Christmas Celebrations

The table with champagne, a table loaded with food, christmas bush and agapanthus all said 'Let's celebrate Christmas and good friendship '.

No sewing but lots of eating, chatting and drinking as we circled the room looking at the 2013 Round Robin quilts trying to make a decision on which was our favourite.

Grace organised the display of 17 completed 2013 Round Robin quilts, complete with their 'file' of 'who did what'. Each quilter spoke about their own quilt and the common theme was that they were delighted with the results.     The voting was very close for two quilts with only 1 vote between them.

Viewers Choice,  1st Prize, went to Ros's quilt:  June, Lindy and Beryl J worked on the 3 rounds.   All four received a quilting book  prize.

Ros's Round Robin

Viewer's Choice, 2nd Prize, went to Susan D:  Ellen, Grace and Lindy all worked on Susan's quilt. Their prize was a 'round of applause'.

Susan's quilt

Congratulations to everyone who participated,  good fun and great results and thanks to Grace and Jenny for making it happen.

2013 Christmas Challenge:

Message from Jenny - work on your playing card !  1st 'in-house' preview of these will be in May - so just 5 months to go.

'Paper' challenge from the 2013 Committee - please complete the HHQ survey:  if you don't have a copy, send me an email or give me a call.

Community donations

Grace will be delivering the presents, quilts and huge hamper to Stepping Stone house over the next week. The generosity of HHQ members is amazing.

Robyn S. will be delivering this  'stash' of cot quilts to the Grace Centre for Newborns.

Cot quilts for Grace Centre

Nothing else to say,  except have a happy and healthy festive season - find time to get in some sewing and back to Fairland Hall on Thursday 16th January 2014.

Happy Christmas and a great New Year,   Iris

Last Quilting Day for 2013: 5/12/2013

A day of activity, with lots of evidence of the skills and generosity of HHQ members.

Community activity:
Frederick, from the City of Sydney New Years Eve Organisation came to collect the Star quilt for the News Years Eve picnic. As well as receiving his own special quilting lesson from Susan H., Frederick shared with us some of the activities that happen to make the New Year's Eve picnic a special time for the kids.

Just two of the many pictures that I have,  Betty and her team have done a fabulous job of putting together our many stars.

and one for fun:  the last minute 'forgotten' label !

Then Grace and her team of shoppers organised the wrapping of the Christmas presents for Stepping Stone House. For another year, the generosity of HHQ members was  magnificent,  and together with the shopping skills of Grace, Ros, Kerry and Helena,  the kids should have a great Christmas celebration. A selection of 7 quilts will also be delivered for new kids in 2014.  The hamper of Christmas food goodies will be filled next week.

  The selection of quilts going to Stepping Stone House

Quilts and presents 

Betty delivered the Duck quilt  to the Motor Neuron Association for their early 2014 fund raising event on Thursday afternoon

The 'Duck' Quilt made by the Orange Group (appropriate don't you think ?)

.

Show and tell 

From Jill for a friend's granddaughter's birthday: she likes blue and the 'brick' design is for her dad who was a bricklayer.   

Judy has almost finished this  'modern' design for a new baby - problem, though, the new baby became two babies !     Judy had to leave early - so I got a preview before show and tell.

And that is all for this week,  but remember next week is Party Week.  See you then.
Cheers Iris

Thursday 28/11/2013

This was a good shopping day:  thank you Colleen.

The end our HHQ year is only two weeks away, so next week we wrap the presents for Stepping Stone House and hand over the finished Lord Mayor's Picnic quilt.  And our last week on 12/12 is Party Day: Round Robin Quilt display, lunch, and champagne.

A date to remember:  Michelle Jenkins of Lucky Lantern, on-line fabric and products shop is coming to visit and show us her 'wares' on February 6th.     http://luckylantern.com.au/

Community contributions:

It never ceases to amaze me how generous (and productive) our members are.   A request for a few more cot quilts to build our stash to give to the Grace Centre for very sick newborns - and each week more arrive!

Two from June and one from Jenny

Marie K put this one together and Susan St,J quilted it, ready to be given to 

Stepping Stone House next week

Show and Tell:   Grace has been inspired for Christmas .....

