Quilts For Orphans

All the news that's new .... grab a cuppa for some gifting news (both received and despatched) and more ....

Nattaliia and her husband arrived in Melbourne from the Ukraine in early 2022 as refugees and as you can imagine with very few personal possessions.  Our QFO Vice President Libby discovered Nattaliia had a passion for embroidery machine craft, especially with making beautiful women’s wallets and fortuitously, a manual Pfaff machine and Horn Cabinet had been donated to QFO so very quickly we were able to help Nattaliia get sewing again.

Our latest exciting update is a computerized Pfaff embroidery machine has recently been donated to QFO and the obvious beneficiary was Nattaliia.

You can purchase her lovely wallets on Etsy find her at VikaRepkaHandMade. They are indeed quite lovely.

As you can see from the photo, Nattaliia was delighted.

 

And from our QFO longtime member Christine ...

Just gave another’s twelve quilts to Maureen who volunteers with LLT aka Lifes Little Treasures.

Do look these amazing folk up on https://lifeslittletreasures.org.au to see the wonderful organisation that they are. And we are indeed blessed to be able to contribute our fabric 'hugs' to them.

And from Deborah ... "What a great result completing the first top from the March 7th Makers Marathon blocks".

Irene joined the blocks during the week and after a lovely collaborative discussion  on Tuesday, then promptly added the sashing’s to bring the top up to single size.

Rachel is such a cutie I just had to take a snap of her wrapped in a QFO quilt.

I forgot to take a photo of the newly arrived Horn cabinet. Thanks to Judy’s sister for the donation.

Kathy delivered yesterday and with another lovely collective effort we got it into the hall, assembled and placed in the Horn nest now numbering six .. how wonderful.

Deb

And that, folks, winds up another Blogpost from yours truly. I look forward to sharing more news .. either before or after our April Gathering Day which will take place on April 8th at the Hall in Hoddles Creek. 

Until then .. many blessings,

Susan

Contact us via our Website : www.quiltsfororphans.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.quiltsfororphans.org 

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

Check out the following Links:

http://kayleenwest.com.au .... for Art with a positive spirit

https://lifeslittletreasures.org.au

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

Wrapping Ukraine in a fabric 'hug' ....

 Just received word via Annette from Roedie and Jeanette Rap who recently gifted a number of our QFO quilts via Evolve Church to Ukrainian recipients. I will update with further details when available.

*Edit:   Have just been told that these quilts were gifted to newly arrived refugee families from the Ukraine who are being settled in Melbourne.

Below are the pictures forwarded to me .. with the accompanying 'BIG BIG THANK YOU'S' from Roedie Rap..

I think the pictures convey just how well received our quilts were. 

Blessings to all involved with wrapping these folk in our comforting quilts.

Susan

 

 

Marching on .... our March 2023 Gathering Day at the Hall.

Well 'Hello again' from our 2nd 2023 Saturday QFO 'Gathering Day' in Hoddles Creek. And we had almost a full house coming to stitch for us. 

Present were Annette, Libby, Pauline, Sheryl, Christine, Win, Yvonne, Margaret, Carmen, Rachel, Margaret W, Sandi, a new Pauline and her beautiful beagle 'Donut', Elaine, Deborah and Jennifer. 

The kettle was bubbling away in the kitchen and soon the machines were whirring away as our 'creatives' set to work putting together and finishing off our fabric 'hugs' destined to wrap folk in comfort.

We also had Ida drop in mid afternoon with a selection of quilts that she is gifting to our Ministry and I'll be sharing photos of them further down this Blogpost.

Before that we had a couple of 'in house' Show and Tell items that have been stitched off-site by members. 

Firstly a selection of 'microwave bowl cosies' i put together as much belated 'homework over the last week or so... with more stitched in the Hall yesterday. Promise that I'll not lag behind and will actually do more of these as the year progresses.

Next we had some beautifully assembled runners put together by Sandi ... who made great use of some lovely donated QAYG blocks gifted to us last year by the incredibly generous Jennifer Knol who has been such a wonderful 'giver' to QFO over the years. Sandi searched out some fabric from our stash to complement the blocks and I think you'll agree that her eye for colour is superb. Well done!!

