Quilts of The Week 2 November

707 Quilts 885 Laundry Bags to date!

Amy heads up our parade tonight with two laundry bags - check out the purple one!  

LOVE that fabric

 Anne created this fun laundry bag.

Check this out!  Marg is back in fine form!  If you can't read the writing on the little pieces the words on the left say "5 Gallons ENEMA Hot and Soapy" and the patch on the right says "Trust me I am a Nurse!"

And she got in the Christmas Spirit with a stocking!

 Chris sent off the next two quilts.

Liz B created these two dramatically different quilts and sent them off this week.

 Deborah sent off a bunch of laundry bags this week.

These,

 these,

and these!

Gayle sent off her first AHQ - love those colours!

 Naomi sent off this quilt, made by the lovely ladies from the Berri Uniting Church,

and also created the next two laundry bags

and this striking quilt.

 Julie Ann has made some cute laundry bags this week. 

Someone is going to have fun with the soccer one.

Certainly one of a kind!  No lost laundry with this one!

 Karen B sent another batch off this week as well.

 Nancy was able to find a purple lover a quilt.

 Robyn created this cool blue and brown quilt.

Deb sent off this awesome Aussie LB - the other side is blue with the initials on it.

Judi is another new Aussie Hero Friend.  She has been quilting AH quilts for Deb (above) and has decided to make some of her own.  She sent one of these lovely laundry bags off this week and there is now a gorgeous feminine quilt in the Quilts in Waiting File to go with the other laundry bag when the time comes.

Paula and Paul are new to AHQ as well and they has jumped in with both feet.  Paula has made a bunch of quilts and the two of them have also volunteered to quilt for us as well.

You will read more about them next week - too many things to post about with BOMS and the like this week.

 Pauline made this great quilt and she has called it 

"Six White Boomers"

Love it!

Terry not only came to help me on Tuesday but also made this laundry bags - 

love the BMX ones!

Heather H sent in this great quilt top which Carol quilted and it has gone to a Magpies fan!

Wendy and Nan are back again this week with three more laundry bags.

 This is Ruby's first quilt and she has since made one more.

Kitty made these two gorgeous quilts - and I love the photo settings too!

Stephanie sent off this ensemble.  

I thought these letters must have been embroidered which, I might add is exactly what Stephanie wanted me to think, (LOL) but they are printed!  Very pretty either way.

And to round off a good post nothing beats a photo of one of our heroes with their new quilt 

and this one is from HMAS ANZAC!

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!

Two Very Special Quilters

Tonight's post is only going to be a short one because I am just going to focus on two very special quilters and their assistant!

Their names are Ruby, Matilda and Lola.  

These three sisters are granddaughters of Chris who is one of our generous longarm quilters in SA.   You might remember that she ran a sewing day back in July.  You can read about it here and here.  At the time Chris sent me pictures of the girls working on their quilts on and around that day.  What a fabulous school holiday activity for them, and getting to spend time with their grandmother as well.  

All I can say is lucky grandma!

Both Ruby and Matilda have been sewing for about 12 months.  They have made some small things before including stuffed babooshka dolls and cushions with applique, blanket stitch, back stitch etc. They sew with Chris occasionally & are both quite competent on the machines. 

This is the first “real” quilt for both of them.

This is Miss Ruby, aged 9. 

 She has almost finished the middle panel.

 And here she is with her finished quilt! 
 Way to go Ruby! 

Of course, being such an experienced quilter, Ruby needed another project for the sewing day so this is the second quilt top she worked on and completed.  This one is yet to be quilted but with those colours you just know it is going to cheer the room of a soldier somewhere.

Now we have Miss Matilda!  

She has reached the ripe old age of 7!  

And here is her finished work of heart.  If I was there Mum or Grandma I would just about be bursting with pride.  Not only are they learning new skills but they are sewing for others.

Now, I mentioned two quilters and their assistant!  I have already shown you this photo but I think she deserves a repeat performance.  
Please allow me to re-introduce you to Miss Lola!  
All of 5 years old!   
Lola is campaigning to use the machine now &  Chris will start with her when she is 6 – a couple of months away. 

Haven't they just done a wonderful job.  Now all you "grown ups" who tell me you can't quilt or sew.........what do you say now?  Are you really going to allow yourself to be shown up by two (albeit very smart) little girls?

I am on a mission.  

Ruby wants her completed flag quilt to go to a male.  The one with the Aussie Map on it can go to either male or female. 

Matilda thinks hers is most suited to a female.

I want to find three recipients for these quilts but they have to be special people. 

I think effort like this really needs recognition and I really want the girls to receive a thank you, an email, a letter, something.

So, do any of you out there know someone worthy of such special quilts?

Email me (djlmball@bigpond.net.au), leave a comment or leave me a message on Facebook.

Let's find appreciative homes for these quilts!

Stop Press - 3 worthy recipients found!

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