomes tedious? And how much more fulfilling would it be to help give something utterly priceless ... your time and your energy ... to help us achieve so much more than we are already doing for the kids on the other side of the world! Call Reg or Gaynor now ... you know you want to!! Their number is 9756 7950 and they are waiting for your call!!

Now onto the rest of what we have to let you know about ... grab a coffee and get ready to be entertained ....

First cab off the rank is another project that we are becoming involved with ... this time for disabled orphans in China. Our Isobel has alerted us to a need in China that we quilters and stitchers are going to assist with. She met with Les Quigg who is involved with a mission in China for seriously and terminally ill children. These children are often born, and die, without ever having been hugged or loved ... can you even begin to imagine how downright wrong that is?? We have a stock of previously unused fabric that, whilst unsuitable for our quilting, is just perfect for small bunnyrugs, so we were kept busy yesterday cutting out stretch and fleecy fabric with which to make fabric 'hugs' for these precious babies. We will also be able to collect and despatch knitted baby clothing for these infants. If you wish to see what is needed and are willing to get involved, go to the Internet and look up 'chinakidz'. The web address is www.chinakidz.org/- This site will give you information on what is needed in this palliative care mission both for the children themselves and to fit out the premises. There are also details on the opportunities available for people to be able to go and give hugs and love to these children who have so very little joy in their lives.

 

Here is Isobel on the right of the picture on the left,and the table simply overflowing with gifts for China.

 

Isobel, Christine and Joy getting down to the business of cutting out the fabric for the chinakidz project. The weather was on our side and it was an absolute pleasure to be outdoors on Gaynors verandah :)

Now for our 'Show and Tell' session ... just before lunch and the business of bunnyrug cutting, we invited our quilters to share with us the wonderful things they had been busy making for India since we last met ...

 

Yvonne had been extremely busy ... making the most intricate scrappy quilts in the pink fabric, and a lovely little green 'number', which is sure to gladden the heart and brighten the sleeping space of the recipient. Yvonne is also the lovely and generous lady who donated all those stunning wedding/debutante gowns to us for our fundraising. Notice how I got a shameless advertising 'plug' in there folks? Sneaky of me ... but needed to remind you that we still need to raise funds ... and these awesome brand new dresses sizes 10 thru to 16/18 are well worth looking at. Gaynors number is 9756 7950 and she will be only too pleased to show you these frocks.

 

Here we have a new recruit, Kay, who didn't arrive empty handed ... she brought some of her handiwork for us ... brilliant aren't they?
  

 

 And Christine had also been busy... as you can see ... she loves to stitch and has a real eye for colour!!!
 

 

 

 

Carol had also been hard at work, as well as being a busy Mum to young Angus .... she even managed to inveigle a visting friend, Cheryl, to stitch for us whilst on holiday with her ... thanks a heap Cheryl ... your quilt is going to be loved in India!!

Here is Carol with her friend Cheryls' quilt ... and below we have her own stitching ... and Gaynor with young Angus, cute as a bugs eyelash, isn't he?
 

Emily had been equally hard at work .... here is her quilt :) and what a lovely use of colour Emily ....

A quick break for lunch ... always a lovely time to chat and share stitching tips ...

This months theme was 'Bakers choice' .. otherwise known as 'Surprise Us' ... and we were not disappointed, fried rice, curry,zucchini slice,muffins, scrumptious sandwiches, choc fudge brownies ... and good old cream apple slice ... what a feast :)

After lunch ... and before we got back to work ... we had to farewell our friend Lois. She returns to America after a 12 month spell here on Mission work and  we will be very sorry to lose her. Her cheerful company ... great contributions to the luncheon table too ... who will forget that recent lovely caramel apple dessert she created ... awesome!! Our loss is New Jerseys gain ... and we hope she will follow our Blog and know that she is always welcome to rejoin us if her travels ever include the Land Downunder in the future .. safe journey Lois ... we will miss you!!

 .... now we had to get back to work ... and there is always plenty of that to keep us occupied ...

Isobel introduces her grand daughter to Yvonne and Amber ... while Emily busily stitches pockets to a quilt back. These pockets hold laminated cards made by the Careforce sunday school kids for the children in the COM Homes in India.

 

Christine and Kay were kept equally hard at work attaching binding to  quilts.

And when the indoor work was done ... there was always something to do outside .. and the weather was just so very obliging ... a perfect Spring day :)

And that just about wraps up the Show and tell part of this Blog ... just room for a little more news before I close ..

Clive and Annette Stone from Careforce church have just opened a new orphanage in India ... they need mattresses for the children. We QFO ladies will be able to make covers for these mattresses (the foam inserts will be sourced in India) when our new workspace is up and running .... there will be no end to what we will be able to achieve when we have the space. So don't forget to give us your support ... the sooner we have our workspace up and running, the more we will be able to do!!

Gaynor still has quilts available for sale as part of our fundraising. She sold one this week, with the money going straight back into our account for batting. We desperately need batting ... we cannot complete the quilt tops that have been made at present without it. So please spread the word to all your friends ... these quilts are stunners and would make a great Christmas gift. Phone 9756 7950 to speak to Gaynor.

Our QFO Christmas breakup this year will be held at Yarra Ranges Estate, 39 Coulson road, Monbulk on Sunday November 22nd ... it will be a lunch date this time. Cost will be $30 per head ... contact Gaynor to book your place. We need to know ASAP how many will be coming .. and your options for the menu can be discussed with her when you call.

And finally ... yes there is an end to my ramble :^) ... Quilters for Orphans (that's us!!) will be featuring in the December 2nd issue of Homespun magazine. How utterly awesome is that!!! Make sure you keep an eye out on the newsstands then ... this publicity is an important thing for us ... we really need to get the word out there about the great things that can, and are, being done for the children in India. And in the meantime ... go looksee the wonderful Blog article that was put together by Katie Krosby for us at:

http://www.completecraft.com.au/blogs?cid-12513

Just click on the Homespun tab at the top and go to Blogs and you will find our write-up ... awesome work Katie!!

So there you go Folks ... another great month at QFO .. and more to come ... so support us in whichever way you can, whether it be by donations of thread and fabric, offers to stitch with us, help in erecting our shed ... (had to mention that again, just in case it slipped under the radar the first few times I spoke of it!), cash donations ... always ready to accept those ... purchasing a quilt or wedding dress (never know when you might find one of those handy!!) .. or simply by telling your friends about us and sharing our Blog. Every little bit helps!! And a special thanks also this month to Katie at Reception at Careforce Church, for the lovely mention in the church 'Update' for us ... we have had some lovely supportive phone calls as a result of your write-up Katie ... bless you!!

So till next time ... contact us .. by emailing or calling:

Rachel:

rachelbreukel@bigpond.com

Susan:

shamilton@aanet.com.au

Gaynor and Reg:

Gaynor and Reg Peterson 9756 7950

Blessings to all ...

Susan

 
  
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Okey Dokey girls and Blokeys ..... this is where we need your help ... the Shed beckons!!

Well ... at looong last I am in a position to let you all know that our long awaited Work Shed is very nearly here!! Nearly 2 years in the planning (and hoping and praying) stage ... approval is finally through and the manufacturing process is in the works. This will take 3 to 4 weeks ... woohoo!!!!

Now this is where I start wheedling again .... and I like to think I'm rather getting good at wheedling, Heaven knows I've had more than enough practice over the last couple of years!!!

We need the services of qualified shed builder ... we need his expertise actually ... to get the footings in and the slab poured. There ... you thought I was going to ask for the impossible, didn't you?? We also need volunteers x LOTS to help us get the frame up .... if we were Amish ... we'd call it a 'Barn raising' I think, but as we are just simple quilters, we'll call it 'A brilliant way to spend your spare time'.... how does that sound fellas?

We also need ... and here I REALLY ramp up the wheedling to absolute maximum!!! We need to raise funds and we need to raise them NOW!!  We need these funds in order to be able to install the mezzanine floor that we have planned to put in the shed for extra storage. this will add an extra $2500 to the overall cost of our workspace. It is also the reason we had the shed plans raised to the maximum height necessary.

