Yes ... I fear that I got totally overwhelmed by the lead up to Christmas in my house ... to the point that Blog updating took a back seat ... amidst all the wrapping paper, sticky tape, shortbreads and potato peelings ... can I make it up to you by sharing this cute little 'take' on a familiar poem .... borrowed from a pen pal in the States? I will then launch into my Blog entry from our Christmas Breakup gathering on December 14th :)
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS ... a quilters version.
'Twas the night before Christmas, And the quilts were not made.
The threads were all tangled, the cookies delayed.
The stocking weren't hung, the pantry was bare.The poor weary Quilter, was tearing her hair.
Stacks of fat quarters, tipped over in streams. Visions of Log Cabins, had turned into dreams.
When what to her wondering eyes should appear, But a bus full of quilters with all of their gear.
They went straight to work with just a few mutters, Sorting and stitching and brandishing cutters.
The patterns emerged from all of the clutter, Like magic the fabrics arranged in a flutter.
Log Cabins, Lone Stars, Flying Geese & Bear Tracks. Each quilt was a beauty-even the backs.
Her house how it twinkled, her quilts how they glowed. The cookies were baking, the stockings were sewed.
Their work was all done, so they folded their frames, And packed up their needles, without giving their names.
They boarded the bus, and checked the next address. More quilts to be made, another quilter in distress.
She heard one voice echo, as they drove out of sight, Happy quilting to all and to all a good night!
~Author Unknown Merry Merry, Happy Happy, Quilty Quilty Y'all!!
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And now onto our Christmas edition of this Blog .... grab a cuppa, lots of pics of our happy band of quilters ... and an overview of what we have achieved in the year that has almost finished. Present at our Breakup were Gaynor and Reg, Janagi, Joy, Alice, Noelle, Christine and Michael, Val R. and Jim, Val S, Yvonne and Don, Isobel and Jim, Elizabeth, Veronica and Tony, Margaret and Owen, Lesley, John and Joe, Sandi and Peter, Julie and Ian, Pauline and Chris, Karen and Don, Jenny and Peter, myself and my daughter Emily.
Our Barn set up beautifully for the Christmas Lunch breakup ... Michael gives it the tick of approval :)
Gaynor having a quick cuppa before the Barn fills with the QFO crowd :)
Starting to fill up .... here we have Joy chatting to Noelle, whilst in the background we have Isobel, the two Vals, Christine, Janagi, Annette and Elizabeth.
Fruit punch and fresh flowers on every festive table ..
Val, Michael, Christine, Janagi, Alice and Elizabeth ...
Yvonne and Annette ... and doesn't the table look lovely? Roses from Gaynor and Regs garden ...
Quilted runners made by the ladies .....
Some of the men decided to take a 'turn around the garden' before lunch ... can't say I blame them :)
Whilst others relaxed in the shade of a tree ... like Val, Jim, Christine and Michael .....
Such beautiful surroundings to our Barn .... it's amazing that we EVER manage to create anything on our Workdays ;)
Gaynor, Emily and Veronica outside the Barn ...
Admiring the rose garden ...
So beautifully rustic .... truly we are blessed to participate in our quilting efforts amid such beauty.
Peter, Don and Jenny have a chat before lunch ...
Karen and her grandbaby :)
Margaret and Owen ....
Jenny, Don, Yvonne, John, Joe and Lesley ...
Annette, Elizabeth, Alice, Noelle, Michael and Christine ...
Val and Jim, with the 'other' Val :) Karen and Isobel ..
Chris, Sandi, Peter, Julie and Ian, Pauline .....
Janagi, Jim, Isobel, Val, another Jim and another Val (confusing eh?) :)
'Form an orderly queue Folks' .... for a delicious Christmas lunch ...
Margaret, Tony and Veronica ....
Mmmnnnnnn ... dessert :)
The queue for dessert moves along in an orderly fashion :)
Gaynor takes the floor with a summary of what has been achieved by QFO in the preceding 12 months ... I will list all that we have done for children overseas a little later on in theis Blog.
Joy and Noelle ... and Michael.
Jim and Val ....
Drinks dispensers Elizabeth and Annette ...
Michael and Christine ...
Margaret and Emily ...
Peter and Don ... these fellows (as all our 'other halves' are) support us in our endeavours to create our quilts ... so a round of applause for the menfolk featured on this page today :)
Christine, Michael and Yvonne ....
Pauline and Noelle ... deep in conversation ... about sewing no doubt :)
Karen .... caught 'unawares' by the camera ;)
Chris, Sandi and Peter ...
Julie .. with Peter ...
Janagi and Jenny ... with Alice ...
Elizabeth ... in her own creation ... isn't the fabric scrumptious? Utterly French 'retro' .... love it!!
And here is a group shot of our happy band of stitchers ....
Ooooooooooooohhhh .... we each got a mug for Christmas .... special QFO edition .... neat huh?
