Quilts For Orphans

And before we knew it ... August was here .... and we were 'going bananas' at the Hall.

Well here we are again Folks ... and isn't the year just whizzing by?

We gathered at the Hall on Saturday August 10th for a day of stitching with a 'theme'. We were creating a QAYG quilt which will be part of a 'gifting' of 50 quilts from QFO to organisations in the Shire of Yarra Ranges. These will be given in turn to folk in need. As a 'back story' .. if you've seen our QFO Newsletter ... we  were recently blessed to be in receipt of a Grant from the Shire ... which was applied for by QFO/Libby and which will help meet some of the costs we incur as part of our Mission to provide fabric 'hugs' for those requiring comfort. So a very grateful Thank You to the SYR for their generosity. These quilts will be on display at Mont De Lancey in November ... before being gifted to the various organisations for delivery to those in need.

Thus with this project in mind ...  on Saturday we met with a 'theme' of 'Gone Bananas' .. and which saw us having a Makers Marathon creating a quilt with a cheery yellow colour theme. Helping us to create this quilt we welcomed our stitchers Annette, Sandi, Libby, Christine, Margaret, Sheryl, Yvonne, Cheryl, Lauretta, Kathy and Elaine.

As you can see ... Annette created an appropriate 'welcome' at the door for those attending ;)

Part of the colour palette of fabric strips we were using.

Lauretta busily stitching away ...

Christine and Margaret equally well occupied ... I think that Christine was busily finishing off last months QAYG project.

Sheryl also hard at work ... :) And in the background at the right .. you can start to see the QAYG in progress.

Annette at the ironing 'station' ... keeping us well supplied with fabric strips.

Yvonne having a breather ... it was approaching lunchtime I believe and she'd earnt some downtime :)

And ditto for Sandi ...

We were also able to share some recent donations ... this one came to us from the FernTree Gully Volunteer Quilters.who passed them onto us via Karen Martin at Mrs Martins Quilts. Thank you so very much for your kindness.

Not too sure of the 'history' of this one .. but the applique is magnificent I think you'll agree.

We also received some lovely stitched blessings from our own Members Elaine, Marg, Sandi and Christine. These items will be part of our fundraising sales when we have our upcoming presence at 'Fairs Fair' at the Truth and Liberation Church in Bayswater on October 19th  ... and we will also be at Mont De Lancey between November 2nd and 10th.

Isn't this fabric so much fun?

Another block begins :)

Taking shape almost as we watch it ..

And 'some I prepared earlier' ... for the Tuesday stitchers :) You're very welcome :)

A veritable hive of activity ..

Giftings getting ready to be despatched ... Its beyond wonderful to be able to report that we have recently gifted:

10 lap quilts to Palliative Care

90 cot quilts to the Queen Elizabeth Centre

26 lap quilts to Kirkbrae Aged Care

18 quilts to Cottage by the Sea

3 single and 12 Cot quilts to the Philippines 'Change the One'

The gifting we sent to Kirkbrae this week with Cheryl. Thanks muchly for doing delivery duty Cheryl :)

And our shelves are looking beautifully almost 'bare' ... a goodly sign that we have blessed more and more organisations with our fabric hugs :)

So good to know that as blessings have been received ... they have also been despatched. Oh what a feeling eh?

And ... Saturdays project has almost magically come together. Doesn't it look SO cheerful?

Libby and Annette tell me that quilts have recently been gifted to Palliative care and Oz Comfort Quilts. We are also making more pillowcases for Heavenly Trimmings .... an organisation established in 2015 which benefits children living with chronic illness. See their website at https://heavenlytrimmings.com 

Libby and Annette will be speaking soon at the Berwick Church of Christ Seniors Group .... letting them know all about QFO and what we have been doing since we began waaaay back in 2007. They will also soon be part of a Lilydale Rotary and the Order of Australia Association Outer Eastern Region broadcast which will be airing on Youtube in the not too distant future, speaking about our organisation and what we do. A queue for their autographs as media superstars can form behind me *wink*

And I think, dear Reader, that just about wraps up the Blog for August ... think I covered pretty much everything I was tasked with. And if I haven't ... well I can always add another Blogpost ... right? 

Till 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

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.