But we are not going to ask you to bake cakes for a cake stall, or even to raffle off a child or two (though in the school holidays I sure that is a tempting proposition for some frazzled folk!). Nope ... we are going to ask you to spread the word as far and as wide as you possibly can ... and we are asking that you let people know about:

1. Our awesome wedding/debutante dresses ... kindly donated by Yvonne and selling at HALF the ticketed price. We have around 44 dresses yet to sell .... sizes 10 through to 18. All new ... all exquisite ... all yours if the price is right!!

2. Furnishing fabric. Yes we still have absolutely MASSES of the stuff to sell as part of our fundraising. Mock suedes, in a variety of shades ... suitable for floor cushions, re-upholstering, beanbags ... you name an appropriate use and it will probably be more than suitable. Selling at around $5 per metre, this is an awesome savings ... and every cent raised will be ploughed right back into our funds for the shed and the other costs associated with our quilting mission.

Naturally we've tidied and sorted it since we took delivery!! But this gives you an indication of the quantity of fabric we have available ... overwhelming, isn't it? It is now all sorted into colour groupings ... just to make your selection process easier :)

3. We sell quilts too!! As well as making quilts for the children in the COM Homes in India, we also raise funds for the fabric and batting that we need to complete the quilts ... by selling a number of quilts to interested clients. So if you would like to purchase a quilt ... knowing that you are not only getting a beautiful addition to your bedroom furnishings, but are also suppporting THE most worthwhile cause. Please contact Gaynor on 9756 7950 to arrange a viewing.

Above is a selection of quilts all available for sale ... why not purchase one now for next winter ... or as a Christmas gift?

So you can see that we have a lot to offer .. not just to the children in India ... but to folk closer to home .... and everything that we raise through these efforts will be put to the very best possible use. We are in desperate need, even as I type, of batting/wadding to go into the middle of the quilts we are making for the children. this is THE single most expensive component of our quilts and it is proving almost impossible to source it 'gratis' ... in fact it IS impossible to source for free. So we need to really wheedle like we have never wheedled before .... in order to be able to get this most necessary parts of our fabric 'hugs' for India. So far we have sent many, many quilts to India ... but to send more we need more ... so make sure that you spread the word as far as you can.

And I must add, that we are always more than grateful when we DO receive help ... so I must thank Jill. Gaynor tells me that Jill came by this week with SO much thread for our project that Gaynor is still nearly speechless!! She also brought fabric ... with the promise of more from a friend very soon. So THANK YOU so very much Jill ... I can't wait till our next Working Bee so that I can see for myself this wonderfull windfall :)

And while I am in 'thanking mode', I must also thank Katie Krosby at Complete Craft ... who did a wonderfully generous write-up on us in her latest Blog (which is a brilliant craft blog and well worth a read) ... go check the Blog at:

http://www.completecraft.com.au/blogs?cid-12513

Just click on the Homespun tab ... go to Blogs .... and there we are!!! Thanks a million Katie ... so very much appreciated!!

And the end result of all our wheedling/stitching/selling is that we are providing comfort and a fabric 'hug' to children on the other side of the world, in the COM (Christian Outreach Ministry) Homes in India.These kids have so very little ... and our quilts are just a way of making their lives just that little more comfortable. So that, rather than sleeping on a hard tiled floor ... they will actually have a little padding beneath and around as they sleep. And how little is that to give ... for the smiles that we get back ... as shown below ....

So ....  there you go ... that's my bit of ask, ask, asking for the time being ... now it's over to you for the give, give, giving ... and share, share, sharing ... spread the word ... you know you want to!! And I'll be back in a week or two with my next Working Bee  'Show and Tell' update to this Blog.

Till then ... blessings to all .... and you know that you can contact us with your offers of help with the shed raising, fabric donations, stitching help etc ... by simply emailing;

rachelbreukel@bigpond.com

shamilton@aanet.com.au

or phone:

Gaynor Peterson on 9756 7950

 

Susan

September stitchers scribblings .......... so much to share with you!!

Well ... here I am again ... updating you on what we have been up to since I last Blogged ... and hasn't the time flown!!!

We have had some wonderful donations ... and some brilliant quilts created in the month since my last journal entry ... so without further ado I'll start uploading some photos and accompany them with explanations ... and show you just how blessed we have been ..... :)

Firstly I will honour Jo Diehm ... I posted a tribute penned by Gaynor to Jo in my last Blog ... and since writing that I have to advise that sadly Jo passed away soon after . She bequeathed to us, before she passed, her sewing machine and other items that she herself had used as an avid quilter and stitcher. So here we have Rachel showing us the gifts that Jo has honoured us with ... and you can be assured that we will be creating a dedicated corner to Jo in our soon to be erected workspace. Thank you so very much Jo, for your giving heart and generous soul ...

 

 

This machine is only a year old ... and apparently does everything except make the bed(!!) quite an awesome piece of state-of-the-art machinery. Jo also donated a 'lightbox', which will make embellishing our quilts with original stitchery a breeze by enabling us to trace patterns easily. So thank you again Jo ... and your family, for gifting us these wonderful pieces ... Jo will live on indeed ... in the work that we will now be able to achieve using her machine  ...

We also had donated recently some lovely quilts ... which I will picture below ....'Eggs and Sauce' and 'Bubbles' from Rosalin McIntosh and the 'Teddy' and 'chequerboard'  design from her friend Marie Murphy. They are just wonderful ... ... a warm thank you to both ladies who created the lovely pieces shown below! Rosalin tells us in her email that Marie is new to quilting ..just two years into the craft ... who would have guessed indeed .. they are just beautiful Marie, and you are to be complimented for your work, keep it up! Your quilts will be treasured by the lucky recipients ladies and we thank you so very much for your kindness in donating them to us!

 

 

We also had some stunning quilts donated by a lady in Redcliff .... again I will personalise my 'Thank You' when I have further details ... but I did want to get this Blog into the system before too long, in case these kind folk thought that we had not been utterly blown away by their generosity ...

 

Aren't they just so very vivid ... and won't the children in India just love them!!!!

Now our Margaret bought along a batch of wonderful quilts completed by Julie Schultz, who has been busily stitching away for us, behind the scenes ... we hope to meet her at a future Working Bee so that we can thank her personally ... her quilts are just lovely ... thank you so very much Julie!! 

 

 

 

 

And Pauline brought along the 5th quilt that has been made for us so far by Val Riley who read about us a little while back ... and promptly set about stitching some quilts for the kids in India ... bless you Val!!

 

Now ... just to show that our quilts are so very well received in India by the children in the C.O.M (Christian Outreach Ministry) Homes .. I am including a couple of pictures to show you just how wide a smile can get!!

 

 

 

Now folks ... that final picture was a special 'upload' for our youngest quilter .. Amber .. pictured below with yet another quilt that she has completed for India ... it's always a bonus when we can recognise one of our very own quilts in the arms of the child to whom it has been given :)

 

Amber and her Grandmother Yvonne have been incredibly busy as usual   ... and not to be outdone by a 12 year old, Yvonne has completed a lovely 'Bears Paw Block' quilt for us ... brilliant!!

 

 

 

 

Alice has also been more than a little busy ... and her quilts had a distinctive Scots feel about them this time ... with some lovely tartan fabric used. Imagine if these quilts end up in the same childrens home as the Scottie Dog quilt eh? How cute would that be!!!

 

 

She also created an interesting quilt using a kind of 'reverse chenille' effect, which created quite a bit of interest with the rest of our stitchers as she explained just how it had been done ...

 

 

We also had a beautiful stash of quilts created by Emily, who had also been incredibly busy since we saw her last ... where DO these ladies find the time in their already busy lives to stitch for us? We are so thankful that they can manage time so effectively as to enable themselves to create these great fabric 'hugs' for India!

 

 

 

Last, but certainly by no means least, in our 'Show and Tell-fest ' ... we greeted our delightful Joy ... who had a few colourful stitchings of her own for the children on the other side of the world ... and here they are ... and they will most definitely brighten the lives of the children fortunate enough to receive them  ... thanks Joy!!

 

After 'oohing and aahing' over that stunning array of stitchery it was time to get down to the business of yet more stitching ... and so we did.

