The tally so far-
110 quilts and 325 laundry bags for 2013
and 1054 quilts and 1692 laundry bags over all.
I sent my laptop off today to be fixed - three months old and the hard drive crashed! Hmmph! Working on this old laptop is so slow and cumbersome and I don't have my regular files or methods of keeping everything straight. Looks like I will be doing it the hard way for another two weeks or so while the new laptop gets a new hard drive- NOT HAPPY JAN!! So, please bear with me.
It looks like my Aussie Hero Email list might also have taken a hit with the computer crashing and there are some names missing off it that I thought should be on there so I sent a test message out to all on the list. If you got the message you can ignore it coz it means that you are on the email list and all is hunky-dory. If you didn't get the test message and should be on the list please let me know. Additionally if you are new and want to be on the Aussie Hero Volunteers list please let me know.
It looks like my Aussie Hero Email list might also have taken a hit with the computer crashing and there are some names missing off it that I thought should be on there so I sent a test message out to all on the list. If you got the message you can ignore it coz it means that you are on the email list and all is hunky-dory. If you didn't get the test message and should be on the list please let me know. Additionally if you are new and want to be on the Aussie Hero Volunteers list please let me know.
Now on with the Quilts of the Week!
First up let me introduce you to Lauren! She is TEN years old and has just made her first laundry bag! Well done Lauren!! You should be very proud of yourself! Not just for making a laundry bag but for giving up your time to make something for someone you don't know. You have no idea how much it will mean to the soldier, sailor or airman who receives it.
Lauren has great genes. Her Mum, Louise, made the following
Cheryl R
No prizes for guessing who is receiving two of these laundry bags!
Claire
Dianne
Su is an Aussie Hero newbie encouraged to join us by her daughter who is currently deployed and waiting for one of my quilts to arrive. Su has sent off these two quilts and has already planned the next two.
It must be the Mother Daughter Night as next we have a combined effort by Angela and Amy
(who is just about to start Year 11)
Check out the backing. Angela and Amy holidayed in Thailand over Christmas and this is one of their purchases. YUM!
And I can't say too much but this laundry bag is heading to a very suitable recipient!
Cat
This next lovely is a BOM quilt - blocks put together by Judith and quilted by Paul and Paula. This is one of my favourites as it is really cheery in person.
Amanda got her very first AH quilt in the mail today and is all set to start her next one!
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Hilary
Fran T
Jill S is another newbie. She has made the next three quilts and a batch of laundry bags!
Love how you just need a touch of Aussie Flag fabric to give a quilt a patriotic fabric!
Debra S completed the next two quilts and laundry bags.
And can I tell you how nice it is to actually have the quilter in the pic as well for a change.
Thanks Deb.
Blogger just did not want me to rotate this so I am sorry if you are sitting there with your head on the side!
Jan-Maree (that would be me!) made this one - ages ago - but I have been waiting for the time to be right to send this one off to its new home.
Judy C
Maddy
Nancy
Rita C
Got a few blocks leftover? make a matching cushion!
Need to expand the fabric for the back of your quilt? Here is one nifty way!
The quilt tops were made by Marlene in Tassie and sent to Stephanie for finishing as part of the heartstrings project.
Gail took some leftover November BOM blocks and variations and put them all together to make this fabulous quilt. Have I ever mentioned how much I love Scrap Quilts?
Bev and Geoff are new to AHQ and made the next two quilts - Geoff is now our second Aussie Hero Fella! He quilted these two.
Love that leafy pattern!
Tess J and Mary made this gorgeous quilt as a joint effort.
Late last month two soldiers were injured in Afghanistan (details here) and were sent home to Australia for further treatment. Their Commanding Officer and Chaplain visited them in hospital and presented each of them one of our Wounded Warrior Quilts prior to their departure for home.
Two more Wounded Warrior Quilts have been sent off to wait in situ till needed.
Tarnyia made this gorgeous red, white and blue one
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and Vicky made this lovely Aussie print one.
And now for what you have all been waiting for -
The Winners of the Australia Day Laundry Bag Challenge.
I never identify serving members for any reason on the blog so I can't tell you who the judge was but suffice to say he and his helpers from 7RAR deserve a great big thank you for taking the time to deliberate over all the wonderful laundry bags that you submitted.
I am SO GLAD I didn't have to choose.
So, without further delay - here is what he said.
The Winners of the Australia Day Laundry Bag Challenge.
