Aussie Hero Friend of the Day

Welcome to our new Post - Aussie Hero Friend of the Day!

I could have gone with Friend of the Week but I wanted the flexibility of not being tied to a regular schedule!

Melissa has bravely volunteered to go first and I didn't even have to nag her!

Melissa

My name is Melissa and I live in Rockhampton Queensland. I took up sewing while on maternity leave last year. Before that the last time I did some sewing was way back in year 8 Home Ec. 

I have currently been sewing items for Aussie Hero's for the past 5 months. At present the running total is 21 laundry bags and 1 quilt, which is currently being long armed stitched for HMAS ANZAC. 

 My husband Damian and my 17mth old daughter Holly are both very supportive of my sewing work I do for Aussie Heroes. Holly loves to help me pick out the material for each and every laundry bag not only giving it to me to work with but loves to model the material around the house just to let me know how it will look when worn by someone. Holly also loves to sit on my lap while I sew. 

 The best part about sewing is getting satisfaction of the finished product and gratification that someone will be using your products to help them with their time away from family and friends. 

Not only do I do work for Aussie Heroes but I am also a High School teacher. Yes I know!!!! A high school teacher! I really do love my job sometimes!   

How cute is Holly!!!  Thanks so much for sharing this week Melissa. Is there anyone in the Rockhampton area who is sewing for Aussie Heroes?  Melissa would love to know.

I heard a couple of great stories this week that I am so pleased to share with you.  First up from Wendy in VIC.

Today I had a very odd set of circumstances that you may enjoy.

My son asks me at 12:00am last night if I could take his girlfriend to High School.

It took another hour to work out the logistics (She lives in XXXXX so had to take VLine to Southern Cross then local train out to us, etc etc etc.)

Needless to say it put me on a road that I would not normally be on and sent me to a shop I do not shop at.

I was going through the register with some shopping which included a couple of sample packs of shampoo reduced to .50c ea. The lady behind me asked what they were and I told her Shampoo samples - we send them in care parcels to the troops overseas. She replied How wonderful! and the next I knew was I was being handed $3.00 and she had disappeared to 'get some more for you'.

Turns out her son had been in the Army in Afghanistan and she had sent him stuff while he was there but didn't know how she could help now he was home.

I gave your business card to her and the cashier who was also intrigued. I now have 6 more shampoos to send ;-)

Terry from Sydney also sent me a great "spread the word" story  - two on the same day!

Who knew? I live in a country village smack dab in the middle of Sydney. The post office is at the back of the news agents. I took in my first batch of laundry bags with goodies to post. I purchased some sukudo books to include. The woman on the register said "you know their all the same" I explained where they were headed. "Wait" she ducked out back and retrieved a batch without covers. The covers are returned for credit from the printer. "that's my donation hey I'll save them for you" Someone else doing what they can.

But Wait there's More..... at the local op-shop the already reduced yardage was reduced to 1/2 price for a good cause by a good cause.

I felt good and was happy that others were willing to share in Aussie Hero Quilt and laundry bags project.

That just made my day yesterday!

The following made my day today!  Both these messages are from the Father of one of our heroes.  First he wrote on facebook - 

Thanks for the Quilt my Daughter XXXXX received, I think its the best thing she has in her equipment. Her comment  "All ready to get into bed with my new quilt. Thank you to the beautiful person who made this for me you definitely have made my day". From a father of a serving troop. I thank you sincerely.

And then he sent me an email - 

Thank you for the quilt my daughter just received in Afghanistan. From her comments on her facebook page, it really made her feel good. As her father it also made me feel good knowing she has a Aussie made quilt made by a person that supports our Troops and their efforts over there. 

Joy sent off a batch of laundry bags this week, her very first, 
and she passed on this tip for those using Heat N Bond.

If you are using Heat N Bond Ultra to attach a label don't take the HNB to the very edges of the patch. Doing so may hold down the edges well, but it gums up the needle when you stitch them down. I learnt that the hard way - glue on the needle, thread breaking, etc. The last ones I did I left a 4-5mm gap on the outsid eedges - patch is stuck down and I could then sew around the outside edge with problems

:-)

Quilts of the Week 

LOADS of  laundry bags heading off this week.  I looks like you must be reading the blog!  
Here is the same reminder I issue every Thursday - if you have sent a quilt or a laundry bag of this week then please send me a pictures.  The following ladies have sent me pictures of quilts and laundry bags that have hit the mail this week.

Deborah, Deb, Joy, Julie Ann, Karen B, Kaye, Kirsty, Kitty, Lynda, Michelle, Pauline, Peggy, Rae, Terry, Wendy and Nan

If you are NOT on that list and have sent off a quilt or laundry bag can you please send me an email, preferably with a photo, and preferably sooner rather than later.  And if you have already emailed me and sent a picture and you are not on the list - please remind me.

If for some reason you can't send a picture through this week then that is okay - just send it when you can but please don't forget.  

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