Happy Mail 3 April

Hi All,

I am writing this on Tuesday night and I am not sure how much time I am going to get to edit it tomorrow.  Firstly there is a sewing day at my home tomorrow and secondly there is the problem I have with my laptop at the moment.  Since this morning my word documents and photos have been unable to be accessed as required to load them to the blog or just to save new ones!  Grrrr.  I hope my friendly computer guy will be able to come and help me during the day but that is yet to be confirmed.  

Anyway, the bottom line is that I can't show you the cool BOMs that I received from Liz J nor the two cool quilts from Katrina.  I also wanted to show you three more cool BOMs that I received from Janine, but which had slipped by me and I only found them yesterday!

Not happy Jan-Maree!

Thankfully though I had already received and uploaded these ones.  

Dorothy's red, white and blue selection!

And I received a laundry bag from Millie

What I can share with you though are some thank you messages.  

Dear Julie Ann,

On behalf of myself and the Rotary Wing Group Team thanks for the Laundry bags that you sent us. They are awesome and we appreciate the effort that you've put in and the personal touch that you added to each one. They couldn't have come at a better time especially for myself as after 3 deployments to East Timor over the years and a few weeks in Afghanistan I was in desperate need of a new one ;).

I haven't received the other AHQ box yet that you mentioned in your letter but I'm sure it will be a great little surprise and I look forward to receiving it.

From all the guys here we really do appreciate all the support we get from people like yourself back home, and the gifts you send really do raise morale and make the deployments more enjoyable so thanks again.

Kindest Regards

Hi Liz,
I just wanted to say that I just got the Broncos laundry bag a week ago and I reckon it is awesome. My family don't like it because they are all NSW supporters (their problem, not mine).Please thank your friend Janie Pearson for the work. Regards.

Hello Stephanie D,

My Name is Chris and I have just received a laundry bag you made for me! Thank you very much for the laundry bag it will be well used! It is wonderful to receive things like this from home and to hear that those back there are thinking about us.

Regards

Hi Stephanie D,

Just quick message to take say thank you very much for the laundry bag. 

It is awesome and will get a lot of use.

Once again thank you

Thank you Julie-Ann S and Aussie Hero Quilts for taking the time and effort to make and send me a laundry bag and quilt, I am currently using the quilt on my bed, I cannot thank you enough for the contribution you have made to my deployment. I only received the parcels earlier this month after changing location as I was working in a different part of Afghanistan for the first 3 months of my deployment, sorry for the late reply as I have been busy with work but once again I am so grateful for the service you provide to our troops.

For Rita M

I have received the Quilt.

It is amazing and i have used it everyday. I reminds me of home so so much. 

I have also left a photo on the Aussie Quilt facebook page with a thank you note as well.

It is very much appreciated, and we are lucky to have caring people like yourself still around.

So I thank you so so much. 

The next couple are on facebook

Got my quilt and laundry bag today!! Love them! Thanks so much to Leone and Joan! Xox

My husband received his quilt and bag today and he was amazed by the lovely gift you sent him! I'm waiting for him to send me a photo! Thank you thank you thank you! Xxx

This one is for Nancy on facebook

I would like to say a massive thank you to the Quilter that made my quilt and laundry bag. Both are being put to great use! Thanks again, 

This refers to one of Rita M's quilts

Jan-Maree and Team, I would like to say thank you for my Aussie Hero Quilt I received on HMAS TOOWOOMBA recently. As one of the Pilots on the ship I was stoked to receive a quilt with aeroplanes and helicopters all over it! It was really nice to see that people back home are thinking of us whilst on our operational deployment. Keep up the great work. Kind Regards,

One for Carolyn M

Hello, 

Yes my quilt arrived and my laundry bag, thankyou so much I'm very grateful! 

Things are going well up here, time is going reasonably quick, I'll be home before I know it... hopefully! haha Thanks again for the quilt, I really appreciate it. 

