Beautiful Kiama

I feel like I'm having another sea change on the beautiful NSW coast.
I am attending a quilting retreat for my Australasian internet group of quilters and the retreat has just started this evening.
We spent the day sight seeing and my room mate took a tandem sky dive but it's not on my bucket list!
I've managed to knit a scarf so far and plan to chat, knit, eat and relax tomorrow too.
Stay safe,
Hugs Jan Mac

Quilting Retreat Here I Come...

The week has gone so quickly that I seem to have been quilting non-stop. I will have to do a back count of all the quilts finsihed for Feb and March but there's no time now as I'm off to a quilting retreat tomorrow on the beautiful NSW coast at Kiama. It started as a weekend event but we've managed to stretch it to 5 days now LOL.
We have lots of laughs and talk non-stop and catch up with friends we only see once a year. Members come from New Zealand and all around Australia and we are all members of the internet group- the Southern Cross Quilters.
I have packed my bags and I'm taking my knitting and crocheting this year as I want to make more blankets, hats and scarves for the homeless who have been displaced by the floods in Qld.
I'll miss the sewing machine but I can't sew and talk so Ill make up for it when I get back. I hope to have internet access so I can update my blog while I'm away but we'll see!
Today was another lovely day of donations arriving with Cherrie Rees (NSW) sending 4 beautiful tops and backings and they will be quilted ASAP and on their way to their new onwers soon.
I also received a wonderful parcel from Marina de Vries (Vic) and she sent a very generous donation to purchase supplies as well as a lovely QAYG quilt, shown on my other blog and 2 more tops and some lovely fabric for backings.
I also managed to take a photo of some of the hats and berets I made while I was away last week and I plan to have more to show when I get back home.
I'm posting a box containing 4 quilts, knitted teddy bears and hats to the NSW Womens' Refuge tomorrow on my way to Kiama and it's thanks to all your generous donations that we are able to help so many people who are in need at the moment.
Have fun with the QAYG blocks and take care everyone,
Hugs, Jan Mac

Donations for Qld, Vic and Christchurch

Life is busy here so I've been a bit late in getting all the donations photographed and on the blog so please bear with me while I work my way through the piles LOL.
The donations have been really wonderful and will make so many people warm and happy with their quilts.
Maria Wilson and Linda Moore (WA) sent over two large parcels, one for Christchurch (NZ) and the other for the Flood Quilt Appeal. They sent 2 quilts as well as a set of QAYG blocks for NZ and 1 quilt, 2 sets of QAYG blocks as well as some lovely baby wool for the flood appeal. You've both been very productive and the quilts and blocks are beautiful. Petra McLennan (Vic) also sent 2 large parcels and she has been very busy with making 2 quilts, 2 tops and backing, 4 sets of binding strips and fabric for another backing. Petra your generous donations will really bring a smile to many people affected by the floods.
Julie Lawrenson-Wood (UK) sent a fabulous QAYG quilt too. The photos of the quilts are on my other blog.
Merilyn Francis (NSW) sent a lovely set of QAYG blocks for Chch and they will be made into a quilt and on their way to Cat very soon.
There was another huge box from Mary Metcalf and the New Zealander quilters. The Coffee and Cake Quilters: Margaret Brookes sent 26 QAYG blocks, Maurenn Douglas sent 24 QAYG blocks and Sue Gilmore sent the lovely 8 Stack and Slash blocks in florals. The Fat Quarter Quilters, Patricia and Nicky, sent 20 QAYG blocks and Carole Whittington sent a lovely crocheted blanket and Addrienne Berry sent 2 lovely knitted beanies. Mary really managed to stuff the box full and the items will be going to Qld and Vic for the flood victims.

Anne Brennan and the Friday Girls from Morwell (Vic) sent another lovely 73 QAYG blocks and Jo-Anne Dick (Tas) sent 3 lovely quilts. Brigitta Andtbacka (Finland) sent 6 lovely QAYG blocks and the Australian customs had opened the parcel and cleared it for delivery. They must have been wondering what was the purpose of sending the quilt blocks LOL.
Grace Stewart (ACT) sent a lovely selection of orphan blocks and they will all be used even if they are used for the backs of the blocks, if the colours don't go with anything else I have on hand, and they will make the backings very pretty too. Susan Doherty (WA) sent 2 lovely QAYG blocks and Kelly Hamlyn-Harris (Vic) sent another set of prepped bindings.
Margie Wallis (NSW) also sent another large quilt which is shown on the other blog.
That's the lot for today and now I need to get busy again finishing off quilts. I managed to finish 3 yesterday as well as quilting 2 tops and some vacuuming so I slept well last night. Today will be spent on more QAYG quilts as well as binding the quilted tops.
Thank you all so much for your generous donations which will help so many.
I'm also going to be working on some quilts for Japan soon as their need will also be great. Luckily I love what I do.
Hugs Jan Mac

