Quilts For Orphans

October ... and we were 'rocking it' in prepping for the upcoming FOQ next month.

Well folks .. here we are again, frantically stitch, stitch, stitching as we prepare for next months Festival of Quilts which will take place at Mont De Lancey in Wandin in November. I'll re-upload our flyer further on in this Blogpost in order to refresh your memory as to the dates and the order of 'Events' we will be offering.

We all presented at The Shed for what will most likely be the last time, as we have ....  *insert drum roll here* a new 'Home' on the horizon ... but more about that later.  In the interim I'll do the Roll Call and let you know that on Saturday we had Yvonne, Val, Christine, Cheryl, Win, Sandy, Jenny, Emily, Sheryl, Deborah, Julianne, Alice, Stephanie, Alison, Mel, Pauline, Libby, Rose, myself and we also welcomed a new stitcher in Jennie ... welcome, welcome, welcome :)

But ... before I upload Saturdays pictures, a belated apology for not acknowledging in photos the wonderful donation of stitched bits which we received in August .. from the generous heart of the extremely gifted Jennifer Knol. Jennifer has blessed us over the years with her handiwork and this time around we received some lovely UFOs and other items to be incorporated into our fundraising and gifting bits and pieces.

Many, many thanks Jennifer .. we are always humbled by your bountiful blessings to QFO. 

And now onto more fabric 'blessings' received by us, some of which will be both gifted into our 'giving quilts' and some used as part of our fundraising for batting as we proceed throughout the year to come. 

First, from Christines friend Caroline ... these lovely fabric blocks .. I particularly liked the many eyed 'Alien' peeking out from the edge of one of the piecings :) I look forward to seeing these incorporated into a quilt for a child we will bless with a QFO fabric 'hug'.

 

Next .. a box of wonderful vintage looking flour bags, reminiscent of the bags used during the Great Depression which were repurposed into quilts and clothing so many years ago. These came from a contact Deborah made at the Kallista Market.

But wait ... there's more :) Correct me if I'm wrong (as can happen) but I think I attributed these stitcheries below to the 'Monday Girls at the Monbulk Hub'.

And below ..  from the ladies at the Boronia Church of Christ .. a wonderful donation of quilts and fabric ... bless your kind hearts and clever needles.

Definitely a 'Full House' on Saturday ... standing room only ;)

Aaaand ... threads for us .. from the Knox U3A folk via our Alison .... many thanks .. threads are always welcome :)

And via our very own Val .. two generous donations ... from her daughters work colleagues Mum, and also a donation from her daughters mother in law which also included a nicely pieced quilt top in lemon and grey (a colour combo that always looks good I think)

Many thanks for your generous hearts ladies .. regular gifts such as yours enable us to continue creating and blessing those in need of a fabric 'hug' with our quilts. 

And from long time supporter on the Apple Isle .. Carmen .. these lovely childrens quilt tops. These are just fantastic Carmen :)

Now a bit of 'Show and Tell' as we showcase our on-site stitchers work :) Firstly from Christine. This lovely green and stripey block combination. Love it :)

From Cheryl .. one of our more recent members ... these five tops .. and a completed quilt. Cheryl claims to be a relative 'newbie' quilter .. but the piecing skills in her tops suggest otherwise .. aren't they lovely?

And from our very newest member ... Jennie ... these four lovely quilt tops. Great fabric choices too, these are wonderful Jennie :)

And from our Pauline ... these three cute childrens quilt tops ... 

And that wraps up our donations and Show and Tell pics .. and now on to our news report.

I am beyond pleased to advise that, just as our donations come in .. that we will be passing on our quilted 'hugs' very soon. We have been able to partner with an organisation called Mukti who have been in existence for many, many years and we are thrilled to be able to say that we will be gifting them in the vicinity of 40 quilts very soon. Twenty quilts will be heading to Sri Lanka and a further 20 will be sent to India. This pleases us all greatly. We will also be connecting with an orphanage in Sierra Leone and they will be also blessed with quilts from us. How incredibly good is that? I look forward very much to hopefully being able to share with you some pictures of these quilts when they reach their destination :)

In the interim I will share the Link to Mukti so that you can see for yourselves the awesome work that they do for those in need across the globe.

https://mukti.org.au/

I have also been advised that Julie Adamson, the talented lady from the Victorian Quilters who will be opening our Festival of Quilts as well as hosting a Trunk Show .. will be taking away with her a number of our quilts to present to the Very Snuggly Quilts group at the Royal Childrens Hospital. https://www.victorianquilters.org/

I can also advise that as well as the Trunk Show that Julie is doing at our FOQ .. that Karen Martin from Miss Martins Quilts will also be hosting a Trunk Show. So you will all be totally spoilt for choice as far as entertainment is concerned at our Event :)

Please direct any queries to our Website, rather than to Annette as indicated on the Flyer .. as she is still in recovery mode following recent surgery and will be fully focussed on her health for the interim.