Firstly we had the two Emilys' who were present, hard at work, putting pockets on quilts. 'Emily the Younger' is looking forward to a trip to India next March with the COM 20/20 team, so got into the spirit of things by coming along to see what we are doing with Quilts for Orphans. And Emily the 'ever so slightly older' was more than happy to show her how to attach the pockets which will eventually hold the little laminated cards made by the Careforce Church Sunday School kids...

   

Soon Emily was throwing herself into the swing of things and we had her doing some unpinning .. while Amber kept herself equally busy stitching away ... child labour is alive & thriving at our quilting bees folks!!

 

In fact we kept EVERYONE busy on the day ... no way were they getting lunch without expending a little effort beforehand ...

 

Lois and Pamela were on 'pocket duty' too ...... and stitched so many that we had to cut out more!!!

 

Alice, Joy and Isobel soon had their machines humming too, busily attaching bindings to quilts for us ... before it was time to get our lunch money out .... and by this time we were starving!!!

Eventually we let Reg do the lunch run ... it was 'Take Out' lunch today .... and that means ... SUBWAY!!!

 

 ... and after the main course ... came dessert ... and as long as Reg does dishes duty ... he qualifies for lunch AND dessert!!

 

More stitching after that well earned break ... Pauline, Rachel and Margaret kept themselves occupied ...

 

... even if every now and again Rachel succumbed to a 'Nap Attack' .... (these youngsters have no stamina!) ....

 ... Gaynor still motivates the rest of the girls .... who DO manage to stay awake :)

And she CERTAINLY lifted our spirits even more when she told us that we raised $1700 during the Careforce churches' 'Global Impact Month' by selling some of our quilts!! The money received from these sales will go toward purchasing more batting/wadding for the insides of our quilts. This is the most expensive component of the quilts, so it was great to be able to create a little cash flow.

We can continue to raise funds through some quilt sales .. as we still have some left over from Global Impact Month ... and I feature them below ....

So..... if you would like to support us further ... and with Christmas just around the corner what a wonderful gift one of these quilts would make ... (you could also tell the recipient the story behind their gift!) contact Gaynor on 9756 7950 to arrange a viewing. The quilts come in a variety of sizes ... and are just brilliant!!

 

Of course you already know that we still have our wonderful wedding/debutante dresses available for purchase at a fraction of the retail price. All brand new ... all simply stunning ... with money raised being put straight back into our quilt project ..

And of course we still have that simply HUGE stash of fabric to sell ... mock suedes and other furnishing type fabric ... utterly dirt cheap .... I must add, we've stacked it a little neater since we unpacked it all .. it's now colour categorised and stacked upright :)

.... and again, all monies raised benefit our children in the COM Homes in India, by providing the 'ingredients' for our quilts... Gaynor is your contact for  all of the above bargains ... call her now!!

And that just about winds up this months Blog ... all that is left to say is a HUGE thank you to all who support and encourage us, whether by your donations of fabric, time, money or publicity ... each and everything that is done for us ... by you ... helps us in our dream of a quilt for each and every child in the COM Homes in India. And if you would like to see more of what COM is about ... check out their website at www.com.org.au and for information on Careforce Church in Mount Evelyn, go to www.careforce.org

To contact Rachel or myself, simply email us at rachelbreukel@bigpond.com or shamilton@aanet.com.au

Our next Working Bee will be held at Gaynors on Saturday October 10th at 345 Macclesfield Road Monbulk, Melways reference 123 J8. The lunch theme will be 'Bakers Choice' ... which means you get to surprise us with a mystery lunch contribution (I LOVE surprises!!). We start stitching at 9.30a.m, finish at around 4.30 p.m.... and all you need to bring is your sewing machine and your enthusiasm ... couldn't be simpler!!

So till then ... blessings to you all .. and I'll be back chatting and with more pictures to share after our next 'Bee' ...

Susan

More marvellous 'M' moments' at our magnificent monthly meetup!

Well here I am ... back again with many more 'M' words ... so without further ado I'll kick this update off ... and we'll start with a picture of the quilt tops that Reg ferried to Bayswater for us on Saturday morning. And why, you ask, were they going to Bayswater ... a detour on the way to India perchance?

Well ... long story cut short ... Reg was doing a swap at Bayswater with Lyn from Mildura ... who had filled several boxes with completed quilts for us and given her hubby the task of getting them to us. You will remember Lyn from several Blog entries ago ... she has a phantasmagorical all-singing and dancing quilting machine that does everything but make dinner!! And she uses it to quilt for us ... how awesomely wonderful is that?? So ... here is the first pic ... and a close up of the work that her machine does for us ... just brilliant!!

 

 

How stunning is this quilting Folks? And how entertaining will this be for some little kiddy in India as they trace the various animals and flowers that adorn this fabric 'cuddle' that Lyn has completed for us.

I will now show the box of goodies that Reg brought back after the 'swap' had been completed ....

 

It's OK ... she didn't actually transport Charlotte ... just included some lovely soft toys for India as 'ballast' with the quilts ... how generous and sweet ... thanks Lyn!! Now onto the quilts that came with the furry pets :)

 

 

Isn't this quilting brilliant, kites adorn a reverse, doubling the pleasure and beauty of the finished article!

   Don't you just love the paw prints around the border of the puppy applique .... cute as can be!

 

The motorbikes came with 'flames' on the reverse ... some little boy will just LOVE this one!! All these quilts need now is the finishing touch of a binding and they are ready to go!!

 Intricate 'piecing' on this quilt top ... don't the colours blend beautifully?

 

This one had little cars quilted onto the yellow borders, is there nothing Lyns machine cannot do? 

 

Another stunner ... the detail in these quilts just leaves me breathless ... :)

  

Now ... as well as the wonderful things that travelled from Mildura to Monbulk on Saturday .. .we also welcomed another brilliant 'M' to our gathering ... and that was Melly!! And while she didn't travel from Mildura that made her certainly no less welcome!!

 

'Melly' is Melanie Hurlston .. a designer of amazing talent who learnt of our project late last year and thought that it would be something that she would like to become involved in ... and as she is a very busy lady we certainly appreciate that she was able to join us. And ... she didn't come empty handed either (what stitcher ever does, indeed?) .. she brought with her a generous selection of fabric from her stash ... and presented us each with a copy of her very first book 'Kaleidoscope' .. pictured below.

 

How incredibly generous of her ... thank you so very much Melly .... and I have to say that we showed our gratitude by giving her a few tasks which she did most willingly for us ... how blessed and humbled are we by the kindness of our fellow stitchers :) For those interested in seeing Mellys talent for design themselves, or obtaining her patterns and book, I suggest you visit her Blog at www.mellyandme.typepad.com or email her at mellyandme@optusnet.com.au

 

What a trouper Melly was, throwing herself into our working bee with enthusiasm and a brilliant smile!

 

Can you believe that mountain of quilts behind Melly and Margaret ... shades of Rapunzel and the pile of straw that had to be turned into gold!! All quilt tops in various stages of completion .. all destined for the children in our COM Homes in India ... my word we will be busy, won't we?

Now as well as Margaret and Melly, we had with us on Saturday some of our stalwarts ... Isobel, Alice, Yvonne, Joy, Lois and Tracy ... and they were also kept nice and busy. Tracy had brought along her completed tops .... she had been quite busy since we last saw her ...

 

 

Not a bad effort for someone who was a self-confessed non stitcher just a year ago ... now she's addicted to quilting!!

 

And ... almost before we knew it ... 'twas time for lunch ... but even in the midst of mealtime ........

 

..... Yvonne, Gaynor and Lois couldn't drag themselves away from the quilting program on Foxtel :)

Soon as the dishes were done (by Gaynors ever helpful soulmate Reg) ... we were back to stitching bindings on the never diminishing pile of almost completed quilts ....

 

Well .... some of us were stitching ... while others were waiting patiently for some stitching to come our way ... and Lois wasn't kept waiting for long :)

 

We also managed to keep Alice, Isobel and Joy pretty busy ....

