Friday.

Hello all.Today I have been madly quilting the 1950's housedresses and i am on the last border  YAY!! Then to some serious e2e quilting for customers and flood project. The package I picked up from W.A. yesterday was from  I Bradbury with a heap more rail fence blocks from the girls at meadow springs.Before I could post pictures many of them have been taken off to be joined into tops by the girls from Busy Bees. I will get pictures of the finished tops for you. I also got a package from P.Lancaster of Hurstville N.S.W. which contained a mixture of lovely blocks. They have also been incorporated into some stacks to make up tops .I am soo sorry about pictures. I will not open the pack at a working bee without taking a photo first as this is my record.and I know you all love to see them too.
When visiting the P.O. today I received a parcel from Sharon L of Crescent Head,N.S.W.

There are two beautiful finished quilts -knee rug size . and two finished tops ready for quilting.

also in the package was

10 blue and gold sea themed rail fence blocks. ready to turn into a cute seaside themed quilt. and numerous orphan blocks.

Here are some more orphan blocks sent to us.

I received an email from President Carol of Strathdale Quilters today,reminding me of the working bee in Bendigo on Wednesday. I will be there with bells on!!

I am going to Melbourne tomorrow for the weekend. My grandson is being christened on Sunday and we will have a family gathering. I will be home on Monday and back to blogging.

Have a nice weekend everyone.

Thursday.

I went to the P.O. and picked up 2 parcels from Australia,one from Victoria and one from W.A.  My batteries in my camera have died so I will buy more in town later and post photos this evening.
I took the large box of blocks and fabrics to guild and about 6 people took sets home to do. We will have our first official working bee on Tuesday. I can' wait.
I will post more this evening. sorry this is a bit skimpy.

.My day

Today I have been trying to get some customer quilting done. Of course it is a custom quilt and each row takes about 3 hrs. i thought I should get this out of the way. Day three and still 2 rows to go. Maybe I will get it finished tomorrow..LOL.

My visit to the P.O. today revealed mail from Helen S of Point Lonsdale,Vic.

Opening it revealed these 3 lovely quilt tops,ready to quilt. They will be quilted up very soon.Just as soon as the custom is off my frame LOL.

Next package was from Jamie V from  Texas USA.

which contained these lovely blocks including 2 made by her grandmother.

They will fit in well with what we have.

The web programme has gone down and I can't load any more photos tonight.I will post the other one tomorrow.

When Holly P sent me an email and asked if  I could use some fabric and blocks from her sewing room as she was having a cleanup,I gratefully replied that we would love whatever she could spare. You can imagine my surprise when I went into the P.O. and  I picked up a box about 2' square and weighing about 10lbs.

I had friends come around today and we sorted out the box of goodies from Holly P. I have itemised them and taken separate pictures,then I realised it would take about 3 hrs to load them on here so I have taken group photos and will post them. I have kept the other photos in my photo album.

Here is the list:

12 x 14 1/2" blue and white floral blocks with piecse of matching fabric.

20x 15 1/2"  rail fence blocks

12x 15 1/2" country rail fence blocks with extra sashing and binding for each quilt. Denise has already taken them to finish piecing and put together.

12x11" mauve and green blocks.

42 x 9 1/2" Little House on the Prarie blocks.

13x 9" crazy patch + 2x 8" .

9x 9 1/2" tools blocks + 4x 61/2.

3x 9 1/2" bright stars

1 by double wedding ring quilt centres and melons all cut out.

large piece of fabric  navy background with red roses enough for a backing.

3x table runners

9x 10 1/2: batik bears paw blocks.

A bundle of flying geese of various sizes and some fabric to match

9 star blocks 16x 12 1/2" Aboriginal print blocks

6x 10 1/2" fabric squares

set of "Princess" blocks

21x 6 1/4" blue stripes blocks

Assorted orphan blocks

Retro flowers quilt kit partly started.( Wish I had a picture of the quilt top)

2x blocks and fabric in plastic sashets to make 2 different sized schoolhouse blocks (kit).

9x bright blocks

9x space material blocks

6x orphan blocks

3x 22" square blocks

20x 6 1/2" blocks .

Oriental fabric with  2x sample  blocks made up.

I am tired just typing this lot.

This wonderful box full of goodies and the other fantastic blocks I have received this week will be going to Busy Bees tomorrow and the sorting out and handing out will begin. We will then make a date for the first  full working bee in Maryborough.

I am expecting another wonderful box from Jan D any time now and will take it to Bendigo with me on Wednesday when I go for the working bee over there. I have organised today for 2 individual ladies to collect 3 and 5 sets of blocks respectively to join together for starters. We are well on the way girls.Lets keep this thing rolling.

 



Today 15/02/11

Today I had a visit from the local paper. We talked about our aims and what we want to achieve here. We also talked about the International interest and help we are getting. The paper will visit our working bee on Thursday at Busy Bees and take some photos.
When I went to the local P.O. today there were 4 parcels for me 3 from the U.S.A. and one from Q.L.D. It never ceses to amaze me that even though their own state is suffering greatly QL.D. with floods and cyclones, and Western Australia with fires they can still take the time to help our cause.

This is Sharon our local Post Mistress behind the counter with some parcels for me. Luckily the P.O. building did not have water inside as it has several bluestone steps up to the door. The water was lapping the door, but the residence attached to the post office was quite badly affected as was the posties motorbikes and the family car. The P.O. smelled like mould for weeks. Sharon has 3 little boys.As you can see the P.O. is quaint and old it was built by Sharons grandfather.

The first parcel opened today was from Nansi B of Richland ,W.A.

Isn't the blue fabric beautiful? Thank-you Nansi for some lovely blocks .