Sandi also created this rather bold runner using some great 'foodie' fabric which I think would be perfect for a casual buffet setting .. 

How amazing and tasty is this fabric eh? And Sandi has beautifully quilted it with a nicely toning mustard thread which sets it off perfectly I think you'll agree.

And now to continue with the remainder of this Blogpost which apparently mysteriously fell off the page between my typing it on Saturday and hitting the 'publish' button. Profuse apologies. Technology caught me napping.

Next we have two scrumptious scrappy quilts made by Sandis friend Pauline Dainty .. who has very artfully created these lovely tops and pieced them innovatively. Aren't they just wonderful?

Next we have Sheryl who was given the task of bringing order from chaos and setting up our 'Trading Table'. This is where varied sewing items that we are gifted from 'destashes' end up. They will be available ... some priced and others for a donation' for our Members to repurpose. Well done Sheryl ... you did a wonderful job!!

A short break for Morning Tea before we resumed our work ... many thanks to those who brought along tasty comestibles to share.

We next welcomed Ida who popped in with a lovely donation of gorgeous quilts for us ... such kindness and many thanks.

Delightful machine embroidery on this top ...

And again .. many thanks Ida for your generosity. We truly are blessed by our off-site supporters who continue to gift us their handiwork. We look forward to passing on these fabric 'hugs' as we continue to gift quilts such as these to those in need both near and far.

Now for a few overview shots of our Gathering Day at the Hall ... where it was busy, busy, busy from start to finish.

Yvonne and Margaret at the Gammill machine .... Yvonne is our gifted teacher of 'all things quilting machine' and continues to be an integral part of the fabric here at QFO. She has blessed us all so much with her heart and her willingness to share her knowledge.

Annette, Christine and Pauline ... busily sorting and stitching. Annette was organising the many buttons we have been gifted ... for a project that will utilise them perfectly.

Pauline and Rachel in the hand finishing corner ...

And what a veritable hive of activity it was at Hoddles Creek. I look forward to an equally productive day when next we gather .. in the interim I'll briskly send this into cyberspace ... covering it profusely with apologies for the gremlins that seemingly 'ate' my first draft :)

Till next Blogpost,

Many blessings,

Susan.

Contact us via our Website : www.quiltsfororphans.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.quiltsfororphans.org 

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

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 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

Pre-Gathering Day blogpost .... latest news :)

Quick blogpost before I start doing that 'thing' in the kitchen that means we get to eat tonight :) 

Got a brief email today and a couple of photos to share with you. Our newest QFO member Irene had attended our February Gathering Day in Hoddles Creek and had THE most fun selecting fabrics with which to create a quilt top. She proudly brought her beautifully pieced effort to the Makers Marathon on Tuesday. Well done Irene ... lovely work indeed which will certainly be a welcome addition to our stock of completed quilts. 

Also news from our longstanding member Christine who tells us "Just letting you know that I gave nine quilts to LLT (Lifes Little Treasures) Apparently our quilts are very popular and go out very quickly".

Isn't it wonderful to be able to share feedback on our quilt gifting? 

More on our quilt  'Gifting' with some news from our latest Newsletter from our President Annette in case you missed it. I'll 'cheekily' lift her words and pop them here for anyone who may have missed them.

QUILT GIFTINGS:

We recently delivered another 50 Quilts to welcome displaced Ukrainians arriving in Australia.

6 single and 2 cot quilts were delivered to Benwerren.

9 cot quilts (mentioned earlier) went to LLT.

And on the 28th of last month the team packed a suitcase of quilts to go to flood stricken areas in New Zealand.

Each of these gifted fabric 'hugs' will be placed in the hands of someone needing reassurance, comfort and hope. And that's what we work together to deliver. 

And on that note I'll finish this Blogpost off and do that 'thingummy techno' magic which will see it hit the grand and glorious Internet and then our social media platform.

Looking forward to more blogging after we gather this coming Saturday March 11th at the Hall in Hoddles Creek for another Saturday of quilting, camaraderie, coffee and chat ... in varying order ;)

Blessings till then,

Susan 

Contact us via our Website : www.quiltsfororphans.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.quiltsfororphans.org 

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

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 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