Grati-Tuesday 19 May 15

Hi all.

Lots of lovely messages tonight but before them just a little update. 

I am hitting the road again today. This time heading to Port Macquarie where there is a gathering of the clans, well a gathering of quilt groups actually. I am not sure how many quilt groups in fact but at least several, around 280 quilters,  get together every year for a show and tell and they have a guest speaker. The meeting is called the Southern Zone Regional Get Together.  As far as I know it is the only one of its kind in the country.  Would love to know if you know of anything similar.   This year the guest speaker is Wendy Williams but I will also be giving a short talk about AHQ.  That all happens tomorrow but as it is a four hour drive up there I am leaving today.  Haven't been that way before so here's hoping I don't get lost!  LOL

On Thursday I will be spending time with the Dolphin Quilters from Old Bar, who have been quilting for us for more than 2 years I think.  I am looking forward to meeting everyone and putting faces to names. 

So, if I am a bit slow answering emails you will know why.  I will be checking emails along the way so if you need anything urgently I can probably get back to you.

You also might like to check out the latest RAAF News.  

Irene's amazing pineapple quilt made it to page 9.  

Finally, for anyone interested in seeing the Centenary Quilt.... if you are heading to Canberra you can make an appointment to see it at the War Memorial by contacting their Military Heraldry and Technology section to arrange viewings of the quilt. If you could please provide at least one week’s notice by emailing mht@awm.gov.au it would be appreciated.  So it is not exactly on display (yet) but at least you can see it and take the grandkids if you wish.  :-)

 Okay so time for some thank you messages. Again I have been chasing up quilts so there are a number addressed to me for other quilters. I have forwarded the messages on to the quilters concerned, but in this instance, forgot to make sure I listed on this post who each email referred to.  Apologies. I had 317 emails yesterday and things got quite hectic, as well as a quick meeting with a new recruits (who took home backings to piece and quilt tops to iron - Bless her) and a packing session with my lovely 19 year old assistant Jess  (thank you Jess!!!)

Dear Sophie,

thank you for the lovely laundry bags you made for us. I didn't get through the building before they were very gladly taken by members. They all said to pass on their thanks. I have left the tea bags in the kitchen, I'm pretty sure they will be gone by tomorrow afternoon as well!

We really appreciate your efforts and thoughts.

Take care and thank you. 

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Hi Joan,

I just wanted to say thank you so much for my laundry bag. Its beautiful!

Thank you!

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Dear Julie-Ann and Lyn,

I have just received a wonderful laundry bag (with cameras on it) and a beautiful Navy themed quilt in the mail at our Australian base here in the middle east region.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to make these items. I will treasure them. 

Thank you also for the heartfelt letters.

I had the honour of being one of the photographers who took the ANZAC Centenary Quilt on its Afghanistan journey. I shot lots of video and we interviewed everyone who signed it. Everyone we met with the quilt were so grateful for the work you all do. Two people even cried. 

My mother recently met Jan-Maree at a quilt fair in Melbourne - right at the time our team of three were carrying the quilt around Afghanistan. I can only imagine that mum talked her ear off.

It's truly a wonderful thing that you do - to sacrifice your time to make these items. They bring a lot of joy to all deployed personnel who receive them and they have become part of our ADF story.

Many thanks,

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Hi Lynda, Megan, and the other wonderful ladies in your team,

I've been lucky enough to receive a package from you containing a card, quilt, laundry bag, and some Tim-Tams. Firstly can I say how grateful I am for this gift, but more so for your support to us serving overseas. You'll be happy to know that some of your packages made it about as far forward as they could possibly go for Australians serving in the Middle East. For me personally, having a bit of colour in my room is really nice. It gives it a more homely feel, but it also breaks up the monotony of the Iraqi landscape - which gets old pretty quickly. The Tim Tams are not only delicious, but they're also a makeshift currency over here. It's amazing what you can get done with just a few Tim Tams!

I'll leave it there for now, but please know how much we appreciate your work to support us. I hope this email finds you all well, and that the remainder of 2015 is kind to you. If I'm ever down your way I'll stop in for a cuppa! Until then, please have one for me.

Thank you again,

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Dear Pennie,

thank you for the lovely quilt, laundry bag and goodies.  The colours are beautiful and make me smile every time I go back to my room after a long day.  I love the batik fabric. The box was in the first mail we have received here.  We are in the set up process and everything is quite austere so getting something so lovely really made my day.  I wanted to send you a card to thank you but unfortunately we don't have our postal services established to be able to post anything out yet.  I am only at the start of the deployment so have a long stretch to go, maybe 6 months which will give me time to enjoy your quilt everyday.  The laundry bag is especially convenient being so distinguishable with beautiful colours that I can always make sure I get the right bag back from the washing people.

Thank you once again for sharing your quilting skills and providing me with such a wonderful quilt and laundry bag.  I shall treasure it forever. 

