Well Hello there again Readers ... yes, tis me .... with another Blog update to share with you our latest Working Bee update ....from our get-together on April 14th 2012.
So grab that coffee again (or perhaps a tea this time? ).... and settle in for the read ... but first the Roll Call from Saturday, and we had another full house/barn and heaps to do to keep each and every one of us well and truly occupied! We enjoyed the company and stitching contributions of: Karen (with Ethan), Christine, Lois (and friend Vi), Jenny, Yvonne, Amber, Isobel, Denise (and new recruit Elizabeth), Maxine, Val, Pauline, Carol, Noelle, Emily, Tracy and Joy.
Here is young Ethan to introduce and oversee the days reporting .......
Now Gaynor, Yvonne and crew had been busy since last we met, creating 25 beanbags for the ICC Home in China, our newest project. They looked exceptionally good, as the pictures below show:
We then spent a deal of our time at the Working Bee this Saturday assembling the liners to go inside the bags, to make them just that little bit sturdier and 'proofed' against the beans escaping during use.
Here is Yvonne .... giving us detailed instructions on the assembly of the liners ...
.... and Val getting all set up to stitch away for the day ...
A row of zig-zag stitching over the seams as extra reinforcement .... even I got into the act:)
Here is the Link to ICC http://english.chinaconcern.org/ please visit it and see what they are all about.
Gaynor has also been asked to make curtains for the ICC Home and here is just a small portion of her efforts so far ... there are 11 rooms to be fitted out with curtains, 13 windows in all ... and this has kept her EXTREMELY busy, as you can see ... the pile on the right is all curtains, whilst on the left are the beanbags. The children are sure to love the individual appliques on each of the bags.
A number of wall hangings have also been created, to brighten the walls and make the rooms even more attractive for the children and staff at the Home.
And last, but by no means least, we are also making sheet sets for the Home ... all nicely trimmed and finished off with machined embroidery ... no half measures taken by our willing volunteers!
And,just when we were wondering who else we could 'bless' with our quilts .... last week we heard from Kylie Draper from Easter Palliative Care, who has taken on the responsibility of taking 20 of our quilts to Ethiopia, for the Lola Childrens Fund, an organisation which has been running for 4 years, looking after babies and young children with HIV. The Link is below and we do hope that the children enjoy the 'hugs' that our quilts will provide them .
http://www.lolachildrensfund.org/
So it was full steam ahead last Saturday, as we stitched furiously away, in order to get the beanbags ready for despatch, bound quilts for Ethiopia and generally kept as busy as we always seem to be on these occasions ....
"To your posts ladies .... if you please.." says Yvonne:) .... and we were soon off and racing!!
Emily .....
Christine.....
Gaynor ......
Amber .... (and friend)
Peek a Boo .... it's Karens lad ... young Ethan.
Full of beans ... and energy:)
Carol and Maxine ....
Lois and her friend Vi ... with Elizabeth, Yvonne and Pauline keeping busy in the background...
Maxine again with Noelle ..... is there anything nicer than stitching in a sunny corner of our pretty barn?
..... though lunch runs a pretty close second as far as I'm concerned .. and this one fulfilled ALL my expectations ... a curry lunch ... delicious!!
Always pleasant to break off from 'work' for a scrumptious lunch ....
Though I think Pauline just 'had' to get a few more stitches completed:)
Yvonne, Christine, Isobel,Elizabeth, Denise and young master Ethan ... enjoying their lunch ...
Yvonne entertained us mid-lunch with some amusing anecdotes .....
But very soon it was full steam ahead as we resumed stitching ....
Elizabeth busily ironing, Denise stitching ... whilst Pauline answers a question for Ethan ...
Tracy and Isobel chat and sew .... as does Emily ....
..... before she kicks off our 'Show and tell' session .... bet you were thinking we weren't having one this month eh? This is her handiwork and will quilt up beautifully ....and give a child lots of comfort:)
Next some lovely creations from Val .... in muted shades ...
