G'day.
Tonight you can have the first of a small series of posts called "A Slice of a Quilter's Life".
I hope reading these posts will encourage others to write in a share a slice of their life with us all.
Before I proceed though I thought I should share that this morning I was invited to be the guest speaker for the Liverpool Catholic Quilters.
I was made to feel very welcome and left having been reassured that they were very keen to get involved with Aussie Heroes.
I can't mention this group without telling you that these wonderful ladies created the most beautiful poppy quilt called "In Flanders Fields".
I can't mention this group without telling you that these wonderful ladies created the most beautiful poppy quilt called "In Flanders Fields".
Forty-five members of the club spent four months working on the quilt which was displayed in the Club before being presented to the Ingleburn RSL Women's Auxilary to raise funds for The Australian Defence Force Welfare Fund.
Thank you for having me ladies. It was a pleasure.
...
A Slice of a Quilter's Life
I have two quilters to share with you tonight. The first one is Lyn, followed by the dynamic duo, Bev and Geoff.
First Lyn...
I have just had 3 days away quilting with a group of
friends. One lady’s Mum makes quilts for Aussie Heroes and this lady has
helped her Mum out at times….they like to make the more unusual requests.
Another lady has a son in the Defence Force who has received a quilt.
Another lady whose husband had been in the Army was asking me about how to go
about doing these quilts. I had my folder of information and was able to
show her and she also took down the web address. So it was great to share
this information and hopefully there may be some more quilters coming on board.
As I said, only being new and still feeling my way with
Aussie Hero Quilts, I am loving being involved. At this stage I haven’t
received any feedback from recipients, but know that will come in time.
The reason for getting involved initially was finding a charity to donate
quilts to as a plan to use up my stash. My nephew is in the Defence Force
and served in South Sudan in 2012 and received an Aussie Hero Quilt and was so
touched that someone had gone to so much effort to lovingly make this gift.
He knows I am an avid quilter and I this is why I have chosen this
charity.
I can make the quilts in my time at my pace, unless I choose
to do requests. Since I have retired I have time that I can spend
quilting. My husband is very supportive and helps around the house so I
can get the quilts made. He even helps me with measuring the wadding and
backing and often takes the quilts to the post office so I can continue on with
the next one. I try to quilt during the day and hand sew the bindings on
a night in front of the TV so that I am at least spending time with my husband.
When I am not sewing I am off doing other voluntary things
or taking my aging parents to medical appointments either in Adelaide or to
another town in the Riverland. I have 2 adult children, not married and
not living at home. Our daughter has autism (at the lower end of the
spectrum) and lives in support accommodation in Adelaide, and our son lives
near us and is battling with cancer and still trying to work. He does have
a positive attitude even though, at times, after chemo treatments is quite
unwell. There are times when we are away travelling in our caravan
around our beautiful country.
Before I retired I worked full time in an
administrative/finance role for a school and there was little time for
quilting. My husband and I owned a citrus property until recently.
Hope this helps with the information about this ‘little
60 year old grey (under the colour) quilter’.
Cheers
Lyn
.....
And now Bev and Geoff...
Hi my name is Bev and my days in summer begin around 6am
with either a 30 min walk or attending to chores in our large garden and
fernery, by 8 am it is into fabric and sewing not always for AHQ as we have a
Patchwork and Quilting Business .There are customers to attend to as well as
quilt samples to make displaying new fabric ranges which helps sell kits we cut
and pack.Laundry Bags are my easy sew projects and are often sewn at night as a
Me Time venture.
AHQ quilts are sometimes chosen from the request
lists,but more often I have blocks and fabrics left over from shop samples and
we like to clear the Scrap Basket .Scrap Quilts are my forte and I can always
customise one to suit a request .
As soon as I have a quilt top finished it is
slotted in to be quilted by my husband Geoff, he is the long arm quilter and
operates one of his two machines everyday there are quilts comming in regularly
.We also exhibit at Craft Shows in VIC, NSW, SA, my machine comes with me and I
sew LB linings which I precut ready to sew .
but AHQ is constantly on my mind working out colours and
patterns that will suit either gender.
Winter days are similar for sewing , the garden is not so
critical sometimes we get rain which helps.That is my general day at work we
have a purpose built house incorporating the shop and quilting studio so we do
not have to travel.
Cheers Bev & Geoff Coates
.....
Thanks very much ladies! I hope some more of you are inspired to write in.
Till next time................keep speading the word and happy stitching!
Jan-Maree xx
So good!
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