Kind Regards

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Hi Jan-Maree & Debbie,

The beautiful guilt has arrived and I am so very humbled at the time & effort that Debbie has put into it.  It truly encapsulates my thoughts and my deployments over the years and a fitting end to my deployments that this quilt brings.  The feedback from all I have shown (from Rear Admiral Jones & Brigadier Sorial) down have all expressed that it is one of the best quilts they have seen and I have taken a photo of it at our shine which I will send you both via email. 

It will definitely be a feature (on the wall) of my Man Cave (if and when my wife allows me to have one).  She has been hinting by sending me the "Man Cave" products whilst I have been on this deployment.  Obviously wonts me out of the house on my return.....

All the best and once again thank you for your combined efforts.  Truly appreciated by all in the Middle East Region.

All the best for the future. 

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Jan,

My quilt finally arrived! (with a big smile on face) the quilt is perfect and sits pride of place on my bunk. I cannot thank you and your team enough with regards to your efforts not only for myself but many others that serve away from home, it's a humbling feeling knowing that people back home do appreciate our small sacrifices and makes it all worth while especially now as we have had rough seas for the last three days...lol

Again Jan could you please pass on what a wonderful job your team does and I can assure you we as a crew onboard Success we are very thankful

Thanks and Regards 

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Dear Linda H,

                       I have just received your fantastic quilt and laundry bag. To say that I am over the moon would be an exaggeration. I have taken pictures and forwarded them back to my family in Australia and back in Scotland. 

They are so beautifully done and can't believe how fantastically well you captured everything that I asked for. They will be a family heirloom that we will keep and cherish for ever.

I didn't tell my wife that I had requested these, so when she saw the quilt with all our names and even the our dog Tia she stated that she burst into tears as it captures our lives from Scotland all the way over to Australia. 

We can't thank you enough for your kind hard work and if there is any way we can repay you please ask us.

Oh I have shown a few people here in Afghanistan your out standing work and I think there maybe a few more requests heading your way (ha ha)

Thank you ever so much again

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Dear Lyn,

I have received your beautiful quilt this morning and thought I would take the opportunity to say thank you.  It is always good to receive mail when over here, but receiving your quilt has been particularly nice. It is currently sat on my bed, and has added a certainly homeliness to what is otherwise a rather drab room, so thank you.

I have included a recent photo of me and my family. I recently turned 39 – a birthday in Afghanistan was interesting, although I did miss having a glass or two of red wine - and am married with 3 children.

Again, thank you so much for the care and consideration in sending me the quilt. It genuinely does mean a lot, and I will continue to use it whilst I am here and when I get back home.

Yours fondly,

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Dear Jan,

I would like to thank you and everyone at Aussie Quilts for the Quilt and washing bag< you guys have done a tremendous job for myself and fellow ship mates aboard HMAS Success,

Thankyou kindly for your hard efforts

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Hi Jan-Maree,

I am just writing to let you know that I received my beautiful quilt! It is absolutely perfect and came in handy when we came across some very cold weather recently.  I greatly appreciate everything you and your team do to make our time away from home that much brighter.

I have sent a card to my quilter, I hope she receives it soon. We both share a love of the colour pink :) 

Best wishes

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To Jan-Maree and all the quilters,

I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you for the awesome quilt that I received. 

I was amazed at the quilt as I unfolded it from the box. It was beyond my wildest expectations. To the quilter that made mine; I say thank you for an outstanding job.

A big thank you to all for your support, god bless you all.

Sincerely yours,

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Hello Jan-Maree,

Would just like to personally thank you for all the hard work you and your quilters have done for us out here.

I just received my quilt lastThursday and I have to say it is just great. It really warmed my heart to know someone was wonderful enough to put the effort in to make that for me.

I will be sending my quilter a very big thank you shortly.

Again thanks very much!!

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Hi Jan-Maree

I am a seamen electronics technician in the Royal Australian Navy currently deployed in the middle east region for OP Manitou. I was fortunate enough to receive a quilt made by one of your quilters. This brought me immense joy and comfort to know that somebody was selflessly making these quilts for Australian troops. Thank you for all your time and effort.

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thank you Jan-Maree, Evelyn and Lisa N  for my aussie quilt, it has come in very handy in both the more mild climates when we went through the Mediterranean and now as we are passing through the more humid areas it has also served a great purpose, plus it looks great on my rack, I cant thank you guys enough for what you do! 

Yours Aye

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Hi Jan, 

i just wanted to say thank you for the time and effort that yourself and your fellow quilters put in to making quilts not just for myself but for all the serving members that have received them. 

my quilt has arrived safe and sound and i was very impressed by the finished product. it by far exceeded my expectations. the colours are very much what i was after. if you could please pass on my thanks to my quilter that would be greatly appreciated ..

Regard

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Hi Jan-Maree,

Just a quick email to say thank you to you and your team for my Aussie hero Quilt and Laundry bag,

Although I haven't had much chance to use the quilt yet (due to the hot temperatures in the middle east) now that we are on our way back to Sydney where I hear the weather is quite cool I expect that I will be able to snuggle up underneath and enjoy it!

I was impressed with the materials used and would like to say that it is perfect!

I look forward to showing it off to my family and friends!

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

Jan-Maree xxx