Our July get together at the Hall .... and we had an unexpected visitor ..... ;)

Just popping this image here which should resonate with the ladies who joined us in the Hall on Saturday :)

But firstly I'll do the 'Roll Call' of those who came by to sew with us and enjoy the friendship and good company that was to be found on the day in Hoddles Creek.

We welcomed Annette, Pauline, Christine, Yvonne, Carmen, Kathy, Jennifer, and not one ... but two ... Margarets'.plus yours truly. A small but industrious team who soon set to work putting the finishing touches on the 'Pink variation' of the QAYG quilt that was started by our Tuesday stitchers. And for those interested in the Blue one that was put together LAST month by our Saturday stitchers ... here it is ... to to 'set the scene' as it were. Just needed the binding attached and it's done and dusted.

And the pink blocks ....

.... are coming together like THIS  .... exact 'placement' still in the works.

 

The finished quilt effect will be a different look to the Blue version ... variety being the spice of life as they say.

Margaret busy with precut joining strips for the pink blocks ... and the BIGGEST coffee cup to help keep her fuelled ;)

Meanwhile Yvonne was showing Carmen more of the 'ropes' involved with keeping the Gammill humming along nicely.

A short break for a morning cuppa ... and it looks like our blue QAYG has actually been finished ... doesn't it look good?

Meanwhile ... as she was searching for a specific piece of fabric ... Carmen discovered a 'visitor' who hadn't exactly signed in to join us on the day. Hence the opening picture at the top of this Blog. A little microbat had found its way in and Annette was soon able to return it outdoors. The jury was 'out' as to whether it was like the Monty Python parrot and merely 'pining for the fjords' or had 'ceased to be'. I prefer to think of it as just napping ;)

Later on the day a companion bat made its way inside and flew about for a bit ... fortunately well above head height and was eventually ushered out. Oh the joys of being out in the countryside eh?

Kathy, in the interim, was having a heart to heart with a slightly recalcitrant machine that was giving no joy. Fortunately we do have spare machines .. and so this one will be booked in for a looksee before returning to duty.

And here we have Margaret #2 busy at work ... with a smile as always.

An overview of our little hive (or as it seemed for a while .. a 'batcave' of activity) on Saturday ;)

I think I tried to catch Bat #2 in action ... but gosh he/she moved quickly. Perhaps its the wee black dot silhouetted against the wall near the right overhead light?

And just to keep us busy toward the end of the day ... this is what happens when a tub of fabric strips gets knocked over :)

And that pretty much winds up this short but sweet Blogpost. Libby has created a Newsletter which I think should be available to read on our Website detailing our quilt 'giftings' as well as news of our upcoming AGM in September and our Event at Mont De Lancey in November. 

Now to get back down to my sewing room to start creating some bits 'n' bobs for November.

Till next Blog .. many blessings and may your bobbins always be full and your needles sharp ... and your scissors ONLY ever used for fabric ;)

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.

And .... in the blink of an eye ... it was ... June :) and a 'marathon' effort at the Hall. Plus ... a new way to fundraise for QFO.

No sooner had I despatched our May Blog into cyberspace ... than it was time to buckle down and choof the June Blog into production. Time flies when the weather outside is inclement and going for a walk is off the agenda. So here I am again ... with more 'content' .... enjoy. 

Our June Gathering Day at the Hoddles Creek hall got off to a good start. Present and correct on Saturday the 8th were: Annette, Libby, Christine, Yvonne, Pauline, Margaret (times 2) Lauretta, Elaine and yours truly ...

We were entrusted with the 'Challenge' of creating a QAYG quilt as a mini Makers Marathon team effort. And soon the machines were humming .... after Libby had given us a quick run-down on the process.

Libby had 'prepped' a swag of squares with wadding affixed to the back ... and it was going to be our job to cover the batting 'front' with striped pieces of various widths (to keep it interesting) on the other side. And at the end of the day ... join these quilted b locks together to make a whole quilt.

We also had a special 'gizmo thingummy' with which to create border 'joiny' strips to finish it all off. Don't you love how I manage to segue into tech talk like the quilting whizz that I am? No? Well it gets better ... just you wait and see ;)

And ... it's Australian Made ... what's not to love about that eh?

