Looking at Laundry Bags

I hope everyone has had a good weekend.  If you live in parts of NSW including Sydney, you may well have had a very wet weekend.  Good sewing weather if you ask me.  Bad weather it appears for mobile phone towers as my phone (and those of others) currently has no coverage at home due to the malfunction of one or more towers!  Bad weather also for getting the washing done!  LOL  

Which is kind of a good segway into the need for 

a good laundry bag.

  

If you are new to Aussie Heroes you may think that the quilts are the primary focus of what we do and the laundry bags are the secondary.   That could not be further from the truth.  In most cases every quilt that is requested is either accompanied by a laundry bag, or a laundry bag is arranged and sent separately.  The quilts seem to be the thing that goes straight to the heart but the laundry bag is what makes everyday life that much easier.   All the serving members are issued with the same laundry bags.  Now I don't know if the RAAFies get the same as those in the Army or Navy for example but either way, without our laundry bags there would be LOADS of laundry bags that all look the same or similar through which you have to search to find the one that has your initials on it.  

Can you imagine how frustrating that is at the end of a long day?

When we sent over the very first laundry bag, way back when, I received a thank you email from one of the recipients saying "I have been clothesless twice, but that is now a thing of the past".

Have a look at the photos above.  There is a yellow laundry bag with green initials and a grey coloured one with initials on it.  They are two of ours.  But look at some of the others.  I can even see a plastic bag!  One fellow we heard from was carrying his laundry to and from in his arms!

A friend of mine, Gordon, recently visited an old student of his and his parents.  I will call the student Thomas.  Gordon was telling Thomas and his parents about Aussie Heroes and explained how we make quilts and laundry bags.  Unwittingly Gordon had glossed over the laundry bags and was focusing on the quilts.  Thomas all but took him to task and was at pains to point out the value of your own individual laundry bag.  Gordon was quite taken aback at the seriousness with which Thomas spoke.  He said "You don't understand just how essential it is to have your own easily identifiable laundry bag".  Days later when Gordon related the story to me he was still surprised at Thomas' reaction but he said he finally "got it" with regard to how valued the laundry bags are.  Incidentally, Thomas and one of his colleagues are deploying in a couple of months and will be taking with them a couple of shiny new laundry bags that Gordon collected from me on Thursday!  Quilts will follow.

I know a few of you are intimidated or nervous about making laundry bags but there really is no need.  There is a very clear, printable set of instructions available here and if you have any questions you are welcome to email me though it is probably better if you call me or ask me to call you as it is much easier to talk you through it that way.  

Recently we had a laundry bag challenge for Australia Day.    The challenge was to make a laundry bag and send me a photo but there had to be something Australian on it.  I didn't give much notice but we ended up with around 90 entries and eventually some lovely people in Tarin Kowt made the hard choices and came up with three winners.  I have sent off prizes and am waiting to hear that they have been received before I show you what they all were.  I can show you the first place prize though as Gail collected it yesterday.  She received these gorgeous little hand made shoes (only about 6 inches long) and a really pretty pashmina, donated by one of the judges.

I think all of the laundry bags from the challenge have been sent off now and as they have arrived they have been snapped up quick time because of their Aussie flavour.

Recently I started sending Aussie flavoured laundry bags along with each Wounded Warrior Quilt.  I figure if nothing else it gives them something to brighten their hospital room and something to carry their quilt home in.  These three made by Judith were used for that purpose. 

So, a little about making the laundry bags.  You have more choice of fabric when making laundry bags than you do when making quilts.  Sturdier heavy weight fabric than that you use for quilts is acceptable, even desirable but ordinary patchwork fabric is fine too.  All our laundry bags are lined so that no raw edges are showing and that makes them double thickness so the patchwork fabric is perfectly acceptable.   If you have any doubts as to how colour fast your fabric is please prewash it.  If you are making multiple laundry bags from the one fabric please remember that our bags are supposed to be distinctive so maybe you could vary the fabric you use for the cord channel in each one or put a different coloured patch on each.

Feel free to have some fun with the laundry bags.  I have sent some made from robot fabric, curly fries, puppies, you name it.  There is a good mix of zany and outrageous as well as more toned down bags for the more sedate tastes.  Every laundry bag seems to find itself a home.

Don't assume that when they come home the laundry bags sits in the corner alone and unloved.   Just recently we received word that this laundry bag now gets used back here in Oz for PT gear and still brings a smile to the owners's face.  One curly fries bag I made travelled to NZ with the family to collect their dirty laundry over there.  Another fellow told me that he had not thought to pack a laundry bag but was so delighted to receive it and now that he is back in Oz with more deployments coming up it will be one of the first things he packs.

