Happy Mail Wednesday 10 October

Welcome to Happy Mail Wednesay again.

The first of Naomi's October BOM blocks had arrived with Naomi.  Just a reminder that you can find the tutorial for the block here  and don't forget to post your blocks to Naomi this month  - 

Aussie Hero Quilts

Attn Naomi Vela

1 Obst Place

Berri  SA  5343

12 BOMs received from Julie Ann (Sth Aussie).  

Thanks for being first cab off the rank Julie Ann.  Love the fabrics you've used.  

The two toned blue border one has given me an idea for a quilt top!

 Close ups of a couple of the blocks, as they're just such great fabrics she's used.

Aren't they great?

I was reminded this week that it is common practice to sign blocks when you take part in a block swap etc so I am going to suggest that if you want to get hold of a Pigma Pen (please no laundry markers) and sign your blocks with your name and state that would be great.  I think the recipients would love to know that the blocks came from all over.  Embroidery is good too if that floats your boat.

Also, on Facebook Naomi, aka Tech Guru, has started a group called Orphan Blocks for Aussie Heroes, and the wonderful Chelle, aka Postmistress, who only started sewing just a few short weeks ago, sent in a couple of her orphan blocks.....and here they are:

Thanks heaps Chelle....stay safe, and Naomi looks forward to some BOM's from you when you return home!

Here is some more Happy Mail that landed with me.

Melissa T from SA sent us two gorgeous quilts and laundry bags.  These came out of the blue and what a lovely surprise!

Great job Melissa.

Aileen from SA made this fabulous laundry bag and now I am looking for a dog handler to send it to so if you know of one let me know please.

Hello Jan-Maree

 A lovely surprise awaited me when I got back to camp tonight - a quilt and laundry bag! My sincere thanks to you and AHQ and a special big email hug to Jen B at Nambucca Heads for the love and attention that went into my special gifts. 

 Both the blue panels and the stars work in with the whole RAAFie thing. Per Ardua Ad Astra. Through adversity to the stars. So on a long, cold, bad day I'll look forward to getting back to camp and under the stars!

 When I get an opportunity, I'll try and get a photo and send it on. 

 Thank you so much again. It's a huge morale boost to know there are people back in Oz supporting us all here in foreign lands. 

 Kind regards

This is the quilt to which he refers.  Very appropriate for a RAAFie chappie.

And last, the cherry on top of every post if we get one!  A photo - this is one happy fellow who received one of Jill's quilts.  A hearty congrats to this fellow too as he has  brand new baby just waiting to meet his Daddy when he gets home!  Sending our very best of wishes to the whole family!

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

Proud parents!

You know how proud you feel when you watch your little babies feed themselves for the first time, and get at least some of it in their mouths.  And then they start to use words, and crawl and walk and each new milestone you are just so sure that no other baby has ever been as clever as yours!

You expose them to new things and before you know it they have grasped on and are up and running.

They get a new toy and they are learning new skills in no time. 

Just baby steps at first.

Sometimes they go too far, or try too hard, or get too tired and you just have to watch and let them learn....

(First quilting injury, must concentrate when using sewing machine)

You are so proud when they get back up again and jump right back in.

Once again in the blink of an eye they have learned to put the puzzle together or built a house with their blocks.

They make new friends and those friends teach them new things 

(like basting and layering

and putting on boarders

and even quilting in the ditch!)

Yep, you feel so proud!

If you don't know Chelle you have really missed out!

Chelle started out as the Post Mistress for the Australian Contingent in Egypt - at least that is where we first met her on that magnificent Video.  

If you haven't seen it yet you really need to go and check it out!

As soon as Chelle came home from Egypt she started learning to quilt!  First a few blocks, then a few more and before you know it a quilt top and then on to Jelly Rolls and more.

This weekend Chelle got together with Kylie, another one of our lovely Aussie Hero Friends, (the lady responsible for last month's BOM that you all liked so much).  Kylie got Chelle started with Quilting in the Ditch..

and showed her how to make hexagon flowers.

Chelle needs a take-along project and hexagons are pretty good for that!

Keep on going Chelle - we can't wait to see what you do next!

And on a completely different subject....

A little while ago the chaplain "over there" gave me a list of about 25 sets of initials for laundry bags which were divided up between Caroline and her sewing group, the Nine Patchers, the ladies who sew at Penrith with me and a couple of others.  In a couple of weeks Caroline received a thank you message from a guy who received one of them.  He was asked if he would like a quilt and the answer came back "yes please".   Deb had just finished her first Aussie Hero Quilt and it was perfect for a Navy fellow in the desert so off it went.  Here is what he said after he received it.

I was delighted to receive the Hero quilt today- thank you very much. It is absolutely fantastic! My Boss, XXXXX is an unlikely self professed expert on quilt quality and his keen eye was very impressed with the outstanding quality of the quilt.   I suggested that the quilt is now a XXXXX family heirloom and he should remove his eyes forthwith! 