And FINALLY .... the news that I promised at the very start of this Blog .. after a couple of years in the 'wilderness' .. I am beyond chuffed to announce that QFO will soon have a new HOME!!

Yes .. you read that correctly ... after much effort from our Committee we have managed to secure a five year (so far) leased accommodation in Hoddles Creek and with a modicum of luck we will be all set up for our February sewing day in 2020. We look forward to again being able to host our Quilt Fairs on 'home ground' as well as our monthly 'themed' and always popular lunches that were always such a pleasurable part of our monthly quilting days at The Barn ... are you excited? I am!!

We have been most appreciative of the loan of Joanne and husband Kyms 'mancave' at The Shed .. it was an absolute godsend to us .. but we can now give Kym back his space and allow him full use of the workspace that he so very generously allowed us to use after Gaynor and Reg relocated. So here are what will most likely be the last pics taken of our gathering at The Shed ... and I look forward to sharing what we think we will probably call 'The Hall' when we are all set up for 2020 :)

And folks ... that just about wraps this Blogpost up .. other than to say make sure that you have popped the dates for our Festival of Quilts into your calendars and make a plan to attend one or more of the offerings that we have organised for your enjoyment. 

Till next Blogpost,

Many blessings, and please keep our President Annette in your prayers as she regains her health ...

Susan

Contact us via our Website : www.quiltsforphans.org 

Blogger: Susan Hamilton .....phone (03)9737 1825

email: [email protected]

Our postal address (for donations) is  P.O Box 398 Monbulk Victoria 3793

And .... we are www.quiltsforphans.org 

On 'social media'  aka Facebook find us at https://www.facebook.com/QuiltsForOrphans/

Check out the following Links:

http://www.facebook.com/Chelseaonesock .... for delightful retro fabric childrens clothing. Chelsea has blessed us with her destashing of fabric.

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 have also stitched 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

http://www.austchamshanghai.com/about-us/csr/mifan-mama.aspx

www.jewelsofhope.org ... the project we stitch for in Lesotho Southern Africa

http://www.thebabesproject.com.au/

http://elishacare.blogspot.com.au/

http://rangescc.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/elisha-care/

The Matombo Village Project vimeo.com/217129149

www.ujamaachildren.com

September 2019 Gathering Day report ... courtesy of Jenny :)

                    
        

Firstly a very BIG Thank You to Jenny Stokes for compiling this 'record' of the September
Gathering Day as I was caught up in the aftermath of my fathers passing the previous week
Her report and pictures follow. 

Another great Gathering Day at The Shed – sewing, cutting, talking and eating!

As well as our regular Gathering Day activities, we had the first Annual General
Meeting for Quilts for Orphans at 11 am. QFO became an ‘incorporated association’
earlier this year and we had an ‘Inaugural Meeting’ back in March.

At the AGM we had the President’s Report, Treasurer’s Report and Financial
Statements, and the election of office bearers and Committee. Kim Lester, our host
at The Shed, conducted the elections. As a result, the Committee is Annette Stone
(President), Deb Woodward (Vice-President), Jenny Stokes (Secretary), Mel Brown
(Treasurer). Isobel Groves, Sheryl Beams and Christine Sellar are also on the
Committee.

Before the AGM, Jenny read a Statement from Annette, saying her life had ‘taken a
detour’. Annette has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Annette has since
had surgery and is having ongoing treatment. We prayed for Annette at this difficult
time. Annette said this week that she’d like to remind everyone to have their
regular Breastscreen examinations!

We’re working hard on getting all the Challenge Quilts ready for the Festival of
Quilts in November. When quilt tops come in, we register them, find backings and
bindings to suit and send them home with Yvonne to quilt. They then get trimmed, the
binding is sewn on by machine and then hand sewn in place with a label. It all takes
lots of time.

At the Gathering Day, we had lots of quilt tops come in as well as some completed
quilts. Nellie dropped by with several bags of finished quilts, quilt tops and
fabric, Christmas items for sale and a crocheted rug!