So, can I encourage you to please consider making a few if you haven't already.  Or make one to send with your next quilt.  I have various addresses in Dubai, Kandahar and Tarin Kowt for people who are happy to receive boxes of laundry bags to pass on to others.  Every now and then I get a request for a box of laundry bags and just last week I sent four boxes off to two addresses for guys and girls who requested some especially as they had seen one a mate had received and were really envious.  I even received a thank you phone call from TK after an earlier box arrived!

Now for a change of pace, more lovely thank you messages arrived over the weekend.  I am really pleased to say that more of our quilts have arrived on Toowoomba to rapturous responses.  If you sent your quilt early on and haven't heard back just send me an email and I will chase it up for you.  You probably need to allow about three to four weeks for it to have arrived though some of these made it in less time.

Dear Gail

Wow, you have blown me away with your wonderful Quilt and Laundry bag.

It is already pride of place on my bunk (nautical word for bed, lol).

I am at a loss for words to say how much I appreciate you taking the time to make this for me.  I will/do treasure it. And yes 'My name in flags is so cool'.

My cabin mates are envious of me.

Sydney is without doubt the best harbour in the world, to sail in those heads whether after a lengthy deployment or just fishing on the weekend is amazing. That is saying something as I am a Perth boy through and through.

My wife is a Sydney girl and we have spent considerable part of my/our Navy life 'now coming up to its thirtieth year in Sydney. So I appreciate your love of the harbour and the joy of sailing there.

Thank you again,

This is the front of Gail's quilt which you have seen

and this is part of the back.  Can't show you the whole name but part of it should be okay.

The following message is for a quilt that Lousie made

Thank you for my awesome quilt it looks great and I will get a lot of use out of it and its really great just to get some mail up here.   So its my 3rd time up here I have  been in the navy for 9 and a half years.   I do love my job.  I am a cook on board.  I run the galley.  I love cooking but it is a full on job we get very busy as our work can't wait, we still have meal times to follow so it can get quite interesting at times, anyway betta let you go thank you very much for the quilt and the lollies also it is all greatly appreciated, everyone gets very excited when mail comes to see if there quilt is there thanx again.

This message was left on facebook  and it relates to a quilt that Karen B sent.

Today my husband received his quilt and laundry bag and he is stoked and so happy. Thank you for making him feel special. Keep up the amazing work.

I'm currently on HMAS Toowoomba, I have received my quilt and I love it. Thank you so

 very very much I really appreciate it and all the support you and your team provide.

And just before I go - the next Penrith Sewing Day details are as follows

Sunday, 17 March 

Penrith Patchwork
97b Henry Street Penrith
Plenty of parking at the rear.
10am to 2pm.
BYO machine, mug (if you want tea or coffee, lunch and snacks.  I provide all the material required and will try and bake if I have time.  You just need to being thread, scissors etc.  
We will be making laundry bags galore!

I should add that Geoff from Penrith Patchwork has been extremely generous, donating the rooms for the sewing days and bolts of fabric!
Thanks Geoff, You are the best!

Till next time..................keep sewing and happy stitching!

Lots of messages...

Just a little more on laundry bags.

Thanks so much for all the support re last night's post.  Your emails are a great encouragement!  

I was delighted last night to see that this comment was left by one of the fellows who knows better than any of us the value of the laundry bags!

From the mouth of a Soldier, the quilt was AMAZING but, the laundry bag was just as fantastic, it meant that I could identify my laundry immediately and stopped the confusion, it was also a talking point among others. This is how I was able to tell other Soldiers' what I had received, the quilt remained in my living quarter, but the laundry bag everyone saw, so to the person who said they don't want to make laundry bags, please don't stop, these are what everyone sees and gets to enjoy even if they have not been lucky enough to receive a quilt. 
Thank you Aussie Hero Quilts (and laundry bags) for what you do. 

Thanks so much for commenting!  
( must have had a little something in my eye when I read it!)

In response to last night's post Pauline made the following comment - 
not only is a good way to get rid of that 'what was I thinking' fabric, but I've also discovered that if I use the wrong side of some cream tone-on-tone floral fabric, I can line laundry bags with it and the floral is very muted and only noticeable if you look really closely. I *knew* there was a reason I bought so much of it so long ago! 

