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A quick update .... recently did an email 'interview' with this magazine ... for the purpose of publicizing our little ministry. Pleased to be able to give you the 'heads up' that it will be in the shops very soon ... if not already there. So do yourself a favour ... and grab a holiday read.
Blessings for the Christmas season ... and catch up with you in the New Year,
Susan
Well getting in early ahead of 2016 ... I now present you with our Calendar for the year ahead at the Barn. So grab a pen and start jotting Folks ... :)
We meet on the second Saturday of each month, starting in February. Our Working Bee day starts at around 9.30 at 345 Macclesfield Road Monbulk and winds up at around 3.30 .... though there is no compulsion to stay the entire day. Absolutely no pressure is applied, we are just appreciative of each and every moment that our stitchers care to bless us with. Each Working Bee has a lunch 'Theme' ... lest it be thought that we expect you to stitch without nourishment. We all bring a small plate or dish to share and it is as much a part of the enjoyment and felowship of the day as anything else.A small gold coin (or similar) donation is also helpful, to cover the cost of the electricity we use. So, without further ado ..... here are the date .... and the 'tasty comestible' themes :)
February 13th ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Sandwiches and Slices
March 12th ....................... BBQ Meats and salads
April 9th ........................... Quiche and Finger foods
May 14th .......................... Mystery Theme. Surprise us with your 'Free Choice' foods :)
June 11th ........................ Soups and Sweets
July 9th .......................... Winter Casseroles
August 13th ...................... Chinese/Asian style.
September 10th ................ International smorgasbord. Foods from far afield.
October 8th ..................... Build your own Subway ... Cost TBA ,,, probably around $5
November 12th and 13th ... Our Quilt Fair .... no stitching, but lots of help needed on the day
December 10th ................. Christmas Break Up luncheon. Cost and details TBA.
A few other 'Notes'. We are now going to be making our quilt tops in the sizing 44" x 75". We don't yet have a size for the Knee quilts we are planning to make. But will advise as soon as we've nailed to dimensions.
We are also going to be making more cot quilts for a new facility in China. The New Hope Foundation is expanding somewhat, and having larger rooms with more babies in each room. Twelve babies in fact. So we have been asked to provide quilts in 'sets' of 12 ... if not matching fabric, at least in the same colour ways. as in 12 Blue, 12 Red, 12 Green etc. This enable the Carers of the babies to identify each cot/child.
And for folk wishing to support us by purchasing some of our quilts and other items ... the ones specified as part of our fundraising items ... we have embraced technology and Paypal now. Woohoo .... that should streamline things for all concerned eh?
And on that note, I will now set this Blogpost loose on an unsuspecting audience, and look forward to keep you updated throughout the year ahead. Promises to be a grand one. Catch up then Folks :)
Blessings,
Susan
Well here we are again .... with more news from the Quilters for Orphans, more pictures of quilts that have been created for us, fabric that has been generously gifted, pictures of folk who have taken our quilted 'hugs' to bless children on the other side of the world ... it's going to be a 'bumper' Blogpost folks, so grab that cuppa and settle down for a good read :)
Firstly I will backtrack to October, when we were visited by the students from Billanook who are participating in the 'Round Square' program and who have taken quilts made by us in previous years .. to bless children on the other side of the world. Deborah kindly too the photos in my absence and I thank her for doing such an awesome job. So without further ado ... here they are :)
Visiting us from Billanook were staff members Matt, Nick, Jacqui and Joh ... and students Millie, Jai and Sami.
Selecting quilts to take with them for distribution.
Yvonne showing them the custom quilting that she does on our quilts ....
Hearing about the work that the pupils from Billanook do as part of their commitment to the Round Square scheme.
Our quilters Emily, Carol. Christine, Pauline, Yvonne, Alice and val with the staff and students from Billanook. I have been told that we were also able to provide baby quilts, beanies and knitted bonnets to be distributed in North Thailand by the pupils here.