Isobel, Sinling and Jenny took notes and photos of all the quilts, quilt tops and
fabric that has been donated this month, since Susan wasn’t at the Gathering Day. We
realised what a great job Susan does, taking photos, recording info and writing up
her blog posts! Thank you, Susan!

Just a brief selection of photos first. Then we’ve put photos of more than 50 into a
‘Slide presentation’ so you can scroll through them easily! 

Enjoying morning tea – Yvonne, Pauline, Win, Isobel, Cheryl, Mel and Christine.



Nellie and Pauline
 

One of our new members, Cheryl, has been really busy, making some finished cot
quilts and single bed tops. Cheryl took home some fabric last month – a feature
fabric and matching fabrics – and made 3 single quilt tops from them!

 
Butterflies, with aqua sashing and red cornerstones.

A package from J Howard contained a number of great quilt tops! This one was a
striking modern design with yellow black and white slashes.
 

Nellie visited during the afternoon, bringing bags of completed quilts, quilt tops
and Christmas items for sale, made by her sewing group. Nellie also brought a lovely
crocheted rug, which she suggested be sold at the Festival of Quilts to raise
funds.
 Nellie’s group made this lovely lady birds single quilt.
 

Carol, Christine’s friend, made some striking geometric quilt tops.




PRESENTATION:

In the following Presentation there are photos of the Day and more than 50 quilts,
quilt tops and gifts that came in! 

And, as an aside from Susan .. If the Link below doesn't immediately lead you to the pics .. 
just paste it into your internet browser and with a bit of luck and some crossed fingers and
 toes .. you should be 'good to go' as the saying goes ;)

OK ... an update. The Link didn't work .. I deleted it (so don't tear your hair out searching for it,
 it was incomplete)...so I'm going to handball its application to Mel The Magnificent who 'drives' our
 all singing/alldancing website. Hopefully she will be able to get it to activate where yours
 truly couldn't.

And now I'm off .. to do another Blogpost on our upcoming QFO/FOQ ... :)

Many blessings,

Susan  

 

Contact us via our Website : www.quiltsforphans.org 

Blogger: Susan Hamilton .....phone (03)9737 1825

email: [email protected]

Our postal address (for donations) is  P.O Box 398 Monbulk Victoria 3793

And .... we are www.quiltsforphans.org 

On 'social media'  aka Facebook find us at https://www.facebook.com/QuiltsForOrphans/

Check out the following Links:

http://www.facebook.com/Chelseaonesock .... for delightful retro fabric childrens clothing. Chelsea has blessed us with her destashing of fabric.

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 have also stitched 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

http://www.austchamshanghai.com/about-us/csr/mifan-mama.aspx

www.jewelsofhope.org ... the project we stitch for in Lesotho Southern Africa

http://www.thebabesproject.com.au/

http://elishacare.blogspot.com.au/

http://rangescc.wordpress.com/2007/05/11/elisha-care/

The Matombo Village Project vimeo.com/217129149

www.ujamaachildren.com

 

But wait ... there's more ... news on our upcoming QFO FOQ :)

Extremely pleased to announce that we will have accomplished quilter Julie Adamson opening our upcoming Festival of Quilts at Mont De Lancey in November. She will also be hosting a Trunk Show which is sure to be incredibly popular with those attending the Festival :)

Julie has been teaching hand quilting and needle turn applique for over ten years.  She is an accredited teacher of specialist techniques, a quilt appraiser, has judged at state level and is a committee member of Victorian Quilters. 

Julie is a popular guest speaker who shares her quilts, tips and techniques in a fun way.

Julie has been exhibiting her quilts since 2006 and her awards are many and varied.

Julie will present a trunk show of her quilts: from her first to her most recent, sharing tips and tricks to fine tune applique and hand quilting.  Many of these tips are relevant to machine work as well.

Julie will also be happy to interact with questions and answers about techniques, exhibiting and appraisal of quilts.

Makers Marathon July 2019 at the Wandin CWA

Apologies for the lateness in posting this .. can only say that 'life got in the way of blogging'.

Without further ado or fanfare I now present the photos of the Makers Marathon which took place on Friday July 26th at the Wandin CWA. A combined effort which looks to have been most productive and more than a little bit creative. Enjoy :)

Looks like a jolly good time was had by all ... and thanks Deb for the sharing of the good old USB stick and pics of the day :)

Many blessings,

Susan