Not everyone has to make laundry bags.  I want people to sew for Aussie Heroes because they enjoy it.  If laundry bags are outside your means or your comfort zone that is fine.   My comments re laundry bags are meant to inform those who have not, until now, realized how much they are appreciated and those that think that the quilts are our main priority.  

If you, for whatever reason, do not want to make laundry bags, that is fine but it is my job to make sure that everyone knows that the laundry bags were the reason I started the whole program and are just as important today as they were in the start.

The quilts are the luxury, the laundry bags are the necessity.

I also received this message from one the lovely ladies who has been with Aussie Heroes since almost its beginning, Marg, and I thought her perspective was worth sharing too.

most would consider quilts more valuable .. so an insight into what is most practical is great.

obviously many have never been in a mass defence force camp in the middle of nowhere with limited facilities; I haven't but have been in the mustering camp where the easiest and most practical is always the best.. like you value your enamel pannikin much more than the wedgewood dinner set at home!

Hilary made some great points too...

Re the laundry bag post. I can understand you wanting to get the message through to people that the laundry bags are not poor cousins to the quilts – although if your audience is mainly quilters, that does seem counter intuitive, so it does require a bit of explanation about WHY they are so important to the recipients.

I didn’t really ‘get’ the laundry bag thing to start with – I made one and wasn’t too thrilled at the work involved of having to make two (a liner and an outer), and it all seemed a lot of work for nothing that really impressed me when I was done. So I just did quilts. Then after following the blog and reading the feedback I started to understand how useful and valued the laundry bags are, so had another go, but was still concerned about the idea of ‘wasting’ 2 metres of perfectly good patchwork fabric (and yes, I have said exactly those words!) because that would leave me short of a quilt back.

Patchwork fabric isn’t cheap.   I felt a more sturdy fabric would be better. I haven’t seen a standard issue one, but I imagine it is made of something sturdy like drill – my husband said his in Vietnam was canvas. So I started going to St Vinnies and snapping up curtains/doona covers/assorted lengths of fabric etc, when I saw something suitable. On average, I can make a laundry bag for fifty cents to $1.00 each using this recycled fabric – and the cash goes to a good cause too! There is absolutely nowhere I can get 2 metres of patchwork fabric for that price – or even a fat quarter!

This works for me, and now I actually enjoy doing the bags – and the hunt for good fabric to use in them – and coming up with creative ways to put the names on!

I guess the lesson is that if quilters are drawn to participate in the project, then of course they will value a quilt more than a big cotton sack – the art is in teaching them that the recipients – the servicemen and women we are doing this for – really value the bags and, as one correspondent pointed out, they are actually a very good advertising vehicle for AHQ among the troops who are deployed – most don’t get to see each others beds (one assumes!), but the laundry bags are on display for all to see.

Hmmm, maybe I should get Hilary to do some guest posts - she put that very well.
Thanks Hilary.

This is the response I received today when I told a fellow his quilt and laundry bag are on their way.  I just had to share it with you.

Thank you so much, I look forward to receiving them and will email you when they arrive. It is very humbling to know that there are people back home that are willing to take time out to support the soldiers deployed overseas and I wish I was able to articulate how much that support is appreciated.

The following three messages came through Facebook and are for quilts that Nancy sent off.

hey.. I am currently overseas serving and would like to send back a big thank you for the quilt i received today in the mail. i am aware of 5 others that got one each today as well and we all really appreciate them. Once again thank you...

I received my Aussie quilt in the mail today and I absolutely LOVE it! Thank you so much to the people who put so much time and effort into making and sending it. ♥ Sara xx

hi, i am currently overseas at the moment and just received a lovely quilt in the mail from you guys, i am very grateful for your time and efforts, its beautiful. i will be sure to have it on my bed in the upcoming cold nights :) thank you again!

STOP PRESS!  JUST IN!  

Another exciting message re a quilt that Fran T sent off which is now home in Oz!

I’m a quilter & my boss has been telling me of her daughter who has just returned from active service overseas and received an Aussie Hero Quilt. She loved it to pieces & it takes pride of place on her coffee table!

 I think that this is a brilliant cause & I would love to join. I am going to start sorting through my stash & collecting more fabric now & I will let you know when I have my first quilt ready to go. I’m thinking that my mum might like to join me by making the laundry bags. 

Now that just makes my day.

And this thank you message made Melissa's day -

Just a quick email to thank you for the laundry bag. It is little things such as this that make life here easier in Afghanistan. Its is quite humbling to think that everyday people take time out of their day to make and send things to us.

