Thank you for your interest in Aussie Hero Quilts (and Laundry Bags)
The vast majority of our quilts are made to match requests submitted by the sailors, soldiers and aviators who will receive them.
Every Monday I put out a list of the quilts and laundry bags that people are asking for. If you would like to make a quilt and do not find any requests that appeal then please let me know, I am sure we can work something out.
I strongly suggest that you contact me before you start a quilt so that we can make sure that what you are making will have a home once you have finished it.
Many of my quilters like to have a starting point so that they know that the quilt/bag they are making will fit with the recipient's tastes. The recipients are asked to give me their favourite colours, hobbies and interests. They will ask for every sort of quilt/bag you have ever imagined and a few you have never considered. Often they will include lots of information and the requests can look bewildering but you have to remember that often they do not know what to ask for or what is possible so the idea is to try and make something that somehow relates to their request without trying to include everything they ask for ... unless you really want to.
You are under no obligation to make anything from the list each week but it will show you what people are asking for. If you would like to take on one of the quilts or laundry bags on the list then send me an email (friendsofAHQ@gmail.com)
Providing I have your name, address and phone number I will send you their details. You then have 5-6 weeks to make a quilt and/or bag and get it in the mail. If you need longer than that please let me know. We will work something out.
The vast majority of our quilts are made to match requests submitted by the sailors, soldiers and aviators who will receive them.
Every Monday I put out a list of the quilts and laundry bags that people are asking for. If you would like to make a quilt and do not find any requests that appeal then please let me know, I am sure we can work something out.
I strongly suggest that you contact me before you start a quilt so that we can make sure that what you are making will have a home once you have finished it.
Many of my quilters like to have a starting point so that they know that the quilt/bag they are making will fit with the recipient's tastes. The recipients are asked to give me their favourite colours, hobbies and interests. They will ask for every sort of quilt/bag you have ever imagined and a few you have never considered. Often they will include lots of information and the requests can look bewildering but you have to remember that often they do not know what to ask for or what is possible so the idea is to try and make something that somehow relates to their request without trying to include everything they ask for ... unless you really want to.
You are under no obligation to make anything from the list each week but it will show you what people are asking for. If you would like to take on one of the quilts or laundry bags on the list then send me an email (friendsofAHQ@gmail.com)
Providing I have your name, address and phone number I will send you their details. You then have 5-6 weeks to make a quilt and/or bag and get it in the mail. If you need longer than that please let me know. We will work something out.
When you tell me you are ready to post I
will send you the posting instructions. After you have sent off your quilt you
then send me a photo of the quilt and/or laundry bag and the full name of the
recipient and their service details via email. I let them know their quilt/bag is on the way and they
start to haunt the PO.
You have about a 50% chance of hearing back
from them depending on their circumstances etc. I am assured, all the time, by
recipients I am in touch with that this lack of response is nothing to do with
appreciation for what we do. More likely it is due to the hours our defence
members work on deployment and often a level of emotional tiredness that seeps
in as the deployment progresses.
Size
The quilts were designed to be portable and easy to post. Anything posted to the members with an AFPO address and under 2kg is free. Aussie Hero Quilts are sized to be the width
of the fabric so about 42". The
length should be 70". I know some of you will think that this size seems a
little narrow, but the quilts also have to be small enough for the recipients to
fit into their luggage if they are required to move from one location to
another unexpectedly. They also need to
be the right size to fit on top of a navy bunk at sea and a bunk bed or stretcher on
land. If you make the quilts too wide
this makes them too big and bulky. Trust me, long and thin works. Please email me if this causes you any
challenges.
Batting
Please
use only 100% cotton batting, Bamboo batting or a 60% wool/40%polyester batting. These
types of batting have been trialed "in country" and we know they do the job. The climates where these quilts are going
vary from tropical to below freezing so these quilts need to be versatile.
Quilting
All
quilts are to be quilted. Straight stitch quilting is
fine as is stippling and fancier quilting designs. Please, NO RAG QUILTS.
Binding
Binding
can be hand sewn or machine sewn. I cut
the binding 2 1/2" for hand sewing and 2 3/4" for machine
sewing. There is a tutorial for the
binding here if desired.
The Label
Every
quilt must have and Aussie Hero Label on it as follows:
This
is an
AUSSIE
HERO QUILT
made
for an
Aussie
Hero
with
gratitude for your service.
aussieheroquilts.blogspot.com.au
friendsofAHQ@gmail.com
I
would appreciate it if the wording remains the same but feel free to the name of the quilter etc. I would like
all Aussie Hero Quilts to be easily identifiable as such as they are very recognisable and widely known. Labels
can be printed on printable fabric or hand written on plain fabric using a pigma pen (available from quilt stores).
If you would like help with your labels email Jan-Maree. We have one or two volunteers that are happy to make labels for you.
What if you would like to make a quilt that
does not match a specific request?
does not match a specific request?
My
best suggestion for this is that you check out our request list. If you would like to see it send me an email
(friendsofAHQ@gmail.com) and I tell you how to find it. That way you will see what people
are asking for and can tailor your design to suit some of the common themes. I think it is much
more rewarding to make a quilt for a specific person and to be able to send it
off yourself direct to them.
If
you can not make a quilt for a specific request, then quilts that will appeal to a
broad range of tastes are best. We call these RANDOM QUILTS. Additionally,
it is actually really hard to get quilts to specific job types such as cooks
and dog handlers. My contacts over there
are usually really busy and I really don't like to email them with requests to
find a home for special quilts on a regular basis.
If you want to use up your themed fabric think about mixing a few themes up and making an adult "I Spy" quilt as those have been really popular or make a quilt that is predominantly colour based and throw your themed fabrics into it based on colour. Quilts made in the colours of footy teams are really popular as well. Quilts made with a sporting theme, one sport or multiple always go down well, regardless of whether the recipient is a particular fan of that sport. Just some suggestions anyway.
If you want to use up your themed fabric think about mixing a few themes up and making an adult "I Spy" quilt as those have been really popular or make a quilt that is predominantly colour based and throw your themed fabrics into it based on colour. Quilts made in the colours of footy teams are really popular as well. Quilts made with a sporting theme, one sport or multiple always go down well, regardless of whether the recipient is a particular fan of that sport. Just some suggestions anyway.
ONE BIG REQUEST - if you are making a RANDOM QUILT where possible please keep your quilts gender neutral or masculine. Yes, we have female members serving but they do not often request girly quilts and when they do I have an over supply of volunteers to take them on.
What is the next step?
Once
you have finished or nearly finished your RANDOM quilt what do you do with it? That is easy. Please post it to the address below
Aussie Hero Quilts
PO Box 248
Cherrybrook NSW 2126
If you send a letter with your quilt I will pass it on with the quilt to the recipient and where possible, I will let you know where your quilt has gone.
Any questions? Please always feel free to email me at friendsofAHQ@gmail.com
If you send a letter with your quilt I will pass it on with the quilt to the recipient and where possible, I will let you know where your quilt has gone.
Any questions? Please always feel free to email me at friendsofAHQ@gmail.com