Back from our Break

We had a lovely time camping and making new friends with the wildlife. We travelled from the NSW/Vic border down to the Snowy River, Buchan caves and then to Mallacoota on the NSW/Vic border and then back along the coast to Wilson's Prom and Phillip Island. A lot of land to cover in 6 days and we moved on every day so it's good to be back home again and not packing up our camper every day.
It was terrible to hear about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the resultant loss of life. It seems like we are just lurching from one disaster to another on the world stage. What can we do but quilt and try to bring some comfort to others worse off than we are here. We've been lucky to avoid floods since the last one in Sept last year and hopefully our luck will hold.
We had a wonderful trip but I've been busy getting more quilts finished as soon as I unpacked. I'll show the parcels which have arrived in the last week as soon as I pick them up from the post office tomorrow.
I hope you enjoy my holiday snaps and keep the earthquake survivors of Japan and New Zealand, and the flood survivors of Qld and Vic in your thoughts and prayers while they face the challenges ahead. I didn't quilt while I was away but I did crochet and have almost finished a single bed blanket and have knitted some hats which I'll show off later.
Take care and thanks for stopping by.
Hugs Jan Mac

More Comings and Goings

I've received more wonderful donations for the flood and earthquake survivors in Australia and New Zealand and the quilts have been going out the door quickly now. I sent off another 16 to Rochester in Victoria and that brings the total to 166 for the year to date. I received many parcels this week , including 6 quilts from Pam Wood (Vic) and 16 quilts from Jenni Omand (Vic) and a QAYG quilt from Jacqy Wong (Vic). The quilts are shown on my other blog
and will be much appreciated by the people of Rochester. I will be sending more quilts to Qld, Vic and NZ as soon as the quilt pile starts to grow again.
I also received 2 parcels from Suzanne Nicolson (NSW) and she very generously sent 3 quilt tops, 44 QAYG blocks and 4 sets of bindings. Mieke Vandelanotte (Belgium) sent another 4 lovely heart blocks and these will be made into tops very soon. Vivienne Howick, Carol Bennett and Mary Metcalf (New Zealand) sent another parcel of 53 QAYG blocks which is very generous considering that NZ are also having their own problems and many of these blocks will be made into quilts and returned to NZ to help their communities.
Teresa F. (USA) sent a lovely box of 17 QAYG blocks and a tote bag and Mary Neale and the Material Women from WA sent another 33 QAYG blocks. The last two parcels came from Margaret McBride and the Sew n' Sews group in Scotland and they sent 119 QAYG blocks which is a very generous donation and will make quilts for Australia as well as New Zealand.
I'm off for a break camping with DH and our friends so I'll be absent for about a week but will check in when I have email access. I won;t be completely idle as I'm taking my knitting and crocheting with me and plan to read a few books and knit hats and scarves as well as making more squares for blankets. Winter will be on its way very soon and Christchurch will be in need of warm quilts and garments to help them get through their cold weather.
I'm ready for winter as I've had enough of the humidity for this year so I'm looking forward to some cooler nights while we camp in the mountains.
Stay safe and I'll be back soon,
Jan Mac

The Postman Cometh

I have received more beautiful donations from around Australia. Marion Squires and the Care Quilters from the Come Quilting group in Hobart (Tas) sent 54 QAYG blocks made in a modified log cabin pattern as they also sent fabric for sashing and bindings. The colours are lovely and they will make some lovely quilts.
Liz Iser (Vic) sent a large parcel of fabric and backings so I can finish more of the donated tops and I will be getting them done very soon as I've been asked for quilts for the township of Rochester (Vic) and I want to build my pile of quilts up again so I have enough to take over there.
I also received a wonderful parcel from Margaret Claney (Qld) and she sent a very generous donation of money as well as 12 QAYG blocks and 2 tops and binding. I'm sorry that I seem to have misplaced your address Margaret or I would write a personal thank you so I hope you see this acknowledgment on the blog. Many thanks for all your generous help with this quilt appeal.
Hugs Jan Mac

