Hello again my readers ... 'tis I, with another update on Quilters for Orphans, following our August Working Bee held on Saturday August 13th at our splendiferous work Barn.
And what a wonderful turnout we had ... Janagi,Julie,Win, Jenny, Rachel,Yvonne, Amber, Joy, Christine, Val, Jan, Karen, Tracy, Alice, Isobel, Emily, Margaret, Pauline, Lois, Annette ... and yours truly!!
We are still receiving donations following our publicity clip on Guide to the Good Life, a nice little parcel from Liz Mibus in Tanunda South Australia, full of lovely fabric ... pictured below...
This will stitch up into some beautiful quilts for India Liz ... thank you SO much!!
And whilst I wasn't there when it arrived, I must on behalf of Gaynor,thank Muriel Bennett from Sheridan Australia, who sent us an entire pallet of beautiful 'bedskirts' which we will be turning into quilted bags and using the centres as backings for our quilts. This was an amazing response to our publicity on Guide to the Good Life and will do much for both our quilts AND our creative efforts for fundraising. Thank you SO much Muriel ... and I look forward to sharing pictures of what we have created from Sheridans' generosity. The items we create from the quilted 'skirt' part of this gift will be used to generate funding for the quilt batting we need as the centre of our quilt 'sandwich'.
And from the 'Three friends' in Ringwood we received even more quilt tops. These ladies have, between them, created over 160 beautiful quilt tops for us since they heard about us from our own Pauline. 'Three Friends' Lee made two delightful cot quilts which will be well received in China ... here they are below,
She also provided some lovely fabric panels which we will be able to put to extremely good use ..
.... aren't they gorgeous ... imagine a little one really being captivated by these bears:)
Val Scrimshaw from the 'Three Friends' also made a couple of rather special quilt tops for us ..
Aren't the fabric and colour combinations in these two just scrumptious??
Lee also did a full size quilt top. I love the way that mauve and lemon colours work so well together!
The 'Three Friends' were pretty busy ... the following quilts are just a small part of the 13 tops that came along to us this month!
These look to be created from swatches of mens shirt samples ... how creative eh?
I love the appliqued owls :)
As Maxwell Smart would say ... "Would you believe...." ... that this gorgeous quilt was ENTIRELY created with fabric from $2 scrap' bag sourced at an Opshop!!! My slightly blurred photo doesnt do it justice, it really is just beautiful!
Another quilt made from the shirt 'sample' swatches ...
How pretty is this? I love the raspberry pink with the lovely 'windows' of florals....
Next we have a couple of quilt tops pieced by Jan .. another innovative and hard working member of our group ... again the combination of lemon and mauve ... with green accents.
This reminded me of the 'windmills' on sticks that we played with as children ... isn't it great!
This is from Joy .... the elephant characters should prove popular in India I think :) Joy also did the quilt top pictured below ... a nice 'stencil' effect print in shades of grey/blue.
Finally Jenny put together this delightful combination below ... with a centrepiece bow ... just lovely!
Todays lunch theme was soup, Rolls and dessert ... so we had a lovely warming feast before getting back to the job in hand ... our lunches are always a welcome interruption and recipe swaps are common!
Looks scrummy doesn't it?
After the break it was "back to it Ladies"... and as we have been told of an upcoming Mission trip from Careforce Church to India in September, the pressure was on to finish as many quilts as possible. Gaynor is hopeful of being able to send 300 quilts over with this contingent ... quite a monumental job indeed. But considering that we have sent 1100 to date, this is but a small amount toward our total goal of 2000 fabric 'hugs' for India.
We were kept extremely busy, finishing bindings, stitching pockets on the quilt s reverse side, into which a small toy will be placed .... we never stopped!
But there is always time for a laugh ... as Isobel and Emily demonstrate!! As do Joy & Lois ... below ...
While Win, Pauline and Val stitched pockets and bindings ...
Janagi was kept busy too ....
... and Margaret, Gaynor, Rachel and Joy discuss all things QFO :)
Now don't forget that we still need to generate funds for batting, as mentioned earlier in this months Blog write-up. And this means that once more I remind you of the furnishing fabric that we have on sale at almost give-away prices, the lovely dog coats and pet cushions ... pictured below ...
... and don't forget the simply beautiful wedding/debutant gowns which we still have available at bargain prices. With the end of the school year just around the corner, this is your chance to purchase a beautiful designer gown for the school 'Formal'. All proceeds from these sales is immediately put back into obtaining batting and supplies for the quilts we are creating for children in India and China.
Whilst on that subject ... please don't forget Christian Outreach Ministry when doing your Christmas shopping this year. For a very small amount of money you can provide a child in a COM Home in India with just that little bit more. Whether it is a mattress ... which I believe costs a low $10....
... and provides just that little bit of extra comfort between the child and the hard floor they sleep on ... also gives them that extra 'snuggle' factor when sleeping under one of our quilts!
Contact COM Office by emailing [email protected] or phoning (03) 9760 8040 and ask about what else they have on offer for Christmas this year. You provide the money and they provide the child with a gift (such as the mattresses above) on your behalf ... and you get to make that childs life just that little bit brighter. COM can also provide a village in India with a goat, a family with a chicken, ... these are in turn a way for the recipient to generate income and independance. What better way to spend your Christmas dollar!!! Contact them NOW!!!
Here are just some of the smiling recipients of our quilts .....
Now finally .... the 'wrap up for this months Blog edition .... the date of our next get together ... and our contact details ...
Our next Quilting Working Bee will be on Saturday September 10th ... .the ever important lunch theme will be 'Casserole and Cake' ... I can hardly wait!! We start at 9.30 am .... stitch merrily away till around 3.30pm (though you can leave earlier if need be) ... and we look forward to another lovely day spent creating for those who have so little ... and appreciate so much!!
Our contact details are as follow:
Gaynor Peterson ... phone (03)9756 7950
Susan Hamilton .....phone (03)9737 1825
or email: [email protected]
Our postal address (for donations) is now P.O Box 398 Monbulk Victoria 3793
And don't forget to support the Blogs and organisations that we both support and publicize for their connection to us ...
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 ...
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, an amazing achievement indeed. And Treasure Corner has a 'sister shop' a few doors up in Wray Crescent. FANS (For A New Season), also used to generate funding for COM.
Till next 'update' ... blessings to all, and thank you SO much for your continuuing support,
Susan