From the heart...

Aussie Hero Quilts are not a work or art

But a work of the heart.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that we are going to be able to post a certain number of quilts all year round.  Word is spreading about the quilts and laundry bags and the guys love them so much that they are sending me addresses and asking if it is possible to have one too.


Last night I received this request-


Ma'am,
My Name is XXXXX and I am currently serving with the SOTG in Afghanistan. A few nights ago my Padre, presented a beautiful quilt and laundry bag made by you great folk at Aussie Hero Quilts.  Not only would I love to have one of these quilts for my bed space over here I would also love to give it to my 11yr old daughter on my return to Australia later in the year. I think she would love it as a keepsake for the time that her Dad was away.

The support of great people like yourself and your group are truly the "little" things that help soldiers get through those times when we think that the world has forgotten about us. Your kindness and generosity is not lost on any of the lads over here and gives our morale a boost that you will never really fathom. We can't thank you enough for your unwavering support.

If you see it possible to forward me a quilt and laundry bag I would be forever grateful.


If course I wrote back and promised a quilt and a laundry bag and offered to make the quilt relatively gender neutral so that it would be acceptable for him during his time over there and then still suitable for his daughter.


This is the reply I got.

Thank you so much for your quick response. Again your very kind words have made an old soldiers heart skip a beat and raised his morale ten fold. Please don't be too concerned about making the quilt "gender neutral" because after 20yrs there is not too much of a hard time these lads could give me that I haven't heard before. Your concern is a very nice touch however.

My daughters name is xxxx  and my beautiful, patient wife's name is xxxx.  If I am not pressing a friendship could you manage to work their names into the quilt? If not I completely understand. I will be returning home to my beautiful girls in mid-july, so if this time frame works for you I would be very grateful. 




How gorgeous is that?  You already knew what we are doing is worthwhile but lovely emails like these leave you in no doubt.  My heart says to get out the rotary cutter and fabric and start working on a beautiful quilt just for this fellow and his lovely family and make it extra extra special but my head tells me to keep it simple.  We can't afford to start making work of art quilts  for special requests as I think we are going to get more special requests and we need to proceed in a manner in which we can continue - hence the heading at the top.  


For this fellow I am thinking of finishing our BOM pinwheel quilt - this one

and incorporating the names on the back.   That is unless someone wants to jump in and make something from scratch.  


I am also thinking that I need to start up a mailing list of sewers who would like to know when there is a special request and who would be interested, from time to time, in completing a special quilt to send off.    I think in most cases you would have about four weeks to create the quilt and I would check in each case but generally a quilt would be accompanied by a laundry bag.  If the laundry bag is a stumbling block, as I know some of you out there prefer to make quilts only, I can make one myself and send it separately.


Once I have established a list of volunteers I would forward details of requests to the entire list and then it would be up to those on the list to look at their current commitments and decide if they have time to make the quilt or not.  Whoever is interested can send me an email and I will pick someone, most likely the first person to get in touch, to make the quilt.   I will only pass on the soldier's mailing address once I know the quilt is ready to go - I try to keep their personal details as confidential as possible for their safety and security.


How does that sound?  If you are interested in being on the Special Requests Mailing List either leave me a comment or send me an email.


Now does anyone particularly want to jump in and make this gorgeous man his special quilt or shall I go ahead and finish off the pinwheels for him?  I still have quilts to bind, one to layer and am working on one for Captain R that I told you about in yesterday's post so I won't be getting on to this quilt for at least a week so there is time to get back to me if you are busy over Easter and not checking blogs (unless someone gets in before you).


Now just a quick note - has anyone still got some pink blocks to send or has any one not heard from me that their pink blocks have arrived?  Please let me know as all blocks are supposed to be in my Wednesday the 11th - if you are running late just let me know.  If I know we have received everything that is coming I am planning to put the quilt together during our next Aussie Heroes sewing day on the 18th of April.


Till next time.........keep spreading the word and happy stitching!