I never identify serving members for any reason on the blog so I can't tell you who the judge was but suffice to say he and his helpers from 7RAR deserve a great big thank you for taking the time to deliberate over all the wonderful laundry bags that you submitted.
I am SO GLAD I didn't have to choose.
So, without further delay - here is what he said.
We've had a really good look at all the laundry
bags on your blog and it has taken ages and lots of debate to get to any sort of
a decision. To our minds, they are all equally worthy, as they remind us in some
way of home.
Firstly, we were really impressed with Kiwi Karen's huge contribution and we especially liked the ones with the 7 RAR pigs.
Our Adjutant also spotted the one at the very bottom of the page from Marg and said he would happily find a home for it!
And now to the results....
In 3rd place, we picked Louise's 3 bags
we loved the Australian flags, the banksia flowers (hope that is what they are!), and the detail that has gone into making them.
In 2nd place, we chose Debra S's bag with the Australian flag on the front and the ships on the back. Each of us wear an Australian flag on the sleeves of our uniform, reminding us who we are and what we represent. The ships remind us of how many of our ancestors got to Australia - we'll go home by air at the end of this but for many Australian soldiers, a ship was what carried them to and from past wars.
In first place,
(Drum roll please)
we would like to thank Gail for her bag.
It's got a bit of everything. The colours are of the desert here and the sky at home.
The kangaroo is also worn on our sleeve. Plenty of us will be looking forward to a bit of fishing when we get back and the whole thing is just so recognizably Australian, we couldn't ignore it.
Hope those choices don't cause any rows on your blog. All of your contributors are fantastic and whether or not they get an 'Australia Day' prize, we all appreciate what they do for us.
Firstly, we were really impressed with Kiwi Karen's huge contribution and we especially liked the ones with the 7 RAR pigs.
Our Adjutant also spotted the one at the very bottom of the page from Marg and said he would happily find a home for it!
And now to the results....
In 3rd place, we picked Louise's 3 bags
we loved the Australian flags, the banksia flowers (hope that is what they are!), and the detail that has gone into making them.
In 2nd place, we chose Debra S's bag with the Australian flag on the front and the ships on the back. Each of us wear an Australian flag on the sleeves of our uniform, reminding us who we are and what we represent. The ships remind us of how many of our ancestors got to Australia - we'll go home by air at the end of this but for many Australian soldiers, a ship was what carried them to and from past wars.
In first place,
(Drum roll please)
we would like to thank Gail for her bag.
It's got a bit of everything. The colours are of the desert here and the sky at home.
The kangaroo is also worn on our sleeve. Plenty of us will be looking forward to a bit of fishing when we get back and the whole thing is just so recognizably Australian, we couldn't ignore it.
Hope those choices don't cause any rows on your blog. All of your contributors are fantastic and whether or not they get an 'Australia Day' prize, we all appreciate what they do for us.
So congratulations to all the winners, Louise, Debra S and Gail. And also to those that received a special mention, Kiwi Karen and Marg.
There will be prizes but as well as being rewarded for your wonderful laundry bags you will also be rewarded for your patience as you have to wait for the prizes to arrive from Afghanistan! As soon as they arrive I will let you know and put them in the mail to you.
Congratulations everyone! As my 7RAR friend said "you are all equally worth" and I think you are all winners every time you sit down to sew for Aussie Heroes to give something special to someone you do not know.
Til next time...............keep spreading the word and happy stitching!
turns out Caroline is not the only one who has never noticed my sign off either LOL
Noami confessed up as well. Got to admit that made me laugh!
Oh wow. I am so honoured. Thanks to the judges. I enjoy making these for the soldiers so I'm glad they enjoy them too.
ReplyDeleteDebra S
Well done everyone, so many wonderful quilts and laundry bags to look at, it's like an art show ... and congratulations to the Aussie LB winners, great jog. Lets do that again for Anzac Day.
ReplyDeletecongratulations everyone, What an enormous tally of quilts and laundry bags so far this year, Outstanding! Love them all.
ReplyDeleteAwesome number of quilts have gone this year already. Seems incredible as its only just February. Well done ladies (and gents).
ReplyDeleteIt is so inspiring to actually see the efforts of the quilters. I love looking at them all each week and immediately want to rush off to sew some more.
As for the comments by the judges - a tear or two fell. I find it hard to believe that something that comes so easily to me, and gives me such pleasure to do, actually gives so much pleasure and joy to others. Makes me feel very humble.