For Rita M

Got my quilt in Dubai and wacked it straight onto my rack. Loving it! Had to take it off a couple times as the ventilation onboard was abit bad up here so it was getting quite warm with it on,..never fear it's close by if need be! Thanks again so much, it's so much better than I expected :) And I believe I'll have it for years to come.

Yours SIncerely,

For Pauline D

Thankyou to Jan-Maree and all the folks who make quilts for the troops they are well received. Mine is better than I could have hoped for.

Sincerely, 

For Melissa

                My laundry bag has arrived and it looks amazing thank you very much for all your effort and thank you for thinking of us all while we are up here.  Its great to know that there are people thinking of you out there while on these operations.  Again thank you very much. Regards,

For Elizabeth

Thank you for the blanket and washing bag it received they are very lovely. It makes the trip better when you receive a gift from a stranger and know that people care. thank you

Hopefully I will be back tomorrow night with some photos and the like.......if I can get my computer fixed!  

:-(

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

QOTW 8 FEB

The tally so far-

21 quilts this week and 39 laundry bags.

131 quilts and 364 laundry bags for 2013

and 1075 quilts and 1731 laundry bags over all.

Well done everyone!

Gail made this gorgeous nautical quilt.  She was given some 4 1/2" squares and look what she came up with.

Angela 

I managed to sneak another one in this week.  I pieced this and Carol quilted it for me.  Michelle also embroidered a panel for the back but I better wait till it has been received before I show you that or it might give the game away.

I just had to show off the gorgeous pattern that Carol used to quilt it!

I made this one for a scooter lover but had to wait till it had been received.

I showed the pattern to Carol and don't her versions look great?

Unfortunately the photos do not do these two justice - they are really pretty colours.

What do you think?  Do you want a tutorial?

Cat

This reminds me of faceted gem stones.

Donna

 Janelle

 Judy C

Kitty

P.S. the figurines are not included.

Kylie

Love this Aussie fabric Kylie, is it a recent purchase?

Strips by Dasha and pieced by Louise.

  

Karen B

Melissa

used this fabric to make a laundry bag for a Doctor - of course!

Kaye finished off a quilt she made for Kylie's Mystery Quilt

Nancy

 Su

 Rita M was on a roll big - time!

% fabulous quilts are four are reversible.

  

This fellow requested the Aussie flag and the Aboriginal Flag.  It is worth noting that you need to gain permission from the designer of the aboriginal flag before you use it - Rita tried but didn't get a reply so went with the colors instead.

This fellow asked for "you'll never walk alone" on his quilt if possible.  Just as well Rita is in a soccer mad family as I would never have known that related to a Soccer Team! 

sue n

 Sue s and Aileen completed this gorgeous pair.

   and now for a pic without the Laundry Bag.

And finally with the weekend apon us it seems fitting to put Terry's "Gone Fishing" quilt at the end of the parade!

Don't forget that the Penrith Sewing Day is coming up on Sunday the 17th at Penrith Patchwork.

20am to 2pm.  BYO sewing machine, lunch and snacks.

I will supply all materials required

And just before I go - can I just say thank you to all of you who send me little messages of encouragement along with your emails and parcels. I  really do appreciate each and every one of them and they really do make a difference.

You guys are the best!

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

Quilts of the Week 11 Jan 13

33 quilts and 90 laundry bags for 2013 and 
979 quilts and 1469 laundry bags overall!

Well it looks like we have hit the ground running this week - holidays are just about over and lots of Aussie Hero Friends are back on deck, and just as well as I have a healthy supply of requests for us all to sew for!

Funny note - today is the anniversary of the first time that Caroline, A.K.A. Deputy Nut, left a comment on the blog!  How far we have come.  Actually at the end of this month we will be starting a new regular post - "This Time Last Year" - looking back at what we were doing a year ago.  So, that is bound to bring back some memories, for all of us, as I won't be writing it.  Janine has "volunteered"  to do it!  Thanks Janine!