And the tasty comestibles served on the day. No day at the Barn is complete without a nice lunch :)
Now we also put the 'word' out there, courtesy of Deborah .... at St Georges in Monbulk recently, where we set up a table in order to do a spot of fundraising, as well as spread the QFO word out there into the community. We raised over $300 thanks to the efforts of these two wonderful ladies :)
Next I showcase, courtesy of Deborahs 'stand in' photography ... donations from two of our wonderful off-site stitchers, the mother and daughter team of Sylvia and Edith from North Ryde in NSW. These two ladies do an awesome job of regularly sending us their beautiful completed quilts and we appreciate their continued support so very much :)
Yes indeed they did ladies :)
Next we have some of the ladies gearing up for our recent Quilt Fair ... apologies if these pics are a tad out of 'sync' with the pics I posted in the previous Blog. But it never hurts to show the effort we put into setting up our Annual event :) Here is Val attending to some 'housekeeping' needed to showcase our wares.
Christine and Jenny ... two of our awesome members ...
Alice and Carol keeping busy in the handsewing corner of the Barn ...
A buzz of activity ...
Not entirely sure who made these tops ... but rest assured that as soon as I find out ... I'll be editing and giving praise where it is due :)
Now onto more donations .... and before I post pics of our Christmas Breakup lunch ... here are some more wonderful fabric 'blessings' that recently arrived at the Barn ...
... and yes, they will indeed be useful Julie .... thank you so much ... they are just lovely :)
From Linda in Woy Woy NSW .... some scrumptious fabric ... can't wait to see this lot made up into quilts :) Thanks so very much Linda ..
From our stalwarts ... Sylvia and Edith ...
And now ..... some feedback on quilts that we recently sent off to China. Remember the visit we had from the Mifan Mama representative Jan?
Always delighted to get positive feedback .... and we look forward to an ongoing relationship with these amazing people ... aren't the children delightful?
We have also just recently sent a further five quilts to Israel for Holocaust survivors. This project of ours kicked off a year or so back and gives us an immense amount of pleasure to be involved with.
We will also be aiming to provide some quilts to some folk doing it tough down on the Mornington Peninsula ... our Joy has suggested (and we agreed immediately) to send some quilts to families currently homeless in that area. We trust it will make their Christmas a little brighter to know that someone cares and that they will sleep a little warmer under our quilts.
Now onto the final Get-together for the Quilters for 2015 ... our well earned Christmas Breakup ... even painted my toenails for the occasion ;)
Maxine, Carol, Val and Yvonne ...
Deborah, Reg, with Jenny, Yvonne, Peter and Don in the background ....
Val, Reg, Peter and Joy .....
Jenny and Isobel ....
Peter and Don .....
Julie, Yvonne, Gail and Deborah ....
And the tasty comestibles ... beautiful spit roasted meats and salads ... just a perfect way to round off a lovely year with the Quilters ...
And on that note I will end this Blogpost ... but don't fret ... there will be another one hot on its heels ... as I work out the Calendar for NEXT year ... :) There will also be a 'Heads Up' in that Post about the new sizes that we will be making our quilts as we diversify even further with the recipients of our 'hugs'. Stay tuned!!
Till then, blessings for Christmas to all our loyal stitchers, both on and off-site, our supporters far and wide ... and those that we stitch for. Plenty of new projects for next year as we endeavour to spread our fabric hugs both here and overseas. Till than, have a simply wonderful, safe and happy Christmas,
Susan
Contact details: Gaynor Peterson email ... [email protected] phone (03) 9756 7950
Susan Hamilton email .... [email protected] Phone (03) 9737 1825
Our postal address (for donations) is P.O Box 398 Monbulk Victoria 3793
And our very own website ... maintained by the wonderful Fiona Peterson.
http://www.quiltsfororphans.org/
Check out the following 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/
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
http://int.icej.org/aid/icej-aid
Our Projects for 2015:
http://www.thebabesproject.com.au/
http://elishacare.blogspot.com.au/
http://rangescc.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/elisha-care/
https://jewelsofhope.wordpress.com/partners/
Whilst I was away .... no, the dog didn't eat my Blogwork, but rather we were the grateful recipients of more beautiful quilts. This time created by Christines friends, sisters Margaret and Carol ... and their friend Jo.
So without further ado ... but with a hearty round of applause and appreciation ... here they are, and aren't they just gorgeous?
Many, many thanks ladies. We appreciate so very much every single quilt and stitch that is gifted to us ... would not be able to provide nearly as many quilts to those in need without the valued assistance of our 'offsite' quilters and supporters. Apparently there are several more quilts from these lovely ladies and as soon as I receive the photos I will include them in this update. In the interim, thanks again and blessings to you all,
Susan ... (on behalf of QFO)