And awaaaay we go ..... with the 'phantom hand' selecting strips in the chosen yellow/blue colourway of the planned project.

A perfect use for all those smaller pieces of fabric and looks SO effective when all put together. Waste not want not :)

Annette ironing the 'joiny' bits ....

Lauretta and Christine trimming blocks ...

And Libby doing likewise ...

Margaret doing some slicing and dicing ...

Pauline ... busy as can be ...

Aaaand .... another Margaret ... am I confusing anyone yet?

Ta-daaaah Pauline ...

Yvonne meanwhile ... slaving over a hot Gammill ...

Lauretta ... grabbing more supplies ....

A break for some tasty comestibles .... aka lunch and snacky bits.

Elaine dropped in to collect some more fabric .... 

Libby snatched the camera whilst I was distracted ... probably unpicking <lol>

All coming together very nicely ...

 And then all of a sudden the umpire called 'stumps' or the QFO equivalent and it was time to down tools and poodle off home. All in all a day well spent, with laughter and a lot achieved. I believe the word on the streets was that the Tuesday ladies were going to be doing a QAYG in shades of pink ... I look forward to seeing how it turns out. 

And that Folks ... is a wrap .... except for one more thing (if I can transfer it from email to Blog) a new fundraising initiative that you can all participate in for minimum effort ... 

                                                  Container Deposit Scheme 

Quilts for Orphans is now registered to receive donations through the Container Deposit Scheme!
CDS Vic provides a 10-cent refund for every eligible drink container returned at refund points across Victoria. We are registered in the East Victoria Zone at Return IT refund collections and in the North Victoria Zone at Visy refund collections.

Every bottle, can and carton you return, you can choose to donate to Quilts for Orphans.
Keep the lids on and don’t crush the containers!
Click here to find a location near you to drop off: https://cdsvic.org.au/locations
Our QFO Zone ID Barcode is

You can save the image of the barcode to your phone and then at the donation point, you scan the barcode. Quilts for Orphans will come up on the screen, then you just add the bottles and cans in one by one and the donation will go direct to us!

And that dear Reader .. is a wrap for the Blog in this edition ... I look forward to sharing with you again after our July get together .. and I'm sure that there will be lots to show you. Till 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

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.

Mayday Mayday …. and Libby’s coverage of our May Day … aka ‘Debs Day’.

I had taken a ‘Sabbatical on our Gathering Day in May due to the arrival of our second grandchild (and no, I won’t bore you with baby spam … I save that to inflict on my personal FB audience 😉 … so the editorial ‘reins’ were handed over to the very capable Libby … who emailed me the following .. please enjoy:

                                Gathering Day – Saturday May 11

For our May Gathering Day blog – it’s been a case of better late than never!!
It’s Libby here writing this one and a burst pipe in an upstairs bathroom causing water damage in the bathroom and laundry below has taken up my time over the past few weeks!! The curve balls in life – hey!! Never mind, it could have been a great deal worse 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️!!

                                 Back to QFO and Saturday May 11!!

Deb, Deb’s sister Felicity, Yvonne, Carmen, Marg, Jennifer, Pauline, Sandi, Annette, Lauretta, Libby and hubby David had a busy day in the hall! We enjoyed a lovely lunch – soups and bread – (thank you to Annette and her grand-daughter) to thank Deb for all her work she has done to promote QFO in the local and extended community. She has maintained a market presence – which is a huge effort! With her skills and experience, Deb set the foundations for us to become incorporated, as well as all the behind the scenes work to secure the lease of the Hoddles Creek Hall. Deb is taking a slight change of direction stepping down from doing markets to now mastering ‘Gertie’ – our Gammill longarm quilting machine to quilt the quilt tops! She is continuing to do the maintenance and security liaison!
Thank you, Deb, we would not be where we are today, in continuing the journey of Gaynors QFO Ministry, without all your efforts, expertise and skills!

And to finish off this blogpost …. Libby has sent me the following image ..

                   Quilting with Gertie (our longarm quilting machine)

Yvonne has a new Gammill graduate – Sharon, one of the Tuesday ladies!
Congratulations Sharon!

Blessings to all ….. Libby. 