More Donations and Finishes

The first quilt was made and donated by Vireya Jacquard and the Sussex Neighbourhood House in Coburg (Vic) and they also sent a large box of QAYG blocks as well as binding. They are so colourful that they will be sure to bring a smile to the face of the people who receive them as a quilt.
The back of this QAYG quilt was so pretty that I just had to share a photo of that as well.
The next apple quilt was a top donated by the Kyvalley Quilters (Vic) and I quilted it today so it will go in the shipment to Christchurch which I'm dropping off today. The last photo shows some of the beanies I've been knitting and they are also on their way to Christchurch. I have 18 quilts on their way to Cat of Catalina's Cottage and she will pass them on to an organization which will distribute them in Christchurch. There are 8 boxes on their way to Cat thanks to her generous friends for their help with shipping. The other boxes contain knitted garments, baby clothes, soft toys as they are in demand too as well as some school supplies. When I get back from Melbourne I will get busy finishing off more quilts for Christchurch as well as more for Emerald in Qld. I have a pile of QAYG blocks to put together so I'll be busy working with them as well as quilting donated tops.
Many thanks for all your generous donations. Hugs Jan Mac

Earthquake and Flood Relief

I've volunteered to co-ordinate making and sending quilts to Christchurch and now that I've sent a shipment to Emerald (Qld) the next shipment will be going to NZ.
Theses beautiful heart blocks came from a group of quilters in Belgium and will make some lovely heart-felt hugs for the people.
I also received a large bag of knitting yarn from Jan Stokes in Sth Australia. Ann-Maree Riley sent a lovely large box of bits and pieces including some UFOs which will be finished and donated. The last large box came from NZ from Bev Johnson of the Quilter's Patch and the Cambridge and TeAwamutu quilters who sent many QAYG blocks.
Thank you all for your generous support. I'm off to work now so I'll email individually later.
Hugs Jan Mac

QAYG from Popular Patchwork Readers

I've received two large boxes of QAYG blocks from the UK. Tess Howe sent 105 QAYG blocks as well as binding strips and they will make some wonderful quilts.
Tess sent them on behalf of the readers of the UK quilting magazine- Popular Patchwork. They very kindly ran an article and gave information on their forum about Oz Comfort Quilts and the quilt appeal for Qld.
Many quilters from across the UK have made and sent blocks to Tess and she sent them on behalf of her online UK friends.
Thank you so much for getting the word out about this quilt appeal. The shipment of quilts is on it's way to Emerald and I'm now working on a shipment to Christchurch in New Zealand.
Cat from NZ is helping me to get the quilts distributed through local groups which are working with families devastated by the earthquake.

I've included information about what they are seeking here:

There are 46 groups in Christchurch - Mainly Music co-ordinators hope for each family if not each child to receive a trauma comfort pack which will include but is not limited to :- a quilt, a lullaby music cd, an activity trauma book for children and adults to talk through their feelings and for the groups in the hardest hit areas clothing etc.  For new Mums or pregnant Mums they hope to include baby clothes, soft toys also along with the quilts.  The value of the packs (NOT including the quilt) is $30 NZD.
So whilst Red Cross is asking for money - Mainly Music is incredibly grateful for the quilts!
Thank you Cat and my blog readers for helping to make this quilt appeal work to get quilts to where they are needed.
Many, many thanks, Jan Mac

Team Work

Today I sent off 70 quilts to Emerald in Qld and that was just the amount I've managed to get together in the last 3 weeks. Margo Barber from Tasmania sent 6 lovely quilts and they arrived in time to go with that shipment.
Now I'm busy getting quilts ready to send to Christchurch in New Zealand.
I also received more parcels of lovely QAYG blocks today and the piles are going up and down as I work hard on getting them made into quilts.
The first photo shows a lovely top and binding made by Sandy Leaman (Vic) using one of Bonnie Hunter's patterns and it's a lovely way to use a variety of fabrics. Sandy also sent 36 QAYG blocks and bindings.
Cathy Bruton (Vic) sent 16 more lovely QAYG blocks as well as binding and the Crafty Chicks from the Blacktown Baptist Church (NSW) delivered a large box of QAYG blocks, a quilt top and fabric for binding.
Mary Rawlins from the UK sent 7 lovely QAYG blocks as well as 4 smaller ones. These will all play together nicely to make some more lovely quilts to donate on your behalf.
I'm now working on a delivery of finished quilts for Christchurch in New Zealand and I'll post more about this shipment in another post.
Time for a break as I've been packing quilts and making more for NZ today so now I'm going to take a break and knit a child's beanie for Christchurch.
Thanks to all your generous donations and a lot of team work we've managed to donate 128 quilts already this year.
Many thanks, Jan Mac