And that 'fabric wraps' our Christmas edition as far as the happy snaps are concerned ... now for the 'Year that was' ... our month by month list of achievements in 2013.
Firstly ... we have created in total 1422 quilts since our inception. Impressive eh? In recent times we have sent 51 quilts to China in sets of three (for the New Hope Foundation). An additional 58 quilts were sent to other organisations in China that we stitch for. And (yes there's more!!), 27 bean bags and 13 large curtains were made and sent to Chinakidz.
Now for the year that was ... 2013.
FEBRUARY/MARCH: Quilts sent to India and Christmas stockings were sent to Kolkatta. March was also the month we participated in the Monbulk Quilt Show and raised $825 for our ongoing projects.
APRIL: We had a 'Crazy Squares' demo by our Val and learnt a new skill which will appear in many quilts we make ... always good to learn a new way of piecing :)
MAY: Reg accompanied COM founder Keith Greenwood on a Mission Trip to India ... see earlier Blog post for pictures of this trip. We received a request from Indonesia for tablecloths and serviettes for use in the Mission field there. Donna from the Northern Territory became an off-site stitcher for us and started making quilt tops. Gaynors daughter in law Fiona created a website for us as well as a revamped Facebook Page.
JUNE: We received donated fabric from many places in Australia and were again reminded of the kindness of folk in far off places who hear about us. Maxine from near Colac (another off-site contributor to our group) made the tablecloths and 132 serviettes for the folk in Indonesia who requested them in May. Well done!!
JULY: Donna in the NT sent more quilts. And we had our Christmas in July themed workday :)
AUGUST: Sylvia and her 81 year old Mum Edith from North Ryde NSW sent quilts to us.
SEPTEMBER: Amber (Yvonnes grand daughter) brightened our work day by modelling the Debutante gown created for her by her talented grandma :) We added the Shining Star Foster Home in China ... which cares for vision impaired babies and young children .... to our list of recipients of our quilts. We sent them Sylvia and Ediths quilts which we know will bring them much pleasure.
OCTOBER: Preparations for our November Open Weekend Fair started. Veronica and Margaret came along to help which was much appreciated :) Billanook College students visited us and collected 13 quilts to take to a kindergarten in North Thailand that they are building.
NOVEMBER: Our two day Quilt Fair happened, generating enough funds through sale of our stitchings to see us well into 2014. This funding will enable us to purchase more batting and other supplies for the quilts we create for kiddies overseas.
DECEMBER: And we wound up with our Christmas Breakup ... featured in this Blog post. Gaynor also gave thanks to all .... and to Yvonne who gives her talents and puts to use her custom quilting machine for our quilts .... creating many beautifully finished and individual works of 'art' in the quilts that go overseas and those which we sell for our fundraising :)
And that winds up this Blog post .... I will do another VERY soon, as I need to confirm with Gaynor the dates ... and lunch themes ... for the 2014 Working Bees. So watch your email inbox ... another Blog is just around the corner!!
In the interim ... I have some serious Post Christmas housework to do ... and a stack of leftovers to dispose of :)
Our contact details are as follow:
Gaynor Peterson ... phone (03)9756 7950
email ... [email protected]
Susan Hamilton .....phone (03)9737 1825
email: [email protected]
Our postal address (for donations) is P.O Box 398 Monbulk Victoria 3793
Check out the following Links:
www.com.org.au/ .... our very own Christian Outreach Ministry in Mount Evelyn.
Now on to the rest of our Links .....
http://kayleenwest.com.au .... for Art with a positive spirit
http://mellyandme.typepad.com .... creative clothing etc for children
http://mrsmartinsquiltshop.typepad.com/ ...whose customer blessed us with awesome fabric
We also stitch for the following Childrens Homes ....
http://www.butterflych.org/.... for news about the Butterfly Palliative Care hospice in China
And their very own Blog ... which is beautifully written and contains inspirational stories on the children in their care. See the Link below:
http://butterflyhospice.blogspot.com.au/
http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a59784e7a45314d6a673d0d0a&sb=1
www.freetobekids.org/- .... the rescue organisation that frees children from slavery and exploitation
www.hopefosterhome.com ... the babies we are creating crib quilts for in China ...
www.zoehopeproject.blogspot.com .... giving hope to children in Zambia.
http://english.chinaconcern.org/ ... more children in China that we have stitched for ...
http://www.lolachildrensfund.org/ .... in Ethiopia
http://www.fikelela.org.za/orphan.asp .... the Fikelala AIDS Project in Capetown
http://mifanmama.com/Shining_Star_2.html the Home for vision impaired children in Shanghai
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.
And finally ... our very own Website ... courtesy of the very gifted Fiona Peterson :)
http://www.quiltsfororphans.org
Till next Post .... enjoy the remainder of the Festive Season folks ...
Blessings,
Susan
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