And now I’ll poodle off to start creating our June Blogpost … watch this space 😉 Susan. 

April ... come what may :)

 

Well, here we are again .. after a weather induced 'hiatus' in March due to a fire danger warning. And I'll begin with a 'cheeky/sneaky' cut and paste of a recent wonderfully newsy email update I received from our Libby last week .. before moving on to the news from our April 'Gathering Day' at the Hall on Saturday the 13th.

                      Giftings this month

93 fabric hugs have been gifted to Life’s Little Treasure’s, Maroondah Rotary – Refuge Victoria, Royal Children’s Hospital – PICU and Rose Lodge Aged Care, Wonthaggi.

                 Rose Lodge, Wonthaggi:
Many Thanks for the donation of these beautiful quilts. Our residents and families have loved choosing a blanket for their loved ones. Please thank all your volunteers who have worked on these quilts.

                   Thank you also received from:

Maroondah Rotary wanted to take this moment to thank you for your generous gift of the many beautiful quilts. We fully appreciate the time and resources (and love) that go into these amazing works of art and we know they will be loved by the recipients. We have passed these quilts on to Refuge Victoria for families in need.

                   Life’s Little Treasures;
Thank you so much for your donation of handmade items to Lifes Little Treasures
Foundation. We know that they have been made with love and care, for which we are very grateful. Your donations have been unpacked and will now support a little treasure and their family through many of the support programs that we offer.

                    Oir Free motion quilting session.
Thank you so very much to our Cheryl for sharing your free motion quilting skills and tips during a Tuesday in March.

                    Talking about QFO .. our latest 'outreaches'.
Annette, Christine and Libby have had a busy few weeks sharing our QFO story to
VicQuilters - Sewing with a Cause, Yarra Valley View Club, the Fab 50’s at Ringwood North Community House and Ladies Time Out at Narre Warren North Baptist Church. We were invited to set up a trading table at 3 of the groups and have raised $650 from craft and quilt sales. How wonderful.

At the Vic Quilters Summer Gathering, Annette, Christine, Deb and Libby joined 85 quilters for a wonderful day hosted by Seabreeze Quilters in Altona North. We busied ourselves appliqueing hearts to blocks for Care Quilts that Seabreeze Quilters make. It was great to hear about other groups and their sewing for a cause - Quilts of Valour Victoria, Seabreeze Quilters and Waverly Patchworkers Gift Quilts.

VicQuilters very kindly gave us a donation of $100, so all of these funds will go towards the purchase of wadding and backing fabrics’

And now onto our notes from our Saturday 'Gathering Day at the Hall in Hoddles Creek. We had a small but industrious group in attendance  ... present were: Libby, myself, Yvonne, Cheryl, Christine, Margaret, Carmen, Deborah, Jennifer, Kathy and Loretta. 

Many bindings were attached to our 'Gifting quilts' ... Libby has been extremely busy sourcing recipients for our 'fabric hugs' and it's an absolute joy to see the shelving consequently having room for the quilts we continue to create.

'Quilts in -Quilts out' could almost be our new motto :)

Here we have Margaret busily finishing off a binding. 

Yvonne instructing Carmen on the Gammill quilting machine.

Christine measuring and matching for binding fabric to complete this beautiful Dresden Plate appliqued quilt.

Libby and Kathy sorting through some recently donated fabrics.

Deborah and Jennifer busy being busy.

Cheryl searching for the 'just right' needle from our supplies.

'Game on' as Cheryl proceeds with her free motion work ...

An overview of our little 'hive of activity'.

Morning tea/lunch goodies .... a teaser for those who were sadly disappointed in February when I didn't make it. This ones for you Joy ;)

Cheryl giving some free-motion 'pointers' to Loretta.

Busy busy busy .... Libby and Margaret.

More fabric sorting ...

This particular fabric panel will really 'pop' with the addition of some red and black sashing and binding. We envisage it delighting and aged care resident with its nod to fashions of the past. I look forward to seeing the finished quilt.

Part of a magnificent donation recently dropped off by Bron Krueger. Thank you So much for your kindness Bron .. so much gorgeous fabric. You blessed us beautifully with your kindness.

And that, folks, winds up this months Blogpost. I look forward to sharing with you again soon. 

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

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.