 

In order to release funds for further quilting supplies, a number of the quilts that were completed on Saturday will be offered for sale at Global Impact Month which is currently happening at Careforce Church, Mount Evelyn (the home of COM). These are the quilts stacked neatly on the chair near Joy. To date we have sold about 7 quilts ... and this will also serve to get the word out in our community about our project. Buy a quilt ... find out the story behind the team that has created it ... and generate funding to enable us to make more quilts for more children .... couldn't be simpler, or more worthwhile, now could it ?

Global Impact Month (previously known as Missions Month) is the time of year at Careforce when we showcase the work done by COM (Christian Outreach Missions) in places such as India, Russia and Indonesia. For more details on the work carried out by COM why not check out the COM website www.com.org.au

Now ... back to our merry band of stitchers ... because without them we would achieve a lot less than we have been able to do so far ..

 

The ever-busy Gaynor ... she never stops .. I am not convinced that she doesn't stitch in her sleep!

 

And Margaret is equally as busy ... and always smiling ... this work truly makes it impossible to frown :)

 

 .... and well may Rachel smile ... because I promised Charlotte that I would feature her fancy feet in this Blog (she is an extremely persuasive young munchkin!) ... and I did. So this pic is for you Charlotte Breukel!! Your feet are now famous ... satisfied ?

Now our next Working Bee will be held on Saturday September 12th ... the lunch theme (and no ... it's not the main reason that we gather, but we do earn it .. so it's worth a mention) will be 'Take Out' ... cost $5 ... will be a surprise, and sure to not disappoint anyone :) We commence at 9.30 am at Gaynors ... 345 Macclesfield Road Monbulk and work through till around 4pm, though we won't nail you to the floor if you have to leave early.

We are always receptive to offers of help, be it by offering to stitch for us, donate fabric  ...always more than welcome ... and on that note I MUST thank the young gentleman who saw details of our Blog in a local gym and donated 4 huge rolls of awesomely helpful fabric which will certainly be put to great use in quilt backs ... the kind of fabric that is alway sought after!

If you would like to help us to create our fabric 'hugs' that travel from Monbulk to India, please contact us, either by calling Gaynor on 9756 7950, contacting Rachel on rachelbreukel@bigpond.com or myself, shamilton@aanet.com.au

Till I next Blog ... blessings to all who support us, we couldn't achieve even a fraction of what we do without your help ... and it is always so very much appreciated, both by us .. and the children halfway across the world in the Childrens Homes ...

Susan

P.S: For those wondering how far along the road we are to our longed-for dedicated workspace aka the 'Shed' that will house 'Big Beastie' our quilting machine, as well as all our stitchers and the fabric and all the other bits'n'bobs that we use in this project ... well the wheels of bureucracy are still turning .. albeit a little slowly. But they have not ground to a halt ... and we WILL have our shed ... and my word, will I be excited when I can upload photos of the turning of the first sod. Stay tuned folks ... it will happen :) In the meantime, we still hope to generate funds for the fit-out by selling off those gorgeous wedding gowns ... also suitable for upcoming debutantes ... as well as the mass of furnishing fabrics currently available. So contact Gaynor if any of these items sound appealing to you ... she's just a phone call away remember ... 9756 7950.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU .... TO A SPECIAL PERSON

 

This is a special entry in our Blog ... and I will now pass the page over to our co-founder Gaynor Peterson who has written a special note for a very special person ....

"We all know that ladies who quilt are a 'special kind'. They love to create and they love to give.

My daughter-in-law has a Mum who is just like that. Her name is Jo Diehm ... and for many years she has lovingly toiled on her machine to create and give quilts to both family and friends.

Due to illness Jo can no longer do the craft she loves and she has asked if I would use her machine for the 'Quilts for Orphans'. When Fiona reads this article to Jo I can only say that we would be so privileged to have your machine Jo, and continue to use it to bless others ... especially the children.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you .... and we all send a 'Special Thank You' ........"

                                                        To Jo

                                                    Much love

                                                        Gaynor

Just a teensy bit overdue blogging Folks ...... sorrrrreeeee :)

   Well here I am ... more than a little overdue I'm afraid ... to report on the most recent Quilting For Orphans Working Bee, held on July 11th 2009.

As per usual we were a busy bunch ... a slightly smaller gathering than the previous get together, but it WAS very cold ... and it WAS the school holidays, so all our gang will have a chance to redeem themselves at our next workday, by showing off all that they have been stitching since we saw them last :)

Now before I get to display all that was brought to show off at this Bee, I'll begin by sharing with you some pictures of the quilts that we sent over when our Careforce COM 20/20 Cricket team went to India a couple of months back. I think the beaming smiles on the faces of the children holding their very own quilts says more than my words could possibly do ....

  

First we get to hold them .............................. then we get to wrap ourselves up snug and cosy!!

 

 

I'll also begin this Blog by showcasing and thanking the wonderfully kind stitchers who have sent us quilts, both anonymously and otherwise ... I found these waiting for me to capture on film when I arrived at Gaynors .... and we all agree that the generosity of heart out there for our mission is just so incredibly humbling ... so without further ado ... here are the incredible results of our kind hearted and clever stitchers out there :)

Firstly we have Sue Abernethy from Tokoroa in New Zealand, who contacted me by email some time back, with the offer to stitch for us ... take a close look at the photo on top of Sues' quilt ... it shows her with her 8 children.... a SuperMum indeed, with a heart as big as Texas!! How awesome is this woman eh?

 

And Sue has indicated that she will stitch more as time permits ..... am not sure, but I think she may well have mentioned that she Home Schools her children ... take a bow Sue!!! Your quilt is beautiful ... and so is your family .... and you are just amazing!!

We also had a parcel, anonymously sent, of a batch of completed quilts. How wonderful are these beauties eh? So to the modest stitcher out there ... many, many thanks .... we were quite blown away when we saw how busy you had been ...!!

 

 

 

 

Now I had better sincerely apologise in advance if I am wrongly attributing credit with the next batch of pictures ... as it has taken me a little while to upload and write this edition of the Blog, my mind has gone a little skew-whiff as to who stitched what. I'll begin by thanking Christine Sellar who I know stitched the lovely patchwork bag ... which she says we may sell at the upcoming Global Impact Month (previously known as Missions Month) ... this will enable us to obtain funds for more quilting supplies for our childrens quilts. The other quilts pictured may or may not have been stitched by Christine ... they may well be among our anonymous batch of donated beauties ... but they are all gorgeous and all much appreciated ... so thank you, thank you, thank you :)

 

 

 

 

 

Now Pauline rejoined us after a short spell away ... and with her she brought some lovely quilts and the story of how we came to be blessed with them ... I'll relate the history of the quilts first ...

' Mrs Val Riley of Ringwood saw our article in the magazine at the Library (this would have been one from our Patchwork and Stitching interviews or similar, I would think). She was interested in what she read ... and later , whilst visiting the Biennial Quilt Show at the Ringwood Church of Christ, she saw the fruits of the article at the display which we had there. Val rang Gaynor and has donated 4 lovely quilt tops and many metres of beautiful backing fabric for our quilts. She also finished many quilts off for us from ones that we had partially completed.'

 

 

Again ... if I am wrongly crediting the makers of these quilts I do apologise ... and feel perfectly free to have a hissyfit behind the privacy of your own front door, but I stress again that they are all just beautiful ... and all more than welcome by us for despatch to the children in our COM Homes in India. And I DO promise that by next Blog my note taking will be back on track :)

 

 

 

 

 

As well as all the preceding treasures we also had yet another anonymous donation of quilts ... and again we have to say how amazing it is that people are so incredibly kind ... this project just continues to reinforce to us how much good there is in the world ... and particularly among stitchers :) Blessings to you all!!

 

 

How stunning are these quilts ... and how amazing will they look when they are laid out on the sleeping area of the Childrens Homes in India ... with their cheerful young owners sitting upon them with smiles from ear to ear :)

And speaking of young people .... now see what our youngest quilter, Amber, has been up to since we last saw her ..... she's completed a 'Fence Rail' pattern quilt .... how very talented she is ... and always smiling too!!

 

Not to be outdone, Margaret has put her eye for pretty pinks to work and produced this beautiful quilt, this will surely make some young girls heart just melt .... sweet, isn't it?