Next was Karen P of Ironbark,Q.L.D.

I remember when Karen first brought her machine and joined the Statler Sisters List. I contacted Karen as I had lived in Ironbark,Bendigo,Victoria.

Karen has sent this lovely selection of blocks and baby quilts already joined up .The pink,green and brown blocks are enough to make a single bed quilt or lap quilt. Thank you Karen as Q.L.D. is suffering terribly at the moment also. I hope you are high and dry.

Package three came from Paula D ( aka Dragonfly Nana).

Paula sent me three sets of blocks.

All the sets are from an online swap conducted on the quiltingboard.com This set is called pink,green,and lavender What a nice sampler quilt this will make.

Next is a batik sampler set of 12 blocks ,this will be a bright happy quilt.

Last but not least is this  Black,white,and bright set. Paula said " I hope that they will give comfort to the receivers. While these blocks are donated by me, I must give credit to the fantastic quilters who created them for the swaps. I know they would be proud that I have donated them to this wonderful mission."

Paula thank-you for your lovely sentiments  and the beautiful blocks.

Last but not least I received a large box of blocks,backings ,and sashings from Holly Potvin of Bear Hollow Quilt Company. Colchester.C.T. It will take me all day tomorrow to sort through this box and catalogue it in pictures. Let me say they are very ,very,yummy.Thank-you Paula I will thank-you tomorrow when I am not so tired. I have been in the studio since 8.30am this morning.It is now 10.50pm. I must adjourn to bed.

Podcast.

I received an email from Sara in Nabraska,Canada advising me to listen to a podcast by Anna K in New York. Here is the link:

http://greenstitch.libsyn.com/episode-24-we-get-by-with-a-little-help-from-our-friends/comments/cmnt_msg/success

Also here is the link to her blog.
http://greenstitchblog.blogspot.com/

Anna talks about our quest to all her listeners and has made several of three different blocks to send to us. She also has a blog where she has photos of the blocks, links to patterns for them, and a link to this blog. Thank-you very much for furthering our cause. Sara also told me the blocks are beginning to roll in. Way to go Sara.

From the Post office today:

The first package opened was from Jenny B of Kaiwaka New Zealand.

There are eleven rail fence blocks here.Thank-you Jennythey are just what we can use and,they will go well with the next package opened.

The other package received today was from Iris B. of Meadow Springs,Mandurah,W.A.

This package contained 42 rail fence blocks which will combine well with the blocks from Jenny to make at least 2 beautiful quilts for Carisbrook and other Victorians affected by the floods. Iris included a note to say that some of her fellow "Southern Village Quilters" have sent packages separately. I have received several packages from that area and thank -you to everyone for your help. Iris also sent her best wishes  hoping all of our problems will ease soon. Iris with so many caring people like yourself in this world, I know that everyone affected by the floods,fires,and cyclones will be well into recovery mode very soon.

Sunday 13th

I visited Gisborne today to my daughters shop Quilters Bazaar  where I dropped off some customers quilts and picked up some more.

I also was given these goodies for our cause.

Above right is a beautiful complete quilt made of flannel.It is lovely and soft and cuddly.

On the left is a completed quilt top ready for quilting. These came from Elsa D  who is a quilting friend and customer. thank-you Elsa.!! 

Then there are these:

Three beautiful tops assembled by the Quilters Bazaar Wednesday afternoon Girls from blocks sent to us from Sue R of Yangebup W.A. There is a lovely ninepatch top and two beautiful appliqued and plain block quilts. Great job Gisborne Girls and ,thank-you to Sue for the lovely blocks for the girls to work with.
Our pile is slowly but surely growing.The Quilters bazaar (QB) girls say they love making the blocks up into tops. My girls at Maryborough are waiting with baited breath for their first work shop.
I received an e-mail from Carol,president of Strathdale Quilters advising she has secured the Long Gully Community House for a workshop on 21st February. I will have the first box from USA by then for the girls to drool over and sew into tops.
I said to my daughter Lorraine today ,I am beginning to worry. I have long arm quilters ready to quilt for us. from all over Australia ,but the logistics is the thing. Loz suggested I join  Squilters professional group and ask for people coming and going through the towns who can carry quilts for us. What a brilliant idea.
I am also starting to think about funding for the backing and batting. Loz said "You are one person .Take a breath and see how much you have achieved, and when you have 100 tops and no batting or backing then PANIC" LOL.
It is time to recount to myself what I have already achieved.
So far we have 11 finished quilts ,13 tops, blocks being assembled into tops, donations of thread, donations of backing fabric enough for about 6 quilts. $250.00 towards backing and batting.
Many ,many blocks arriving at pick up points in USA,Canada,Australia, and I believe South Korea. the first box from the USA is due to arrive next week. I have quilts being quilted for us in Camden,NSW, Narracoorte,S.A.  to name a few.  I have offers of quilting all over the place. Star Track Express is going to freight some backing,batting and quilt tops to Mildura to Lyn to quilt for us.Ineke in Tasmania is having two collection points from the USA sent directly to her ,where guilds and friends will complete quilts and Ineke will bring them to Victoria with her at the end of March.  Kaye White,from kayes Quilts will be attending the Statler Sisters get together in Eaglehawk next month and will drop off and pick up quilts along the way. Wow !All this in  two weeks. I think I need a sleep LOL.This cannot happen without the help and support of all of you.
Thank-you

Friday 11th

Hello all I collected a parcel from Alison B from Gracemere Qld. today.  it consisted of

This lovely rail fence quilt top with a row of fabric which has Australian flags on it ,binding to match and a chq for $50.00 towards batting and backing.

Thank-you Alison.