Weekly Dispatches 11 April

G'day all.

Another sunny day in Sydney and another busy week.  A bumper crop of quilts heading out again this week.  Lots of great colour and design so enjoy the view.

I am looking forward to the sewing days coming up on Sunday and Monday.

Hope you all have something to look forward to over the next few days.

216 quilts and 381 laundry bags for 2014.  

2626 quilts and 4156 laundry bags in total.

These first three quilts are special ones made from blocks sent in from all over the place which were then pieced by Lynn and this on was quilted by Kim M with Aussie animals.    You might recognise this one as being the raffle quilt that was created for the Brisbane dinner.  It was one by one of our quilters, Melissa, and she handed it back and asked that it be sent to a soldier.  Well, it has gone to a very deserving soldier - can't tell you who of course, and it has taken a while as I had to wait to be able to get it to him but it is on its way.  

Who could not be cheery with this quilt around?

And the next two quilts are on their way as well. Both of these were made from blocks sent in from our dinner in 2012.  Quilters were given the dark grey fabric, the ugly fabric some called it.  They were challenged to make a block in red, white and blue and the theme was "Aussie".  The quilt tops were then put together by Gail and were quilted by Carol if my memory serves me correctly.  Please yell out if I am wrong there.  

This first quilt has headed off to the Middle East.  There are plans for it on its return but it is too soon to go into those now.

  

This one had been passed to a very deserving recipient as well but, again, I cant tell you who.  These took a little longer to complete than intended and then I kept them around so that they could go to Brisbane for the dinner.  Then, as with the yellow one above I needed to arrange to get it to its new owner and some things just take as long as they take.

Nancy is back on strength and sent off a bunch of her trademark strippy quilts.

Those of you on the request list may remember that I put out a request for  someone to embroider "Skippy" badges for some 1RAR.  Well, I have had a wonderful response to that request and all sorts of Skippy badges are heading off to the Middle East to the impending delight (I reckon) of some very worthy recipients.  This one was stitched by Anne who then decided that she would really like to stitch it into a quilt.  Here is the end result and I think it looks great!

even the back got a little attention!

Bev and Geoff

Now this is one of those times when I feel really bad as I cannot pin down who gave me this quilt. I think I know but I dont want to say the wrong name so if you recognise it PLEASE let me know.  I do know that the maker was happy to me to add a little "something" to it and so it was sent up to Lousie D and she added the "Aussie, Aussie Aussie" to it.   

EDIT!  I found it!  This quilt top was made by Jodie!  :-)

Cath has finished her first GIRLY Aussie Hero Quilt with thanks to Adele's Bobbins & Threads for generously donating the quilting and Chris from Wot Nots Massage for donating the money to buy the fabric.

Evelyn 

Kerri

Jacqui

Jenny and Gale created this awesome white ensign.  Love that Union Jack except that I hate to think how many times I would have to do it to get t right.   I would be bound to end up with multiple left hand sides and no right hand sides.  Those who paper piece will know exactly what I am talking about!

Jill M created this little beauty, except that perhaps "little" is the wrong word to describe it.  I managed to get to Jill only just before it was too late and she extended the quilt a little as I heard this fellow is politely described as a "gentle giant" or a "man mountain".

Jill S

 

I managed to get a laundry bag finished this week.  And yes, this is one I made for the ANZAC Day challenge in a tri service theme which was really appropriate for the recipient.

Joan

  

 Hilary

This was a joint effort.  First Rachel and Carolyn began it at our last sewing day and we started with pink and purple instead of the red.  When I got home and went to note it on my list I realised that the recipent's favourite colour is actually red.  Fortunately there was not much to unpick so next quilt group meeting I sat and unpicked as I chatted and the next day was and Aussie Hero Sewing day.  I handed the pieces over to Rita C and by the end of the day she had created this quilt top.  It was then sent on to Hilary who has joined our merry band of Long Arm quilters and in short order it was quilted and sent off.  

Katherine

Karen B donated this quilt top and Stephanie T quilted it for us.  

Our wonderful Wounded Warrior's wife, Katrina completed these wonky BOM blocks with a little help from Louis if you remember 

and I sent them up to Jenny and Gale who worked their magic with them and this is the awesome resulting quilt.

Kirsty sent in this soft and pretty quilt top which I sent off with Kim M for quilting.  It came back with a lovely floral pattern on it and when I received a request for a lady who loves vintage floral and dragonflies

it was easy to make it special for her.

And Joan crafted her the perfect dragonfly lovers laundry bag

Leanne

Liz has worked her magic with the Skippy Badge

 Lynn created this quilt top, I added the "Hero" touch and Belinda quilted it with Roos.

Lynn  

Another of Lynn's quilt tops and this one appliqued by Debbie and quilted by a new longarmer, Joyce.  Thanks for joining our merry band Joyce.

Maree

Marg created the quilt top and it was sent to Kym for quilting.  The recipient's nickname is Smiley so it was quilted in Smiley faces!

And how is this for a gorgeous mystery quilt result.  These blocks were sent in from all over and then Pennie made the CFC block and pieced the quilt top and finished it!  Thanks to Carolyn E M for the zippy stripy binding.  I think the quilt looks awesome!

Nancy E joined AHQ and made her first two quilts

Peggy

Pennie

Rachel made her first quilt for AHQ too.

Rita M is back in full force.  

Robin red and white all over this week

well, except for her laundry bag

 I am MARVELing at what Stephanie D has made (MARVELing - get it?)

Su

Stephanie T

You might remember that we received a request for 10 fireman themed laundry bags this week.   I found volunteers to make all of them very quickly (thank you all very much) and now the first bags are heading off.   

This one was made by Katherine

And these two by Louise!  How much fun are these?

An awesome bunch of quilts and laundry bags to show for this week!  

Thanks muchly to all those who sew for us.

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