... and another .... a pretty use of pinks ...
... and this, with peach and an almost pale khaki colour teaming up nicely ...
And another .... in shades of pale teal and pink ... Val has a real flair for colour matching ...
Next ..this vibrant piece from Christine I like the way that the border picks up the vivid blue flowers.
..... and from Christines friend Lorraine ... this incredibly bright and pretty piece ....
And that .... dear Reader .... just about winds up this months edition of this little Blog ... hope it kept you entertained and inspired. Now, don't forget to have a looksee at the other Blogs and sites that we are Linked to. These sites are either supporters of us, thru publicity in their own Links, or are places that we have (or continue) to support with our fabric 'hugs' for the children they care for.
And naturally I am enclosing the Link for our very own COM ... Christian Outreach Ministry ... which was the catalyst for the creation of Quilts for Orphans. This organisation has built in excess of 25 childrens Homes in India and is well worth remembering when you start planning your Christmas giving this year. Contact them for ideas on what YOU can purchase this year ... to make the life of a child in one of their Homes just that little bit brighter. And I'm sure that the other childrens Homes that we have provided quilts for would also be equally pleased to be the beneficiaries of your kindness through Christmas (and just random) giftings in 2012 as well. Give it some thought please:)
We next meet on May 12th ... and I thought we might enjoy a little Italian for lunch at this gathering, so break out the garlic and parmesan and join us. A small dish to share would be appreciated, for those able to ... and a gold coin donation to help offset the power costs for our hostess Gaynor would also be lovely. She looks after us so graciously at the barn ... tea and coffee always on the go, its the least we can do to lighten her outgoings on these days:)
And ... before I finish this off ... a few pics of our fundraising bits and bobs ... please let your friends know that we have items for sale, the proceeds of which we put straight back into purchasing the all important batting for our quilts for the children in India, China, Zambia and Ethiopia. Whilst we often are the recipients of fabric donations ... the batting is just not something that is 'gifted' to us at all regularly, or in sufficient quantities for the number of quilts we need to make forthe children. We have so far sent off in excess of 1000 quilts ... and that is a HEAP of batting that had to be sourced. So spread the word and share this Blog with your friends by emailing them the Link to it.
Our wedding dresses ....
Our spiffy dog coats (dog not included)...
Quality furnishing fabrics at $5 per metre ....
Cushions .... $25 each ...
And now our Links ... as promised ....
Our contact details are as follow:
Gaynor Peterson ... phone (03)9756 7950
And Gaynor NOW also has email ... gaynorpeterson@bigpond.com
Susan Hamilton .....phone (03)9737 1825
or email: shamilton@aanet.com.au
Our postal address (for donations) is now P.O Box 398 Monbulk Victoria 3793
www.chinakidz.org .... for news about the Butterfly Palliative Care hospice in China
http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a59784e7a45314d6a673d0d0a&sb=1
www.freetobekids.org/- .... the rescue organisation that frees children from slavery and exploitation
www.com.org.au/ .... our very own Christian Outreach Ministry in Mount Evelyn
http://kayleenwest.com.au .... for Art with a positive spirit
http://mellyandme.typepad.com .... creative clothing etc for children
www.hopefosterhome.com ... the latest group of babies we are creating crib quilts for in China ...
www.zoehopeproject.blogspot.com giving hope to children in Zambia.
http://english.chinaconcern.org/
... and our newest recipients of quilts .... in Ethiopia
http://www.lolachildrensfund.org/
And finally .......
Our Link to Treasure Corner Opshop in Wray Crescent Mount Evelyn .... the brainchild of Helen Greenwood so many years ago, the start of the support for COM Homes in India is listed below. Well worth a visit for the many bargains available, proceeds from the sales go toward the Childrens Homes in India ... 26 so far have been built through funds raised by this shop, an amazing achievement indeed.
Till my next Blogpost ... happy stitching
Blessings...
Susan