Friday's are usually a busy day for me so just as an explanation I am not going to write something about every quilt and laundry bag I show you unless there is something special to tell you about it.  Also, to be guarentee being included in the Quilts of the Week post please get your photos in by Thursday night, or as early in the week as you can manage as it is too hard for me to try and add in loads of photos on Friday during the day.  And I will try and remember to remind you a couple of days before as well.

Now on with the show!

Gail

Me!

You can't see it in this photo but the fabrics in this are a mix of Aussie wildflower prints and American prints - thanks to Terry and Lisa for the American prints.  Note I used stars and stripes for the letters in America

and I had hoped the picture would turn out better but written on the Aussie letters are all sorts of Aussie words and place names.

A 7RAR pig in case you are wondering

I can send you this template if anyone wants it - you can use any pig but this is one that was sent to me.

Can you tell I have been enjoying sewing during the quieter period over the Christmas break.

You can probably also tell that I had a hand in this one as well but whilst I did the applique and handed over some leftover blocks Caroline did everything else with this quilt which needed to be created in a hurry for someone special - story to come once it has been received.

More of Caroline's work 

Dasha

Gidget is an AHQ Newbie - welcome to the club Gidget!

Jacqui

Evelyn W is also a Newbie and she completed a partially finished quilt top that was donated to a group called Stitching Hearts and then the quilt was delivered to me to send it off.  

Rita M 

Julie Ann
(name on the other side)

Karen B

Kaye

This is one of the quilts made as a result of Kylie's Mystery Quilt run over the Christmas break.  you will be seeing more of these

Sue Niven

Beth

Judy D

Kylie

Janine

These letters and Roos were done with fabric paint pens!

Liz

Liz and Roberta

Melissa

Nancy

Stephanie

Marie

And to finish off some thank you messages - 

Dear Pauline
I would just like to say thank you so much for the quilt, laundry bag and the goodies. It is so nice for someone like your self to go out of their way to make gifts for us it really puts a smile on our dials to know that there are people at home thinking of us during our deployment.   I would like to say to your son Nicholas that I hope the surgery went well and that the recovery be quick and as free of problems as possible.  i hope this letter finds you all safe and well.
Cheers    

Dear Pauline and all the other wonderful ladies part of Aussie Hero Quilts,

Sorry for the late email to let you know I have received my quilt and laundry bag.

I would like to thank you all so much for all your generosity it is really appreciated and a great morale boost for myself and all the other guys and girls that received them! 

I received a card from one of you girls but am unsure of who it was from as it wasn't signed with a name at the bottom so I am unsure who to thank.

Pauline thankyou for your letter and I hope your son is on his way to full recovery after his operation let him know I wish him all the best.

 Thank you to hellokitty for the wonderful quilt and I think the laundry bag! They are amazing I cannot thank you enough. 

 If you could reply to me and let me know who made what I would be grateful and able to thank   you personally.

 Thanks again so much,

 Kind regards,

Dear Keryn, 

I am the proud owner of a beautiful quilt that was handmade by you. 

What gives me a great sense of pride is people like yourself and your family who take time out of their lives to do thoughtful, generous acts of kinds to help aid others. Your gift was very humbling and i am deeply grateful to forever be able to have this quilt and remember the happiness and kindness it was given to me in. 

I am very lucky over here to have a small extended family which made Christmas easier and memorable. I was fortunate to be able to stay up late on Christmas eve and Skype with my family and watch the kids open their presents. 

I hope your Christmas with your family was as enjoyable and memorable as mine. 

The work you and all the other ladies do as part of Quilts for Heroes is magical. These acts of kindness are the foundation of the Australian way and they make me proud to be doing what I do for Australians like yourself. 

I am very humbled by your gift and proud of you guys back home. 

Kindest Regards, 

Hi Keryn 
I am writing this email to thank you for taking the time to make and send me a quilt. It has already come in handy a few times with the temperature dropping and a can't thank you enough for this. Thank you again for quilt and I wish you all the best in the New Year. It is good to know that there are people back home thinking of us. Regards,

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