 

Next we have Robyn ... aka the 'Quietachiever' ... she really outdid herself this time ... way to go Robyn!!! Cast your eyes over these offerings ... she has been quite busy, and believe it or not has recently undergone eye surgery!!

 

 

 

 

 

Time for an upright 'Powernap' after that effort I think ....... but wait, there's more ........ looksee..!!

  

And finally ... Robyns current work in progress ... a stunning Starburst ... just brilliant Robyn!!

 

Rachel puts in her sixpennorth as to the ultimate layout ..... and Voila!!! .......it all comes together :)

'Easy Peasy' ..... and pretty splendiferous eh?

Now after all that 'Ooohing' and 'Aaahing', it was time to get in a little stitching before lunch and Reg was there to make sure no-one slacked off .... he's a hard taskmaster, but someone has to keep us in line :)

 

OK Reg .... we've stitched and stitched .... can we have lunch NOW?? And for lunch ladies ... what better than a warming curry, in keeping with the fact that we are stitching for India ... bring it on!!

 

 

As well as quilting, young Amber is a dab hand in the dessert department ... she made a scrumptious chocolate slice and I just had to capture it on film before it all went .... :) Lois provided the simply delicious apple turnover thingummy .... you have NO idea how yummy it was!!!

 

Ooops ... nearly too late :) Tried to capture Ambers chocolate slice before it was all gone, but she was just too quick!!!

Lunch was so delicious there was hardly any need to do the dishes ... but Reg had to keep his hand in ... and he did a splendid job as usual!!

 

Then it was time for more stitching .... as well as a lesson from Gaynor on how to make a 'Disappearing 9 Patch' quilt block, most helpful for 'Newbies' like yours truly!

 

 

Here we have Yvonne being busy, busy, busy ... whilst Emily and Margaret collaborate with sandwiching a quilt top to its middle and backing, ready for stitching. Many hands really DO make light work ... and the essence of our little group is that everyone pitches in together ... and obviously have fun at the same time. A definite win-win situation!

 

Here Rachel shows Pauline how to make a Suffolk Puff and on the right is the Disappearing 9 Patch layout .... had to capture it for posterity as I have a mind like a sieve ... and now it is here so that I can refresh my memory :)

Will now add a couple of remaining quilt tops that I snapped on the day ... again I apologise if I have not been able to give credit where it is due ... feel free to email me if one of these is yours and you would like your name added to its obvious beauty. And I promise (cross my heart) to be a 'more better blogger' next time ..... and speaking of next time ... we will gather at Gaynors again on Saturday August 8th for a day of stitching (as well as the obligatory yummy lunch ... casserole and cake I believe will be the order of the day). We start at 9.30 ... and will be kept busy till around 4.30, though if you cannot stay forthe whole day we will give you an early leave pass ... if you have a jolly good excuse :)

Without further ado ... here are the quilts I promised ... and I look forward to to chatting again after our next get-together. Remember that you can contact us by email:

shamilton@aanet.com.au

rachelbreukel@bigpond.com

or contact Gaynor on 9756 7950

And I simply MUST thank LightFM for so very kindly running publicity via their Community noticeboard on the airwaves. We have had some wonderful responses though this for our project and we cannot thank them enough for their help .... it has been an absolute blessing!!

Please check earlier Blog entries for details on the upholstery fabric that we are still offering for sale ... all proceeds being ploughed back into getting our workshed up and running. And we still have those beautiful wedding/debutante gowns available for sale ... simply stunning and waiting to be snapped up .... what are you waiting for?

Blessings to all for supporting us ... this project has so far created close to 500 quilts for the children in India ... and we continue to be ever so grateful for all the positive encouragement and donations that we have been fortunate to receive. Every other week sees something wonderful appear, whether it be rolls of fabric, an offer to stitch for us, an anonymous package of quilt tops ... we are truly the most lucky quilters and the most appreciative ... thank you all so very much!!

Susan

 

 

Not sure how the last picture ended up on the camera .. but maybe it was a premonition ... yours truly apologising in advance to Gaynor for a late Blog perhaps? Trying on the old 'Dog ate my Blog', and not getting very far with THAT excuse, obviously!!

No winter woes for us .... too busy ...... being busy :)

Well Folks, here I am again ... with all the news that's fit to print from our June 13th Quilts for Orphans Working Bee ... so grab a coffee, make yourself comfortable ... and read on ...

We had another full house  ... 19 eager stitchers ... and barely room to swing Gaynors cat, had it been brave enough to venture indoors! Bring on our new workspace ... plans are currently before Council and fingers (those that aren't stitching a quilt) are crossed for 'Approval' ... sooner rather than later!!

Before we set to stitching, Lois shared with our group some beautiful hand embroidered pieces that had been stitched in an African refugee camp by Amuor, a Sudanese refugee now living in Lilydale.

 

 

Each took a month to embroider and my photos barely do them justice. If anyone knows of an outlet that would be prepared to buy/sell these lovely pieces, please contact this Blog so that we may pass the information onto Lois.

Now ... before we set to stitching yesterday, we had our 'Show and Tell' moment (always something to look forward to...) and Pam was 'first cab off the rank' with this lovely soccer themed quilt top, some young lad in India is sure to be inspired by this one, it's BRILLIANT!!

 

Her second S & T was a great tiger panelled quilt top, also just wonderful ... great work Pam!!

 

Lois had made a lovely quilt top with a Noahs Ark theme, which is sure to keep some kiddie entertained identifying each and every animal ... excellent fabric choice and beautifully put together Lois. You never fail to source fabrics that provide much to keep the children entertained as well as comfortable!

 

 

Then we have Robyn, who came with some lovely quilts in colourways suitable for young boys. She has been quite busy since we last saw her .... and these quilt tops prove it :)

 

And Margaret, when she arrived, was not to be left out either ... her skills in colour matching are just excellent, and these beautifully feminine floral offerings will surely delight some young lass in our Homes in India.

 

 

Carol had also been busy, as well as being Mum to young Angus who is just learning to walk, she found time to create this 'Disappearing 9 patch' quilt top ... most intricate .... excellent effort Carol!

 

And we have a great 'tag team' in sisters Barbara and Yvonne .. Barbara does the patchwork piecing of the quilt tops .. then passes them to Yvonne for quilting ... who then 'handballs' them back to Barbara for finishing off ... how good is that? No sibling rivalry here ... just co-operation all the way ... well done ladies!!!

Inge was soon busy at her machine ... whilst Isobel and Alice together with Joy ... who despite a damaged 'wing' still came along to help and encourage with her customary cheerfulness worked hard at what we call 'Janome' corner (remember last Blog when we had a table full of humming Janome machines!)...... 

 

And while Margaret and Jenni kept themselves similarly occupied at another table, Noelle found her niche for the day ironing ... and I certainly wasn't going to give her any competition for THAT particular job :)

 

It's always an ABSOLUTE hive of activity at these working bees, as the following pictures show .... Emily, Isobel and Carol busy at various times throughout the day, cutting strips for quilt tops, Yvonne and her grand daughter Amber stitching away, Lois and Pam hand stitching bindings ... there are never an idle pair of hands ... and the day simply whizzes by!!

 

 

 

Amber ... only 12 ... but a valued member of our group and a great contributor to our tally of quilts!

After a well earned break for lunch ... hearty soups and scrumptious sandwiches, followed by delicious cakes and slices ...

 

And I must say that ALL our stitchers are particularly caring and sharing ... as demonstrated in this 'Kodak' moment, with Barbara and Janagi sharing the dessert plate (I don't think the vicelike grip of the tug of war actually shows, does it?)

 

Following lunch there was a moment tinged with sadness .. as we bid farewell this month to Jenni, who has been a constant source of inspiration and encouragement to us all since our group started. She and her family leave tomorrow to live in Cairns (a tad too far to commute unfortunately). We wish her well in this new stage in her family life ... and hope that should she find herself in need of a rest from the tropical weather up there, that she will drop by to see us now and again ... you will be so very missed Jenni by each and every one of us. Your smile always brightened our gatherings and your quilting tips were always shared with love and patience (what will I do without you?). Safe journey and best wishes in all your future endeavours ..

