Penrith Sewing Day and what a day!!!!

Phew! I had just finished typing up the story of a special quilt when I remembered that I had promised to tell you about the sewing day at Penrith yesterday.  So, here I am, fingers flying in the hopes of getting this published in time.

But first - a public announcement.
Any Sydney ladies - 

I have ten quilts that need binding - 

any volunteers?

There won't be any big numbers like this for a while as Stephanie is taking a short break 

(to do other sewing her family is demanding she do - how rude!  LOL) 

Also, anyone free to help pack quilts this Friday?  Depending on how many get bound this week I could have 15 or more to go and if you have packed one you know how long each one takes. Help would be good.

So, to our Sewing Day

What a great day.  Pam and Carolyn have been to many of our Penrith days and made it again yesterday.  Pam did some binding which is great.  I so appreciate not having to do it.  

Carolyn had a special mission.  She had to help Chelly, our new recruit, and the happy wife of a recipient, but more on that later. 

Ed, who I had only "met" via email came along as did Pat, who Carolyn had roped in  encouraged to join us.  Both Ed and Pat sat and sewed laundry bags all day.  I think Ed took all of hers home so that she could send them off herself when she gets a boxful.  

Pat also say and sewed laundry bags and I THINK these are all hers but please correct me ladies if I am wrong. There was so much happening that I could not keep track of it all. 

Christine G turned up to drop off the FIVE quilts that she took home on Tuesday to bind for us.  THANK YOU Christine!  

And somehow she also found time to make two cool laundry bags to bring along!

Maree turned up to say hello.  She showed me this awesome quilt so I would know what it looks like in order to allocate a recipient for her to send it to.  I have just the fellow in mind.

Maree also handed over four laundry bags  - of course we all love the London buses.

This is Pam - she really does not like me taking her photo - Chelly on the other hand - Mad Photo Bomber!

Carolyn, as I said, was assigned to mentor Chelly.  It was easier than it looks actually.  :-) This is the second quilt top that Chelly has worked on but Chelly bought all the material for this one by herself.  Didn't she do a great job? And she went home and continued sewing even more - till she had all of this quilt top together, complete with borders.  I have to say that I am really proud of Chelly.  We have another one hooked ladies and gentlemen!!!  YAY.  Chelly's husband, who we will call the Handsome Soldier (as you know I never name any of the serving members) dropped in later in the afternoon which was just lovely.  It was the first time I had met him, and I and others received a lovely big hug!  No nicer thank you as far as I am concerned.

Lisa also accompanied Chelly but I was not allowed to take her photo as she was not wearing any makeup!  LOL.  Lisa's fiance is currently deployed and Lisa worked at finishing off a quilt top that she and Chelly had started the last time they came.  Liz B had mentored them then and Liz, you would be so proud of how far they have come!  Two soldiers now have, or soon will have, sewing rooms in their homes and Spotlight is a new word in their vocabulary!  

As I said, lots of action.  Two of our other lovely ladies, Diane and Jan (you can check them out here) came by to say hello.  They were Penrith Patchwork on another mission but will be at the next sewing day.  

Also Katherine had seen our flyer at the shop and it had caught her attention.  She emailed me and then came along on Sunday to check us out.  Her father served in Korea and she thought he would be pleased with what we are doing for the troops.  I think she is right and I am not ashamed to say it.  Katherine just loved hearing all about what we are doing and she headed off home to sort through her stash and start planning!  

So, as you see a very full day!  

The next sewing day in Penrith will be on 

Sunday the 8th of September.

Same old arrangements.  BYO lunch, coffee mug and machine and I will provide the projects.   

If you are lucky I will bake as well.

Another pic of an AHD (Aussie Hero Dog) conducting the stringent quality control tests on another quilt.  Seriously, just for our recipients she will ignore the comfort of her dog bed (that burghundy pad in the back) to ensure that a quilt is good enough to go off to our Heroes!

See?  Not only the IED dogs put duty above comfort!  No?

And the last word goes to a grateful recipient, home now, but still finding comfort in her quilt.

I would love it if anyone else wanted to share pics of their quilts or laundry bag in action back here at home.  We have had a few pics and we all love them.  PLEEEEAAAAASE.

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