Weekly Dispatches 3 May

She thought she had managed to sneak in a birthday without me noticing!!!  But no such luck, today, while I sat in my doctor's waiting room, waiting my turn to have a flu needle, I had time to scroll through some of the many blogs I rarely get time to read these days!  And so she is busted!

Happy Birthday Sue N  from all of your Aussie Hero Friends and especially from the probably hundreds of Heroes who have received your laundry bags!

The tally so far-

19  quilts this week and 36 laundry bags.

412 quilts and 905 laundry bags for 2013

1429 quilts and 2279 laundry bags in total.


Now before I forget - there will be a special post tomorrow 

night to announce first, second and third place in our ANZAC 

Day Laundry Bag Challenge.

Just  a quick one.  For the BOM for this month we have asked for the blocks to be predominantly red, white and blue.  If you have trouble as you don't have a feature fabric in those colours for the centre then feel free to use a plain white square.  If you are feeling confident with applique you can add a star or a heart, or even a small roo.  If you don't feel happy about applique, leave it blank and maybe someone else will applique something or they can just be left blank as a place for the eye to rest in the quilt.

One final announcement before the Weekly Dispatches proceed.  The next two sewing days will be as follows

at my home on Monday the 13th of May 10am till 3pm (ish)

and at Penrith Patchwork on Sunday the 19th of May 10am to 2pm.

Bring your sewing machine, your lunch and I will provide your lunch.

I probably don't mention this enough but Jeff, the owner of Penrith Patchwork, is a great supporter, donating a sewing room each month free of charge and whole bolts of material from time to time as well.  How awesome is that!

If you are interested in coming to one or both days can you please let me know so that I know how much preparation to do.

And now on with the show!

Anne sent this quilt off.  Love those autumnal colours.  What a great way to use up scraps.  And a great way to get a lot of different feels.  Make it in lots of blues with a few water creatures mixed in and you have an underwater quilt. Make it from lots of greens and some slivers of golden sunshine and you have a forrest quilt or maybe a tropical rainforest quilt.  Make it out of just two colours and it could be a footy fan's favourite accessory!  Love it!

Bev's awesome QLD laundry bag has gone off to a soon to be happy Banana Bender.

Carolyn brought this to show me at the Penrith Sewing Day and she assures me that the pins were removed after quilting and prior to posting!  LOL

September BOM Quilt.   These were all the leftover blocks, some from Kylie, and Maria and Sue N for starters.  All so different and appearing mis-matched and I was stumped and could not see them together but Gail took them away and worked her magic and then brought this gorgeous jewelled quilt back to me.

Claire's husband was kind enough to let her use this fabric that she had been saving to make a quilt for him.  He rather likes the quilt now so I suspect she will be making a similar one soon.

Debra where did you get this fabric!!!  I love it!

What an awesome quilt for a RAAFie chappie!

Evelyn has been busy with two cool quilts.

Gail started this quilt with a few of the Disappearing 9 Patch blocks from our BOMs.  

Jacqui, again, where did YOU find this fabric. Love that panel!!! 

Julie

  

KarenBet, is sending off her third quilt and I am not sure if I told you before but Karen found out about us when her own husband, currently deployed, was offered a quilt, so she has joined us to repay the favour.

Judith

This is a really great week to emphasise the value of those panels or scenery prints.  I just know the fellow who gets this quilt from Leanne M will love this.

Another quilt by Leanne and another cool panel.  Seriously I am really having panel envy!

Last weekend Leanne emailed me and said she had cut out another Eagles quilt - did I have anyone on the list who wanted one or should she use the strips for something else?  I suggested that she go ahead and sew it up as it would not be long before we had another Eagles request (well after all they are a great team from a great State!!!!!  No bias here!).  Sure as eggs, overnight on Saturday I received a very special request with a significant need for urgency.  A quick email to Leanne on Sunday morning and the quilt was pieced and quilted and in the mail by Wednesday!  Way to go Leanne!

Margaret

Millie

Su

Another busy week behind and no doubt another busy one ahead. 
Don't forget tomorrow's special post.

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

Short and Sweet

I am working to a tight schedule between now and mid December to get everything done that I need to do by then.  Today is a sewing day - a rare one - so this post will be relatively short and sweet.

Anne made her first laundry bag and got it in the mail a couple of weeks ago and received this awesome response!

Anne,

 I am very honoured to have been the recipient of your very first laundry bag. And not only that, I got a parcel with everything an Airmen needs! I have to wash my uniforms often due to the dirt and dust that just seems to get everywhere, and with the thermometer getting lower and lower every day, your laundry bag will definitely help me to get my washing done quickly and efficiently. I love the cards and I'm sure my Parents and partner  will love them too.

When I return to Australia, I am taking up a posting to XXXXXXX. So next time you are visiting your sister, please email or call me and I would love to show you around the base and the Air Traffic Control Tower. If you like watching planes, you will have the best seat in the house!

I'm sorry to have kept this short but my job as XXXXXXX keeps me on my toes!

Again, thank you for your gifts. It really does make a huge difference to our lives!

God bless, hope to hear from you again.

Now I keep telling you to spread the word!  You just never know what the response will be.

