And a warm QFO welcome to 2024 .... as we look forward to another wonderful year of stitching and gifting.

Well here we are again ... a fresh year unfolding before us and a myriad of opportunities to stitch and bless others under the 'banner' of our QFO Mission Statement .. wrapping those in need of a hug in one of our 'handmade with love' quilts.

A quick 'review' of the pre festive season 'activity' undertaken by QFO happened in mid-November .. details and Link below for your listening enjoyment.

On November 15, Deb and Libby were interviewed about Quilts for Orphans by Alan Collier on the Community Connections program at Yarra Valley FM Community Radio. Here’s a link to the podcast - https://podcasts.yarravalleyfm.org.au/ep/693

And Libby will be back at Yarra Valley FM for a Choice Tunes interview on Wednesday February 14 from 2 – 3pm. Please do tune in :)

.And ..  before I go further I am happy to share with you a little of what our busy, busy, busy Libby has had under her needle over the holiday break. She has certainly been more than a little well occupied on the quilting machine as you can see. Well done Libby ... big round of applause.

I'm in receipt of our latest QFO Newsletter and I'll do a 'cheeky' cut and paste of a little of where some of our quilts have gone recently ... with a Link to the wonderful organisation we were able to bless with our handiwork. Fresh Blog content will hit cyberspace after our February Gathering Day.

24 cot quilts were delivered to Beijing in January – they are now on their way to Maria’s Big House of Hope in Henan province, a paediatric palliative care facility providing love and medical care for orphans with special needs.

Maria’s Big House of Hope was named in honour of Maria Sue, the youngest daughter of Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman who passed away in a tragic accident in 2008. Steven is a singer and songwriter and Mary Beth is a speaker and author. Here are some links to find out more about the Chapmans and Maria’s Big House of Hope.

 https://newhope.foundation/our-work/luoyang/
https://story.showhope.org/marias-big-house-of-hope
https://stevencurtischapman.com/about/
https://www.marybethchapman.com/

                                      ......... Our next Fundraising Event ..... 

Saturday 24^th Sunday 25^th February, we will be at the Draught Horse and Yesteryear Festival at Mont De Lancey Wellington Road Wandin North. Quilts and crafts for sale and volunteers are needed for manning the stall. Deb will be looking for your support so sign up for the roster soon. If you are available, please let Libby know at [email protected]

We look forward to restocking the almost empty shelves and craft items to stock the stall will also be welcome.  And in order to do that, of course we need to provide you with the dates of our Tuesday Work Set Up and Saturday Gathering Days ... and details .. so here 'tis.

As February is here we will first spring into action at the hall next Tuesday, (the 6^th) to ready stations for the Gathering Day which follows on Saturday 10^th Feb 9.30-3.00. A gold coin donation, BYO lunch, a smile and willing hands, to work with the team stitching, cutting, sewing. You’re invited to bring a plate to share for morning tea to celebrate the launching of a New Year.

Looking forward to a wonderful day of stitching and camaraderie and a catch up of what we've all been up to since we last Gathered in November. See you then,

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

http://heavenlytrimmings.com

http://www.changetheone.org which provides ongoing relief, care and assistance to people and communities in remote areas of Vietnam and Papua New Guinea.