 

 

Think of us when you have 'the cup that cheers' in Cairns Jenni :)

Now ... since we last met we have been blessed with a financial donation from a listener to LightFM who heard our publicity on their radio program and felt compelled to help us .... many, many thanks for your generosity. We also received, from the craft group at Careforce Church a wonderful tub crammed to capacity with fabric pieces ... as well as some completed quilt tops made by the residents of a local nursing home. How awesome is that?

 

 

We are continually amazed by just how wonderfully this project of ours reaches out and touches the hearts of all who hear about it .... thank you all so very much!

I'll just remind all who read this that we are always happy to receive donations of fabric, threads and money with which to restock our rapidly diminishing stash of fabric for these quilts ... so please spread the word about our dream ... the dream to provide the children in all the COM Homes in India with a quilt. Comfort between them and the floor upon which they sleep ... and I have just heard that another Home has just been opened in India ... so that's more children for us to stitch for. What are you waiting for ... dig deep and give ... all gifts gratefully received.

So ... if you have the urge to give ... contact us now :)

Either Rachel:

rachelbreukel@bigpond.com 

or Susan:

shamilton@aanet.com.au  phone 9737 1825

 or Gaynor:

Gaynor Peterson 9756 7950

P.O Box 170

Monbulk 3793

Victoria

And remember ... we STILL have that awesome array of beautiful wedding dresses available for sale .. proceeds go toward our workspace and materials ... the dresses would also be suitable for Debutantes. Sizes 10 thru to 16/18.

And Gaynor has masses of furnishing fabric also available. This would suit a variety of projects .. we have micro suedes in every imagineable shade ... so contact her to arrange a viewing of the above.

Next get-together will be on Saturday July 11th ... from 9.30 am till 4.30 pm. Lunch theme is 'Indian' ... and I can't wait!!!

So ... till my next Blog ... blessings to all who support us in all manner of ways .. we appreciate you all!! As do the children in India ... who inspire us to stitch, stitch and then stitch more!! Every quilt a hug of love from us to them .....

Susan

My .... how we've grown .......... !!!

 

Well Folks ... these are  some early snaps of our group ... back in 2007 and again in September 2008  .... and now I'll show you the comparison between that little gathering of happy stitchers ... and the crowd that attended our most recent Working Bee on Saturday May 9th 2009. Are you ready? Well have a look at THIS!!!!

 

Back Row L>R: Barbara, Yvonne, Isobel, Susan, Jenni, Joy, Emily, Lois, Win and Christine.

2nd Row L>R: Gaynor, Kelly, Hayden and Adam.

3rd Row L>R: Janagi, Amber, Pam, Laura, Tracy, Margaret.

4th Row L>R: Gail, Sue, Laurece.

Front Charlotte, Rachel and Tom.

We also had Noelle drop by, unfortunately she had departed before the group snap was taken, though I did manage to catch her with Margaret before she took her leave :)

So we had an outstanding attendance .... 23 eager stitchers turned up ... and it was very nearly a case of hanging out the 'Full Up' shingle at the bottom of Gaynors driveway! Had her cat been around, it would not have been able to have been swung at all ... that's how little room we had indoors! The photo below was actually taken AFTER some people had left toward the end of the day!!

Among our 'Newbies' on the day, we had Pams daughter Sue, who was so chuffed at seeing her Mum in a recent Blog that she came from Hoppers crossing to work with us today. Here we have them looking at pictures from India of our orphans with some of the quilts we have sent over ... and Sue proudly showing a quilt which she had been working on for us .... isn't it lovely?

 

We also welcomed Emily, and her daughter Laura, who had seen an article in a recent Leader local newspaper about our efforts, and travelled from Upwey to be with us for the day. we soon got Emily busy stitching with Isobel. It's wonderful to welcome new faces to our group and to see how seamlessly they fit in and start chatting away together .....

 

We had Yvonnes sister Barbara join us too. They have been collaborating off-site, with Yvonne making the quilt tops and Barbara taking them to her home and quilting them. Here are some snaps of what they brought back with them on the weekend .... pretty productive effort I think! What a team!!

 

And here they are ... hard at work again .... this time 'on-site' :)

 

Jenni, as always, was happily being productive ... she will shortly be leaving us to move interstate ... I HAVE told her that she can commute, but strangely enough she found that concept a little hard to work into her plans. She will be sorely missed though, as a constant encourager and giver of quilting tips to newbies ... an absolute asset to our group! Can only hope that she will put us in her holiday plans and visit now and again ... :)

It was truly wall-to-wall ladies at this get together .... these shots below show just how desperately we need to get a larger workspace ... almost had to get outside for air!

 

 But now ... before I do some more Show and Tell I must make a couple of announcements lest I forget... and a few Thank You mentions as well ... so here goes:

On May 28th, 29th and 30th QFO has been invited to participate in   the 'Quilts Plus' exhibition at the Ringwood Church of Christ at 13 Bedford Road, Ringwood. This invitation will give Gaynor and Rachel the opportunity to share what we have been doing for the children in India with the people visiting the exhibition. Phone Pat on 9870 4414 for details. Promises to be a wonderful show, so pass the word and put the dates in your diary folks!

Gaynor, Reg and Joy have also begun a new fundraising project for our group. They have hired a stall at the Carribean Gardens Market in Scoresby. They believe that once we have become established as 'regulars' on the Wednesday market day, we should be able to create a worthwhile outlet for fabrics and creations that have been stitched using our donated upholstery 'stash', as well as giving good publicity for QFO. So if you are in the vicinity, please look out for their stall and tell your friends and neighbours too. Carribean gardens are located at Scoresby/Rowville. Melways reference 72H9.

And there will soon be a stunning bride, gliding down the aisle on her wedding day ... wearing a gown purchased from us. Remember peoples .... we still have many beautiful new wedding gowns, donated by Yvonne .... for sale. With proceeds going toward our QFO fundraising. Sizes 10 to 16/18 ... and all just GORGEOUS!! So contact Gaynor or Rachel if you wish to view these creations .... inspection will certainly not disappoint!

'Country Threads' magazine have approached us with a view to doing an article on QFO ... how amazing is that? The email contact came completely out of the blue ... and I have handballed it to Rachel (who is soooo very good at interview stuff!) ... so I look forward to letting you know more as soon as we have been able to give them all the information they need for an article.

NEWS FLASH. NEWS FLASH. NEWS FLASH. NEWS FLASH. NEWS FLASH. NEWS. FLASH NEWS FLASH..

Got your attention? Terrific! Sitting down? Good!! Grab your hats ... we have put a deposit on a workshed!! After many months of creative whining I am finally able to tell you that Gaynor has been able to put a down payment on a workspace for us. It is an American style barn, with mezzanine floor for storage and ground floor which we will be able to fit out for workspace. With luck we expect to see the 'bones' of this dream begin to take shape in about 6 weeks .... and I'll certainly be sharing pictures here, so stay tuned! We will still be rasing funds to complete this project, so don't expect me to stop badgering you just yet for ongoing support. But how wonderful .... to be able to finally envisage a time  in the forseeable future ....that we can allow Gaynor and Reg to resume some rather more normal homespace than they have had over the last 2 years.

And now for some THANK YOU messages to pass on through this Blog .... we continue to be blessed by the kindness of generous souls and I wish to thank the following people for their recent contributions ...

Judy (and Bob) Reall, my longstanding email penpal and a retired schoolteacher, from Trout Creek, Montana USA .... who has followed our story from the beginning. As a longtime quilter herself, Judy knows exactly how much effort and love is put into a quilt. She kindly sent me a cheque/check which has converted to $A70 and this was given to Rachel this weekend ... this will be put into 'furbishing the interior of our workshed when it is erected, and I look forward to telling Judy that a part of her care and interest for QFO will be in our project :)

Also thanks to another friend, Sandi Kraft, who recently received an upgraded sewing machine, courtesy of her Mum ... and so wanted to give us her 'old' machine ... a neat little 'Brother' model, shown below. Sandi is using her new machine to create Western Riding costumes for the show ring ... using mock suede fabric purchased from our upholstery stash. So it's a win-win situation all round ... neat eh? This little machine will be useful for those times when we get an extra set of hands and need a spare machine ... so thanks Sandi ... very handy :)

 

I am also including some pictures of the quilting done for us by Lynn in Mildura. You will recall I featured her recently in a Blog entry when Pauline, one of our longstanding members, visited Mildura on holiday and Lynn kindly undertook to quilt a number of our quilts. Her work is just beautiful, her whizzbang machine has adorned quilts with stitched bears, ducks, bees and many other patterns. Thank you SO much Lynn!!

