Saturday, March 3, 2012

Donations, Floods and a Special Blanket


While we were at the Australian War Memorial we saw a very special blanket made by Corporal Cliff Gatenby. He was captured in Crete during WW2 and was sent to Stalag 383. He had never embroidered before but covered his blanket with embroidery for something to do. He used thread from socks, scarves, pullovers, and old towels and by the end of the war the blanket was entirely covered with scenes of the camp and his service in the middle East. I was just so impressed by all the different stitches, the scenes and the bright colours he'd used so i wanted to share and advise you to check it out if you get a chance to visit Canberra.
The flood waters are continuing to rise here but I think we'll be fine here although our access road may have water over it for a few days. I'm working night shift tonight so I'll take our 4WD in case I need to drive through water.
This week I was also received more wonderful donations for the Melbourne Homeless Connect Day to be held in March. Delys Rogers and Stephanie Driel, both from WA, respectively sent 9 and 8 beautifully knitted beanies which will be very much appreciated by their recipients this winter. Judy Cooke from Geelong also sorted through two large boxes of donated fabrics and sent some lovely blocks as well as cut out pieces of fleecy fabric to be made into baby's hats.
Thank you so much for your continued support and I hope that you are all safe and dry and not in the path of the flood waters in NSW and Vic.
Thanks for your comments about changing my blog name too, it seems that it isn't a problem so I will leave it as it is. I'll post about my Op Shop finds soon.
Hugs, Jan Mac





4 comments:

Maria said...

What an amazing blanket? I didn't see it when I was at the War memorial/museum but it was a few years ago. DH and I spent hours in that place and were so immersed in the exhibits we didn't realise that it was just about closing time! Time just flew. Hope you don't have to drive through too much water tonight.

Merilyn said...

Oh my! what an incredible blanket and embroidery!!! Amazing work, thankyou for sharing this, I will keep it mind if I ever return to Canberra or pass through!
The news about the flooding just gets worse and worse, my heart goes out to all those poor people and those that are isolted. Up here on the Nth Coast we have rain, but have been spared flood waters for a change, at least at the moment! Take care driving through water covered roads Jan!!

Jan Mac said...

I made it to work OK and no water over the road. Others not as lucky and couldn't make it to work so hope the rain stops soon.

Gina E. said...

I thought of you when I was watching the news tonight, and they mentioned Shepparton and Numurkah. Unbelievable scenes only a year or so after the drought...I am crossing my fingers for you that you aren't affected by floodwaters.