All About Babies.

As well as knitting baby layettes and soft toys to donate, we are also donating burp cloths for organisations to add to their baby packs for disadvantaged mums. 

These 2 little rascals will have a little sister in April and we are thrilled that we will be able to welcome our first granddaughter then. One of Stephanie's childhood friends is also expecting her first child, a girl as well, in February so I spent this afternoon making some burp cloths for both of them. I made these for the boys and they are great for cleaning up feeding spills and make great gifts for babyshowers.

I buy and cut up thin towels for these as thicker towelling  is harder to stitch neatly.  I cut towelling and flannelette (in kid's prints) 9 x 18 inches then trim the corners using a plate to round them. Then stitch around the pieces with right sides facing and leaving a gap of about 3 inches to turn them right side out. Press out the seams neatly and then top stitch around the edges, closing the 3 inch opening at the same time.

Then stitch across the cloth about 5.75 inches in from each end to make it easy to fold them into 3.

I stitched 10 this afternoon and prepared another 16 ready to stitch so I will stitch them when I have a few minutes spare. I can get 5 from each towel and then piece the leftovers to make more and use up the scraps so they aren't expensive to make and new mums we donate them to will love to have some new items for their precious newborns.

Hugs, Jan Mac 

 

Something Different.

As well as quilts we're also donating soft toys, library bags, pillowcases, baby's clothes, Santa Sacks etc and I tried my first hand pieced soft ball using a free pattern on While She Naps blog. It went together easily and there are free templates with the pattern. It will be a cute addition to our baby packs we donate.

Robin Walker and the Fishbowler Sewists from Tasmania donated many quilts and tops and these 2 beautiful tops from them have been quilted and are now ready to donate.

 

Karen Bennett from Qld has donated 13 of these lovely library bags for disadvantaged children and they will be really appreciated.  They're not allowed to borrow books if they don't have their own library bag and ready is such an important life skill that it would be sad to see some children disadvantaged because they don't have basic supplies. If you have time to make a few they will be very gratefully received.

Hugs, Jan Mac xx

More Finishes To Share.

Laurel Box from Victoria has been very busy and has donated another beautiful large quilt top which I have finished and it's  ready to donate.

Heidi McKinley from NSW donated several beautiful tops as well and this is another finish to share and donate.
 

I also found a pile of prepped hexies which have been a UFO for too long, at least 12 years, so it's been good to enjoy some hand stitching while watching the cricket. Our precious grandsons have been missing us so we're enjoying spending a few days with them each week, while still having a bit more time for quilting. 

Some Different Finishes.

It's been fun to finish off some other items to donate and the jacket with hood is for a 6 month old baby, while the tiny teddy will be donated with the baby layettes.  I need to knit more teddies too.

I also made a library bag from Op Shop jeans and a drawstring bag from fabric samples donated by the Tasmanian ladies. The fabric edges had been pinked so I  didn't have to overlook the edges to prevent fraying. 

Jo B.  had made 2 lovely  baby's bibs which will also be donated.

This baby's taggy toy was made from some lovely  fleece fabric donated by Alison Watson and I combined it with flannelette and ribbon as the different textures are stimulating for babies.  

All of the finishes have been on the list of requested items and it's been fun to finish some smaller items but I have more tops that I am also finishing, so will have more quilts to share soon.

Hugs, Jan Mac 

Busy, Busy.

While we are takinga break from full time babysitting there's been a few nanna naps but also lots more time for quilting.  This first lovely quilt was made from QAYG blocks donated by Alison Watson from Victoria and it's another lovely quilt to donate.

Sandra Orszaczky from ACT donated lots of quilt tops and this lovely children's top was one of her lovely donations.

Margaret Humphrey from Victoria donated this lovely children's top as well as the last one shown and they will make lovely play mats for babies  and then cuddly quilts as the child grows.

Robin Walker and the Fishbowler Sewists from Tasmania donated lots of quilts and tops and this is another lovely one they made.

 

I have quilted a few more today and will share them when the binding is finished.  Thank you so much for your generous support everyone. 

Hugs, Jan Mac  

Many Thanks To Beyond Meander Quilting.

Sharon Siacci of Beyond Meander Quilting has been very generously quilting more of the  larger donated tops and her quilting enhances these beautiful quilt tops.  Delwyn Rickard from Victoria donated the first fabulous top.

Coleambally Quilters (NSW) donated the second beautiful quilt top.

Laurel Box from Victoria donated the 3rd beautiful floral  top.

Barbara Dawson from Victoria donated the beautiful Churn Dash top.

Maia Butler from NSW donated the cute QAYG  "fox" blocks and I combined them with some of the QAYG blocks donated by Marie Lee and the Victorian Quilter's Association,  to name a baby play mat.

This brown quilt top was made by a member of my quilting group, AQA, and I quilted it for their Gift Quilt Program. 

This cot quilt was also quilted for AQA.

This lovely QAYG quilt was made from blocks donated by Marie Lee and the Victorian Quilter's Association and it's another bright and cheerful quilt to donate.

This last fabulous quilt top was donated by an anonymous donor from ACT  and Sharon beautifully quilted it with kangaroos which gives it a lovely Australiana feel.

Happy New Year everyone and many thanks for your generous support and donations which have helped so many people in need of help and comfort.  Let's hope 2021 is a better year for everyone.  

Hugs and stay safe, Jan Mac xx 

More Finishes.

There's been lots of nanna naps this past week as we recover from the Christmas celebrations with family but I have also finished a few more quilts made from lovely donated QAYG blocks.  This first bright and cheerful quilt was made from blocks donated by Michelle from Victoria and they contain lovely kid's prints. 

 These next 2 quilts were made from blocks donated by Marie Lee and the Victorian Quilter's Association.  The first one is smaller for a baby's play mat as they have been requested by several organisations. The padding and bright colours make these blocks ideal for the purpose. 

I should have more finishes to share tomorrow as I have been busy sewing today. Christmas fabric is on sale  at the moment, and we are planning on making Santa Sacks for kids in care for next Christmas  if anyone would like to join in. We'll also be making toiletry bags, measuring 12" x 14" and library bags for the start of the school year as kids can't borrow books without one and books are like air for me so I hate to think some kids won't be able to borrow a book because they don't have a bag.

   I plan on putting up some sites for patterns tomorrow. 

Many thanks everyone for your generous donations and support. 

Hugs, Jan Mac