 

 

 

Lunch at this working bee was 'Take Out' ... and for the benefit of Pauline who was unable to make it .. I am able to let her know via this Blog that it was 'Subway' salad roll platters from the nearby Belgrave store... and it was deeeelicious!! The store also kindly GAVE us some cookies as dessert ... so I am taking this opportunity to thank them for their generosity. Aren't we the spoilt ones!!

 

And whilst the grown-ups were re-charging their batteries ... the children were kept occupied as well ... and I must say they were all beautifully behaved ... we hardly knew they were there at all ..!!

After refreshments we got back into the business of stitching busily away ... but not so busily that I was not able to dash around snapping away for the Blog and posterity :) So here are some of our ladies hard at work as ever ....

Janagi is as pleased as can be at the quilt which she completed ENTIRELY on her own, from start to finish ... a great effort Janagi!! And Margaret didn't let the grass grow under her sewing machine either ... as you can see with her effort ... :)

 

 

And Lois sourced some great fabric for a 'Map' quilt .... some child will LOVE tracing a world voyage on THIS quilt ... isn't it great!

Later, Win and Amber ... together with Lois and Christine ... were hard at work on the back porch cutting fabric from our enormous upholstery stash. Thank goodness the weather wasn't tooooo chilly for them! Poor Amber had a sore 'wing', due to a playground tumble during the week... we told her that quilters play 'nicer' and she should choose her companions a little more wisely in future ... we can't have our stitchers damaged ... we need them too much!!! Hopefully she'll be back at the machine sewing before too long!

 

We also probably are sailing a leetle bit close to the wind with the child labour laws ... Kelly recruited young Adam (just turned 3)to the cause ... and says she can hardly wait to get BOTH twins quilting!!

 

Now how is this for 'product placement'? Take notice Janome ... by a strange coincidence, and totally unplanned, we found that we had four Janome sewing machines doing stitching duty on the one table. Now ... if I mention Janome a few more times and do a bit of creative whining (and I'm jolly good at THAT!!) ... they might see their way clear to throwing some surplus product our way? Gaynor tells me she could really do with a 4 spool overlocker for our work! I operate on the principle that 'if you don't ask you don't get' .... so Janome .... listen up!!!!

 

And here are a few of the quilts (some surely stitched on a Janome!) that will go in the next shipment to India. There are 100 completed quilts here ... all stunning .. and all will be eagerly received and duly treasured by the COM Homes kids. This pile should furnish two orphanages with quilts and when I get the next batch of pictures from the recent trip to India I will upload them here for you to see ... we sent 46 quilts there last month and I can't wait to share the photos of the happy smiling children taken then  .. :)

 

I'll finish this Blog entry with some random snaps of some of the beautiful quilts that have been created ... and some of the absolutely scrumptious fabric that we have been able to put to such good use for the benefit of the kids in India. We have some incredibly talented stitchers among our group ... and the way that the fabric has been pieced with interesting variations/combinations is just stunning! Take a bow ladies ... you are truly awesomely talented! A number of these are the ones that were quilted by Lynn in Mildura ... she really WAS busy on our behalf!!

Ooooooh ......... look at these beauties folks!!!!

 

 

 

 

  

So ... there we go till my next Blog entry folks ... and I say again, that I am truly privileged to be involved with such awesomely good people, each and every one of our stitchers and the many others involved in this project is wondrous indeed and blessings to you all ...

Till next time ... happy stitching and blessings ... and don't forget, to see where and we are next meeting, and all our contact details, just click on the menu on the right hand side of this page and you will be miraculously transported to all the information that you could wish for :)

Susan

Quick reference/calendar and contact details ....

Ok folks .... I have been asked to provide a quick link for those wishing to contact us or those who wish to find out when our next get-together is. Being more than a tad technically challenged and consequently going into brain meltdown navigating my way around the Typepad 'How To' page ... it just seemed easier to start a fresh entry ... hopefully the updated sidebar menu will now enable you to easily access all the information you need :)

REMAINING GET TOGETHERS FOR 2009: All are Saturdays and run from 9.30 a.m till 4.30 p.m with the exception of our Christmas Breakup ... which will be a stitching free evening meal .. :)

May 9th ........... Take Out lunch. Bring $5

June 13th ......... Sandwiches and cake. Soup providers will be notified.

July 11th .......... Indian themed lunch.

August 8th ........ Casserole and cake.

September 12th .. Take Out lunch. Bring $5.

October 10th ...... Bakers Choice. Bring whatever you like. (We love surprises!!)

November 14th .... BBQ and salad. BYO meat.

December 12th..... 6p.m Christmas Breakup. Details to follow.

WHERE WE MEET: We congregate at Gaynors ... which is located at 345 Macclesfield Road Monbulk 3793. Just past the Mountain District Christian School. Melways Map reference 123 J8

WHAT TO BRING: A working sewing machine, lots of enthusiasm and a sense of humour. In return we will give you encouragement and a never-ending heap of stitching ... and lots of warm fuzzies along the way ..... now you have to admit that's an offer that's going to be hard to beat!!

CONTACT US: rachelbreukel@bigpond.com

                     Gaynor Peterson 9756 7950

                     Rachel Breukel 0430 203485

                     Susan Hamilton 9737 1825 or shamilton@aanet.com.au

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O Box 170 Monbulk 3793

There .... I think that covers it all ... how am I doing so far? Any questions? Now we just look forward to hearing from folks interested in helping us provide quilts for all those beautiful kids in our COM Homes in India ....... so keep reading to see what we have been up to recently.

Blessings to all ...

Susan

Ok folks .... I have been asked to provide a quick link for those wishing to contact us or those who wish to find out when our next get-together is. Being more than a tad technically challenged and consequently going into brain meltdown navigating my way around the Typepad 'How To' page ... it just seemed easier to start a fresh entry ... hopefully the updated sidebar menu will now enable you to easily access all the information you need :)

REMAINING GET TOGETHERS FOR 2009: All are Saturdays and run from 9.30 a.m till 4.30 p.m with the exception of our Christmas Breakup ... which will be a stitching free evening meal .. :)

May 9th ........... Take Out lunch. Bring $5

June 13th ......... Sandwiches and cake. Soup providers will be notified.

July 11th .......... Indian themed lunch.

August 8th ........ Casserole and cake.

September 12th .. Take Out lunch. Bring $5.

October 10th ...... Bakers Choice. Bring whatever you like. (We love surprises!!)

November 14th .... BBQ and salad. BYO meat.

December 12th..... 6p.m Christmas Breakup. Details to follow.

WHERE WE MEET: We congregate at Gaynors ... which is located at 345 Macclesfield Road Monbulk 3793. Just past the Mountain District Christian School. Melways Map reference 123 J8

WHAT TO BRING: A working sewing machine, lots of enthusiasm and a sense of humour. In return we will give you encouragement and a never-ending heap of stitching ... and lots of warm fuzzies along the way ..... now you have to admit that's an offer that's going to be hard to beat!!

CONTACT US: rachelbreukel@bigpond.com

                     Gaynor Peterson 9756 7950

                     Rachel Breukel 0430 203485

                     Susan Hamilton 9737 1825 or shamilton@aanet.com.au

POSTAL ADDRESS: P.O Box 170 Monbulk 3793

There .... I think that covers it all ... how am I doing so far? Any questions? Now we just look forward to hearing from folks interested in helping us provide quilts for all those beautiful kids in our COM Homes in India ....... so keep reading to see what we have been up to recently.

Blessings to all ...

Susan

M is for .......... magnificent motivated multiskilled machinists :)

Hello again folks ....!!! Well I have a lot of ground to cover in this months Blog ... where do I begin .... the 46 quilts we had to prepare for despatch on Monday to India, the surprise visit from Maxine all the way from Geelong, the wonderful donation from Marleen in S.A from her personal 'stash'? Decisions, decisions, decisions .....!!!