:-)

A Sydney Aussie Heroes Dinner

Caroline (Deputy Nut) and I are thinking that a nice way to round off the first year of Aussie Heroes would be to go out to dinner with anyone in the Sydney area - some time in late November, early December.  It will be somewhere in the Hills District in Sydney (i.e. not in the city).  It won't be anything formal or fancy - just a booking at a nice restaurant though we may work out a price that will cover the meal so that everyone knows how much to bring (we will fine somewhere BYO if possible).  
Anyone interested in attending  please let me know.  
And please note - this is open to those who sew as well as anyone else who reads the blog.  If you support Aussie Heroes we would love you to come too.

Suggestions Please
Melissa had a great idea and she wrote to me with the following - 

Could I throw in a suggestion for the blog???????? - would love to know a little more about people who do the sewing etc. Could you do a sewer of the week on one of the blogs???? Ask for a short paragraph on the person to be emailed and a photo. I would love to know if there is anyone around here that is helping you out or close by.

I think this is a great idea.  I did threaten her with being the first contributor and she actually sent me a "Blurb" which you will see on our Inaugural Aussie Hero Friend of the Day Post this Thursday.    I am still working out a format or maybe a list of questions and then you can standby and watch your email inbox for an email from me requesting you be the Friend of the Day ............ unless there are any more volunteers!
Anyone?

In the mean time what questions should I ask?   
Suggestions?  This is what I have come up with so far.

Who are you and where do you live – if not in a house in suburbia please share some more info – farm etc. 

What is your occupation

How far to the local shops and how far to the nearest quilt shop

How long have you been sewing for AHQ

How did you find out about us?

Do you have any connection to the services

What are some of the things you have sewn for AHQ

Why do you sew for AHQ

I just have to say - I think Aussie Heroes is developing into such a lovely supportive group!  I find your emails and kind words extremely encouraging and it makes my job so pleasant and easy to do.  You all know that I spend a lot of time on it but who ever minds spending time with friends!   I really do hope in the future to get around a bit and visit a few of you so that we can meet personally but in the mean time we will have to make do with emails and occasionally, phone calls.

Gasp!  No photos!

How about a little AHQ quality control?  This is Snickers.  Now this quilt was sitting on the floor by my sewing machine table while I re-threaded the machine prior to stitching the binding on.
I guess she thought she should check it out to make sure it was up to standard!

She is indeed a quilter's dog!  Why lie on your purpose made burgundy dog bed (see it in the background) when there is a spare quilt lying around!

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

Another One Lost

By now you probably all know that we have lost another brave young man overnight.  Another sad day for us but oh how painful it must be for his family and friends and his colleagues who become like a second family.  I know that all our thoughts are with those near and dear to him tonight.

For me it helps to know that we are doing something to boost morale of those that are left behind, those that must carry on the job every day no matter how hard that is.   it just encourages me to sew a bit more.  

I have a contact in Afghanistan who receives laundry bags from time to time to hand around to her co-workers.  When a box arrives the contents are snapped up.  So, anyone who wants to make some bags with patches on them, just go for it.  You can fit five to six in a box depending on weight so when you get a full box just email me with a picture and I will tell you who to send it to.   I also have laundry bags going to HMAS ANZAC and Dubai and I share them around.

Not too long ago I heard that someone said - 

I don't do laundry bags any more as they take 2m of material and I would rather make quilts with my fabrics.

I am afraid that they are missing the point.  As I keep saying, the quilts are wonderful and very much appreciated but the laundry bags are the necessity that make every day life just that much easier.  The laundry bags are not hard to make - there are instructions on the blog - and you can often use the "ugly" fabrics or those fabrics that you look at and think "what did I buy that for?"  You probably wouldn't use that fabric for a quilt anyway.  

I have wonderful ladies who are searching Charity Stores like Vinnies and the Salvos for anything that is suitable.  Laundry bags do not need to be made from patchwork fabric.  As long as the fabric is in good condition with no holes or signs of wear it is fine.  They can be lined with sheeting or old doona covers.  Start looking around you  and asking around and you will be surprised what you will find or even better what people will give you.

And as always, if you can't sew laundry bags and quilts and still want to contribute maybe you can sew some of our Blocks of the Month (info here) or check out our How to Help Page here and see if there is something there that works for you.

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

General Business plus...

This is a bit of a general business post.  I hope you will bear with me.  It isn't the most exciting of posts but it makes life easier to get the message out there and I will sweeten it with a couple of thank you messages.