 Someone, who shall remain nameless, was hurrying home yesterday morning to get back to their sewing machine.  Unfortunately they were hurrying about 5km/hr too fast and were pulled over by a lovely diligent policeman.   The fine was going to be $150 but the policeman asked if there was any reason they were in such a hurry.  Our Friend spoke up and explained that although it was no excuse for speeding they were actually hurrying home to get to the sewing machine as they wanted to finish a quilt for an Aussie soldier in Afghanistan who is missing his kids back home.  The policeman just looked at her and she explained all about Aussie Heroes - what we do, who we do it for.  He was taken aback and explained that he used to be in the army, in fact he used to be in 3RAR!!!  Well, this friend said "oh my goodness, several of the quilts I have made have been for 3RAR soldiers."  She whipped out her phone and showed him a photo of one of her quilts being displayed by its happy recipient from 3RAR.  "Oh my gosh" said the policeman, "I think I know him!"    He said he would let her off with a warning and told her to lift the foot off the pedal a little and get herself safely home to that sewing machine as those quilts are important!

That just made my day! and you can guess it made the Friend's day as well!

Do keep spreading the word - but perhaps find some other way of getting everyone's attention!

Now these photos were taken by Alana Taylor, of none other than Jill's daughter Siobhan.  I am sure you recognise the names but if not Jill and Siobhan are from QLD and are two regular contributors to our Quilts of the Week!  Not long ago I did a post on the memorial to the Emu Feathers in Jill and Siobhan's home town.  Well last week Siobhan had her Year 12 Formal and  these are some of the photos taken.  Gorgeous huh!

Apparently for as long as anyone can remember Siobhan has been determined to go to her Prom in this fabulous old Army Jeep that first made its appearance in the town at the time of the Shearers Strike.  It is now owned by Nanny Jill, Siobhan's grandmother. 

And yes, she did in fact arrive at the Formal in the Jeep!  Bet the soldiers who have driven it in the past would have loved to be driving it on this occasion as well!

And just for info, having told you in the past that Nanny Jill has had a severe stroke, I know you will be really pleased to know that she is now in rehab and is working very hard.  She was expecting no movement in her left side but now has a certain amount of movement in both arm and leg so big hooray for that!

I am back to the sewing machine!  Lots to do.

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

Quilts of the Week 23 November

825 quilts and 1084 laundry bags to date!

Another great week.  Lots of gorgeous quilts and laundry bags heading off on their way this week.  Sit back and enjoy a browse!  I am continuing on with not writing a lot of comments.  Just where I think I need to.

This is Bev's first Aussie Hero Quilt.  

And if I am not mistaken,  Dasha's first quilt as well.  Dasha has quilted in the name of her recipient as well but I don't want to show you for obvious reasons.

 Fran W

Rita M is also known as Granny Smith!

 Karen B

Liz J

This quilt top was pieced by Andrea of the Gumnut Quilters (my quilt group) from blocks leftover from a quilt made to raffle for the Fire Brigade.  I had to cut off a bit from the sides but I used them to widen the backing for the quilter (Thank you  Paul and Paula!)

Linda

Lynn sent me this quilt top and it was quilted by Kim.

 Margaret H from QLD appears on our list with two quilts and laundry bags

Melissa T made these two quilts and laundry bags and sent them to me out of the blue!  I managed to find a dolphin lover for this one!

Stephanie is responsible for these two cool laundry bags.

No prizes for guessing the occupation of the recipients!

Stephanie also sent off this quilt and laundry bag set as well - made in favourite football club colours.

Liz B has made a few bunched of laundry bags 

and a gorgeous quilt.

This is one of three quilts made by Anne that I didn't know about till I was given them.  Love surprises like that!

This is one by me and one day, once it has been received, I will tell you the story behind this quilt!  In fact there are few quilts that have stories that can only be shared once received.

Another by me and another story to come

but in the interim a close up of some of the frames and a big thank you to Carol for quilting it even though the quilting does not show up well in the pics.

This is Leonie's first quilt

I embellished it with a roo

and Kim quilted it with dragonflys.

These are Lesley's quilts and a laundry bag: another new comer to AHQ.

Time for an update on FWQs

It has been a while since I updated you on where we are with the Wounded Warrior Quilts.  You will be pleased to know that the quilts for SGT Diddams' family are almost completed.  Actually those for SGT Diddams' wife, TA, and his daughter, Elle-Lou and son, Hens, are on their way to WA to be handed to the Chaplain who will hand them over.  I am dying to post photos as I am sure you all want to see them but just in case, with all the FWQs  I will wait till they have been received.  The quilt for SGT Diddams' parents is sitting on my sewing maching, having received it back from Kelly from VIC and I hope to put the binding on it tonight and then I can send that on its way too.  Please remember that the  Diddams family receive a special amount of attention as they were our first Fallen Warrior Family but subsequent families will receive one quilt per family and these quilts will be made from the Block of the Month Blocks so that everyone can be involved.  I have six quilts from the huge number of blocks we received for the month of September.  Jill has assembled three of them, Ruth and Hillary combined to make two more and Janet made up four quilt tops and I chose one of them for the sixth quilt top which was quilted by Paul and Paula.   I think all the quilts are gorgeous.   I am currently liaising with the relevant chaplains to arrange delivery of these six.  Photos of the quilts once they have been delivered.

And to end tonight's post a little bit of what we like best - feedback from the troops.  This message relates to a quilt that Marg made and sent.

Hi Jan-Maree,
My box arrived this morning with the quilt, laundry bag and Christmas stocking. I don't even know where to start! They are just incredible. I cannot thank you enough! The quilt is so personalised i feel so loved. You have no idea how much they mean to me... i began to get a bit emotional at the thought of the amount of time and effort and love put into the quilt laundry bag and stocking. My boss laughed and said its like they know you... I love Christmas and when i pulled out that Christmas stocking i thought i was the luckiest girl in the world!
Again thank you so much! Photos to follow.  We are a very lucky country to have supporters like you and your team!

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