Perhaps I should start with a roll call of the wonderful ladies who came to our Quilting Workday on Saturday April 4th ... and what a brilliant turnout we had indeed!! We welcomed some lovely new faces ... Grace, Margaret, Betty and Pam .....

  

Here we have Grace busily stitching pockets onto quilts ... and Margaret who almost had to get dragged away from the sewing machine for lunch... she stitched non-stop all day ... awesome effort!!

Well .... it's now more than 24 hours since I started this Post ... only to have had it interrupted by a power failure that rendered me unable to use the computer (glomm), sewing machine (glomm again) or oven (hoorah!!). But here I am ... back and on full power to complete all the news that's fit to print about our wonderful days activities at the last Working Bee .... so here goes .... :)

 

 

Aren't these quilts going to bring a smile to the faces of the kiddies in India when they are delivered?? This is Pam with some of the beautiful appliqued quilts that she has made for the children .... great work Pam!!

As well as our newcomers on Saturday we also had our familiar band of regular stitchers ... that dedicated troupe who come along in the face of hail, rain, shine ... even heatwaves ... and we are more than grateful for all that they do. So I will thank Yvonne and her grand daughter Amber, Janagi, Pauline, Lois, Joy, Inge, isobel, Lesley and Win ... and of course our dual 'Hostesses with the Mostest', Gaynor and Rachel ... and not forgetting Chief Cook, Bottlewasher and maker of that famous Beetroot Salad ... Reg the Reliable!!

 

Here is Amber,at only 12 years of age our youngest quilter .. and she is doing a brilliant job, isn't she?

 

Here is Janagi getting valued input from Grace and Amber as to the final layout of her quilt ... while Lois shows off her handiwork to an appreciative audience.

   

Now for the life of me my mind has gone totally blank on the identity of the maker of this stunning quilt ... I CAN tell you that they were camera shy ... though I suspect you may have guessed that already!! Possibly Isobel, maybe Joy .... perhaps Lesley .... I will attempt to unfog my grey cells and let you all know later ... OK, it's now 'later' ... and I have just been reminded by Rachel that Isobel (winner of our 'Encouragement Award' at the Cot Quilt Challenge earlier in the year, made this gorgeous quilt. Way to go Isobel .... you are an inspiration!!

 

Carol and her adorable son Angus joined us on Saturday, Carol is a recent addition to our team of quilters and Angus was most amenable throughout what was a very long day for a little tacker.

 

Rachel explains the intricacies of mitred corners to Angus .... we'll have him quilting soon enough!! 

 

Joy, Isobel and Janagi merrily stitching away indoors while Yvonne 'slices and dices' on the front porch.

 

Would you believe that Isobel, previously a non-stitcher, actually won this awesome machine as a door prize at Spotlight 3 years ago? Little did she even dream back then, that she would one day be part of a Quilting Bee .. and just how useful that prize would be!! This little machine was responsible for the stunning Paddington Bear quilt that I showed earlier in this Blog. And Janagi stitches away busily on her trusty machine too ... these ladies are just wonderful members of our group and do wonderful things for our project ... :)

And soon enough we were ready for refreshments after an incredibly busy morning .. so we took a well earned break for lunch & a chat (not that we don't manage to talk whilst stitching anyway, as you do!)

 

Then we hopped right back into work, so much to do .... and those quilts to prepare for the trip to India with our Careforce COM Twenty20 Cricket team. Bindings to be finished, pockets to be stitched so that the cards prepared by the Sunday School kids could be tucked into them for the children in India. We really had our work cut out for us .... the Mission team departed first thing on Monday morning, and will be away from April 5th to 18th, during which time they will be able to supply an entire orphanage with our quilts ...... thanks Team Twenty20!!!

 

 

After a flurry of activity ... as if we ever don't 'flurry' ... we are done and dusted. The 46 quilts are completed for the orphanage in Hubli and will soon be distributed to the 23 boys and 23 girls who live there. Hopefully I will be able to show you photos of the children with these quilts when the Mission team return ...... then we will be working toward the next shipment which will take place in September.

Now as I mentioned at the beginning of this Blog, we also had some wonderful happenings on Saturday. Starting with the incredibly generous and mouthwatering (well it WAS mouthwatering for a stitcher!) donation of the most scrumptious fabric from the personal 'stash' of Marleen Russell from O'Halloran Hill in South Australia. Thank you SO much Marleen ... your donation is just magnificent and the quilts that it will be made into will indeed be treasured by the lucky children in India. How I never cease to be amazed by the generosity of strangers whose hearts are touched by our project ... bless you!

 

And then ... yes there is more ... I did promise you more ... there was a knock on the door ... and Reg announced that there was someone to see me!!  Surprise, surprise, surprise ... all the way from Inverleigh, 30km the other side of Geelong ... a huge drive ... was Maxine Mossop. We had emailed back and forward some months back and Maxine had expressed a desire to help our quilting for orphans project. Well 'help' is an understatement, for in her car boot she had 27 of the most beautiful completed quilts that I had seen ... and she was giving them to our children in India. To say that we were all blown away by this was to put it mildly .... I think the term 'gobsmacked' would be a fitting description of our reaction!!

 

 

I think the expression on Rachels face says it all ... don't you??

 

 

Here Maxine describes her quilting technique to some of our quilters. She told me that she has been previously involved in making quilts for Timor and other charitable causes, we are blessed indeed that she has chosen to share with us ... and the children in India will surely derive immense pleasure from her magnificent handiwork. Thank you so very much Maxine ... and we look forward to seeing you again ... if that's not tooo cheeky of me :)

 

 

Now it's getting rather late ... 20 to midnight to be precise, so I will have to reluctantly put this Blog to bed now before I fall asleep at the keyboard. I will add a final picture to round off the wonderful day that we had ... then remind you of our next Working Bee date before toddling off to bed ... so without further ado ... here is Miss Charlotte with a cheesy grin from ear to ear amid the quilts that Maxine brought :)

 

Now our next get-together will be on May 9th at Gaynors. Address is 345 Macclesfield Road Monbulk (just in case the Blog has tempted some potential newcomers to our happy little group of quilters!). We will start at 9.30 am and work thru till 4.30 ... though there is no compulsion to stay the entire day ... we love it if you do, however :) The lunch theme for the day will be 'Take Out' ... which means that you bring $5 and we surprise you with something 'Take Out' ... mysterious eh?

Don't forget that Gaynor still has absolutely scads of Warwick upholstery fabric for sale at $5 per metre, all proceeds going toward our Quilts for Orphans project. And we still also have 40+ magnificent brand new wedding dresses for sale... 'Best Offer' ... so let all prospective brides and the newly engaged folk know about our wonderful opportunities to obtain the gown of their dreams!

So you can contact Gaynor on 9756 7950 to discuss fabric and gown viewing, email Rachel rachelbreukel@bigpond.com or myself shamilton@aanet.com.au  and we will be pleased to answer any queries that you may have about our project to provide quilts for the children in the COM Homes in India.

Still hoping to be able to tell you that we have new premises from which to work, so that Gaynor and Reg may 'reclaim' their home ..... so remember to pass the word around about what we are trying to achieve ... and that with a proper workspace we may be able to produce even more quilts for the children in India .... it would be just wonderful if we could rehouse our project before winter sets in ... that verandah gets awfully chilly and Rachels fingers turn purple in the cold as she quilts away for India.

So ... till I next 'Blog' ... blessings to all and thank you so very much each and every one who is supporting us ... without your generosity of heart we would not have been able to achieve even a fraction of what has been done so far ...

Susan

P.S: Rachel has just updated me on our 'Shedquest' .... she has located a shed measuring 12m x 9m which suits our needs perfectly. The cost will be $7800 ... and it  will need to be ordered within the next week or two. This is brilliant news ... HOWEVER ... we are still somewhat short of the asking price and need to raise more funds URGENTLY!! So please spread the word about our fundraising ... we so desperately need this shed .. it truly will answer our prayers. Tell everyone you know about our need and this amazing opportunity that we cannot let slip thru our fingers ..... and support us in any way that you can. Think of just how much more can be achieved if we are able to set up in a dedicated workspace .... :)