There are now well over a hundred ladies sewing for Aussie Heroes.   We are structured to enable to people to contribute in whatever way they are comfortable but that means that everyone is doing things a little differently.  That is absolutely fine and it works well but now that there are so many of you it is hard for me to remember who likes to do what so I need your help.

Laundry Bags

From now on if you take on a request can you please tell me if you are not sending a laundry bag with a quilt.  That will save me from having to double check with each request that I hand out.  If you can't send a laundry bag that is no problem as I can allocate it to someone else but i need to know.  I would hate to have someone requesting a laundry bag with their quilt only to find that none arrives.  Often they would be too polite to point out the omission.  So, just please let me know if you are making a quilt only - and if you are happy to do both if you can let me know.  That would be great!

Send an update please

We have a huge number of requests underway at the moment and you know that we allow around 4 weeks for completion unless otherwise stated.  If possible, to save me emailing each of you individually to check where you are up to, can you please send me a quick update tomorrow or over the weekend.  I have found in the past that sometimes people are struggling to complete a quilt or laundry bag as something has happened in their life and they have not wanted to let us down so they have struggled on.  There is no need to do that.  I can always work something out if that situation arises as long as you let me know.

Labels

Hillary made a very generous offer to send labels to anyone who sent her a stamped self- address envelope and to make it easier for you to find her information it has now been added the Quilt Specifics Page and also the Intro to Aussie Heroes Page.

Quilts of the Week 

It is going to be another good week of quilts and laundry bags heading off again.  Here is the same reminder I issue every Thursday - if you have sent a quilt or a laundry bag of this week then please send me a pictures.  The following ladies have sent me pictures of quilts and laundry bags that have hit the mail this week.

Lorraine, Louise, Rae, Cat, Kaye, Hillary, Liz, Melissa, Michelle, Miranda, Nancy, Paula, Stephanie, Sue S

If you are NOT on that list and have sent off a quilt or laundry bag can you please send me an email, preferably with a photo, and preferably sooner rather than later.  And if you have already emailed me and sent a picture and you are not on the list - please remind me.

If for some reason you can't send a picture through this week then that is okay - just send it when you can but please don't forget.  Anyone who needs help taking photos in Canberra please let me know.

A thank you message

This one is for me...

My name is XXXXX and I am onboard HMAS Anzac in the MEAO at the moment. I was fortunate enough to receive one of your handmade laundry bags recently. I would like to say thank you not only for the excellent bag (which certainly puts my very old one to shame!), but also for taking the time out of your day to provide these items for ship's away. Our Chaplain has told us that you used to be in the Navy, so I'm sure you know only too well how something new and from the outside world can make your day and break the monotony of sea life! The bags are certainly a hit onboard.  

And then in the mail I received this today and it quite made my day!

Dear Jan-Maree,
We wanted to thank you so much for your wonderful care and generosity provided by the Aussie Hero Quilts that you sent.  The craftsmanship and obvious care taken in making these are amazing .  To know that we have the love and support of you and your fellow quilters brings a smile to our faces.  It is starting to get quite cool here in the evenings so the quilts are definitely being put to use.  The designs and materials are a real morale boost here too.   Thank you so much for thinking of us.  Please know we are thinking of you all at home too.

This came from two young ladies and a fellow.  We have heard from all of them separately but one of these young ladies has emailed me a few times and it is obvious that she really does appreciate and understand what we are trying to do.  The card might have been addressed to me but the thanks, as it says in the text to know that they have the love and support of all of us really matters to them.  What more could we ask for!

Now, every post needs a few pictures and not just one I think and I don't have anything new for tonight so I thought I might show some from the past. 

How about a few of our past BOM (block of the month quilts)

starting way back in February with the classic nine patch.

 February

March

 April

May

June

July

August

September 

The last three have not been completely finished yet and therefore are yet to be sent off but all the others have gone off to new owners.  I think these are the special quilts as so many of our sewers have a hand in them.  Well done everyone.

I am really looking forward to seeing what quilts come out of this month's and next month's BOMs.

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

Happy Mail Wednesday

Another busy day here with loads of phone calls but it was great to talk to all of you.  We really are a special on-line community and I feel very privileged to be getting to know so many of you!   It is sometimes easier or quicker for me to speak to you direct rather than to email so don't forget to send your phone number if you are comfortable with that.

Now down to business.  A few people have asked me if there are any specific guidelines regarding the extras you can include in the boxes you are sending to HMAS ANZAC.  Here is a list that the lovely Chaplain has shared with me.