I have shown my boys via skype and they were very excited about it and we decided that on my first night back in Australia we will have a family movie night and all sit under the quilt. 

Please pass my thanks to Deb for her great work.   I am sincerely thankful for quilt and it will always serve as a reminder of my time over here. 

All the best to you all and please know that your support makes a big difference to us over here! I have attached a photo of the quilt on my bed. 

Fair Winds and Following Seas,

He is not the first person I know who plans to spend his time at home sharing his quilt with his children.  How special!

If I am a bit slow answering emails or Facebook messages tonight and over the next couple of days, that will be because I am on the road.  

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

Chelle is sewing!

Yes, she is but I am saving the best to last. 

Don't you dare skip to the end.  
You need to read your way down there!

Before I forget - don't forget our next Penrith Sewing Day is coming up this 
Sunday the 16th  at Penrith Patchwork from 10 to 3pm.  
Space is limited so please contact me if you are able to join us.  This month we will be making blocks and if we get time, constructing a quilt top or two.  All materials supplied.
Hope to see you there.

A lovely thank you came in for a laundry bag that I sewed at the last Penrith Sewing Day and I had to laugh as I did cop a bit of flack for choosing this fabric!

Many thanks for my personalised laundry bag – it makes such a difference searching through the tons of other bags at the collection point! I can instantly recognise mine (there are truly no  others like it) and will be a great souvenir to take home at the end of the tour.

Hope you’re well, thanks again for your time and thoughts. 

As I said I laughed when I saw the picture as I had copped flack for choosing this particular fabric and told him I was relieved that it went to someone with a sense of humour and his reply was 

"I figured it was meant as a laugh and certainly had one! "

What a good sport!

This thank you was sent to Caroline  

I am just writing to thank you for your kind gesture in making a laundry bag for me to use during my deployment on OP SLIPPER.
I am very grateful for your efforts and find it encouraging to know that people at home in Australia are thinking of us and wishing us well.
I am still only seven weeks into my six and a half month deployment and so I will get a great deal of use from your work.
I hope you are well and again you have my many thanks for your support and your work. 

NOTE: Caroline will be sending him a quilt!

A special young lady received this thank you message.

Dear Ruby!

Thank you so much for your wonderful gift to XXXX! I kept it a secret that you were sending it to him and when he received it he couldn't stop raving about it (he kept talking about a patch or something on the back referring to him as an Aussie hero haha, I think he especially liked that part). One of his other friends also received a quilt and so of course the other guys in the section were very jealous! I think its so amazing that at 9 years old you have such a generous heart, and I hope you know how much doing something like this can boost our soldiers morale. Just to know someone other than his family is proud and appreciates what he is doing seemed to really touch XXXX!  XXXX is very busy at the moment but he will write to you when he has a chance but until then I just really wanted to let you know how special your gift was to both of us!

Thank you again,

Jess!

And this is a good one!

Now, do you remember that first Marg made this laundry bag?

Then she made these four.

And here is the response...

Hi Marg,
The bags arrived yesterday and you should be receiving three emails from three boys (P, T and B).  I will pass on your email address this morning.  
Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you - they look fantastic!!
They were very excited, so we got a photo for you of all four of us with the bags. Brendan got the upside down one, because he had the highest rank.
I haven't got the photo yet, but will send it to you over the weekend.
I have put aside the other bag for my brother, and I think I'll give it to him as an extra Christmas present (From Marg and Me). So you can expect an email from him in the New Year.
Thanks again Marg - you are wonderful! I'll email you the photo shortly. 

I just had to wonder one thing - how do they tell them apart!  LOL! SO I asked....

It is quite easy...
Mine has different yellow fabric to the others.
T's and P's have a different band at the top. And B's eagle is upside down!

Love it! And no Marg is not taking orders! or requests!
Right Marg?

Another thank you for herself.

Caroline, I have literally just received my quilt in the mail and I thought I would send a quick email of thanks to you. Mail is always very well received for those of us on operational deployments and it is extra special when someone like yourself has taken time to send something over. The service that you and the other quilters provide cannot be underestimated. It is nice to receive a letter or card from a stranger offering support, but it is overwhelming to receive a hand made gift as well.

Please pass on my thanks to Maria for her part in producing my quilt. I love the Aussie flag, and the sharks on the laundry bag are great (I am a very keen fisherman). Keep up the good work and be assured your efforts are very much appreciated. 

As I told you in my last post, our lovely Postmistress from Egypt, Chelle, is home and, as promised is getting on with learning to quilt.  Yesterday she brought her new sewing machine and attended a Spotlight Quilting Day!  

She also bought the obligatory rotary cutter, ruler and cutting board AND made her first nine patch block off the tutorial last night!

Way to go Chelle.

Plenty of advice and support on Aussie Heroes for you when you need it Chelle. 

Don't forget the Penrith Sewing Day!

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