Basically send anything (food wise) that won't melt.  People seem to like biscuits (like pizza shapes), bags of lollies (like snakes, mixed lollies, mentoes, fruit tingles, life savers, chewy gum), small tin food (some like salmon, tuna), some types of cheeses in tins or fully wrapped and in cardboard (like cheddar triangles), cup-a-soup, - assorted nuts with or without fruit are very popular, potato chips in tins - (like pringles).  Non-food = magazines, puzzle books, mini-puzzles, socks (people are always loosing a sock in the wash).

If you are sending batches of laundry bags I have finally got the chaplain to admit that he is enjoying the coffee sachets and minties.  That is his compensation for having to keep track of all the laundry bags and their senders and pass the details on to each sailor.

You might be interested to know that the ship already knows when its next mail is coming - in about three or four weeks time!  Good grief! I would hate to wait for my mail that long!  I have been promised pictures of sailors opening boxes of quilts and I can't wait to see that!

PINK or BLUE

I happen to have a very healthy supply of female quilts and laundry bags at the moment so if you are about to start something, and do not have it allocated to someone specific, you might like to veer away from the pinks and pretty and look at some gender neutrals or manly stuff.

A quick comment on laundry bags.  

Please don't think that laundry bags are the poor cousin of the quilts.  That is actually how we got started and I only called the blog AUSSIE HERO QUILTS (and LAUNDRY BAGS) and not Aussie Hero Laundry Bags coz I knew that more people google quilts than laundry bags!  

I mean, really, how many of you thought about laundry bags before this!

Liz's (of kangaroo quilt fame) lovely ex-army hubby, Mr B, really feels very strongly about how important the laundry bags are.  They are far from a luxury.  He says the domestic arrangements are so necessary for morale in his opinion.  After a busy, tiring and often loooooong day, getting sorted with laundry, shower, feed and a good night's sleep is crucial.  They are the fundamentals of life.   Get them right and a lot of other things fall into place.

Additionally, Liz had a phone call recently from a Mum whose son had just received one of Liz's quilts and a cool fishing themed laundry bag.  As Liz said it seems her recipient was more pleased with his laundry bag than his quilt.  Well, of course says Mr B.  Being able to find your laundry quickly and easily makes life so much easier.

Oh, and I should say, Mr B loves to give me a hard time when I call - he, being ex-Army is spoiled for choice when I call as I am both ex-NAVY and ex-RAAF and it is almost too much for him to know which side to pick on first!  LOL.  Hi Mr B!  :-P

Guess it is that time of the week again - Happy Mail time!

Can you believe how many BOMs we received for the month of September?  Well over 400 and can you also believe that I received another 100 plus this week!  
BZ or Bravo Zulu Aussie Hero Friends!

Translation - that is BZ is navy speak for well done!

Sue N from Vic sent me 120 of them this week!  No way could I put all of them on the design wall so I just chose a representative bunch to show you.

Some great masculine colours there and 120 blocks, trimmed to 7 1/2 inches and arranged 6 across and ten down is enough blocks for two quilts!  Thanks Sue.

Marg from WA sent in these blocks.  She was staying with her daughter and raided her stash.  But because her daughter did not have a 12 inch ruler this was as far as she could go.  Nevermind - great colours!

And finally Dorothy send in another 38 blocks - from memory she has already sent in 80!

BZ!   Well done to all of you this month.  Now remember, all the October BOMs are to be posted to Naomi's home this month - let''s see if we can send her even more than we received in September!

Now this is a slightly off-topic subject but I couldn't help myself.  The only travelling I am likely to be doing in the near future is to take my son to boarding school and going to collect him again at the end of the term.  A seven hour drive with 16 year old who sits in the back of the car (I have an MPV with a seat removed) where he can stretch his 6ft frame out.  He puts in the head phones and barely says a word for the whole trip!  Makes for a thrilling trip!  

:-)

You lot, however seem to be travelling all over the place.  So far I have heard of a trip to Antarctica, a 12 week trip to the States, a three week trip to the States taking in PENNSYLVANIA!!!!!!!! (you have to be a quilter to appreciate that) and a cruise from Singapore to Freemantle.  And my hubby has just come back from Oktoberfest in Munich FOR WORK!!!!   Jealous much?  Well I am.  So go on, do your worst - share where you are headed for hols over the summer break and watch me turn green!  Oh and did I add that I am turning 50 this year!  You would think I could have organised something better than a trip to Boarding School and back for my 50th.  LOL  Just goes to show I can organize AHQ but not my travel plans!

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