A duo of Christmas Trees 

                                                          

Keep stitching,      Cheers Iris

Thursday 21/11/2013

Christmas plans seem to be the order of the day, so these are some shopping opportunities which are coming our way in the next few weeks:

Christmas cakes - Robin H. is coordinating the orders for cakes being sold to support the Wayside Chapel and Exodus Foundation.   These are highly recommended based on last year's purchases and tastings.
Jewelry with Colleen - Colleen is visiting us with her selection of jewelry at Fairlane Hall  next Thursday - 28/11
Artourstudio are having their 1 day Christmas Gift Sale at 1/1 The Close, Hunters Hill on Friday 29/11. Kerry and Robyn would love you to visit.
Material Obsession, annual swap day on Saturday 7/12:  always lots of opportunities for bargains and inspiration.

Congratulations to Jessica - she has a quilt in the Tasmanian Art Quilt Exhibition touring for the next 12 months.    Sorry,  I don't have a picture,  but this is the link to the Exhibition http://www.tasquiltguild.org.au/

Show and Tell:

Five more cot quilts to add to our  Christmas delivery to Grace Center.  

Two from Susan H,  and one each from Jill, Gill and Janet.   All had fabulous baby fabrics,  with a focus on elephants!

Grace's team,  The Orange Group'  handed over their completed 'Ducks' to Betty for the Community quilt stash - I wonder who will be the lucky recipient of these fun ducks ?

Jessica showed us the quilt that she is entering in  the New York Modern Quilters, Double Wedding Ring Challenge.   

And Christmas is coming in Susi M's house -  some of her Christmas sewing !

That's all from me this week  ...  keep sewing,  Cheers Iris

News from Thursday 14/11/2013

We may all be addicted to fabric,  but when a box of avocados and bananas direct from the farm is left on the table, they disappeared even  faster than a box of fabric !  Thank you to Lindy for sharing.

Special events coming soon:

• ARTOURSTUDIO, one day Christmas Gift Shop on Friday 29th November.  Kerry Davis and Robyn Ross will present their selection of handmade jewelry at : 1/1 The Close,  Hunters Hill.
  
• Material Obsession annual Swap Day on Saturday 7/12/2013, with great sales and  workshops for 2014:  in fact, I'm told, bigger and better that ever before.  See what Kathy says about it on MO's blog

Our Stepping Stone House Christmas gifts donation:  Grace is ready to accept your donations, with plans for shopping later in the month and gift wrapping on the first Thursday of December.  

Jill gave us an update on the work and the successes of the Familial Cancer Research that she has been involved in for several years.  As we donated the proceeds of our 2004 Quilt Show to the Familial Cancer Research, it was a positive re-enforcement of the good work they are doing.

Susan H shared a National Trust article about a tour of Alysoun and Carl's home in Hunters Hill:  it included stories of Alysoun's many quilts, her sewing room and the origins of HHQ on their back veranda.   A lovely story of a super lady and a lovely home..

We also had our first travel story:  Robyn Jo shared the highlights of their caravan trip across the Nullabar to Perth:  playing golf, counting emus and enjoying the wildflowers.   

Show and Tell:    Janet did it again - two more quilts !

Her group quilt for community:  it is a very clever pattern - check out the secondary pattern of little white butterflies.

and a close up of the blocks  ...

Then the Scottie dog quilt  ...   very cute,  with 'bones' quilted in the tartan blocks.

Debbie Ing.  was asked if she would donate a quilt to their local fire brigade - with a week's notice - this was a UFO that got finished very quickly.     

A close up of some of the beautiful Japanese fabrics.

It was another busy day with lots of good things happening :  enjoy your sewing week,

Cheers Iris

November Community Day

These were just a couple of the community day activities that were happening around the room:

Robyn S and her team working on their 'Leaf quilt'

Suzi and her team are 'building' Beach Houses

Three more cot quilts added to the Grace Centre donation:  we are aiming for at least 20 for delivery before Christmas.   At least five more to go !

Robyn S. added these two cuties:

Janet made this pretty one:

Congratulations to our new Grandmas for the week:  Jenny welcomed grandson George and Audrey welcomed granddaughter Sophia.    Our birthday girls were Joy, Henny and Jenny.

We received a very lovely thank you card from the students at the school in Nepal that we supported a couple of months ago.  The card was signed by all the students and a folder with several pictures of the students with their quilts was included.  These will be filed with in community quilts album of photos.

Interesting events coming up:  

• Campbelltown quilt show this weekend at the Civic Hall in Campbelltown.  
• Jewellery by Dambar - fund raising event for Reach out Nepal.  Friday 15/11 at 7/2 Harbourview Cr., Abbotsford and Saturday 16/11 at 256 Hawhorne Pde, Haberfield. (I have more info. if needed)
• HHQ shopping with Colleen on 28/11/2013

Show and Tell:

Janet had another finished quilt to show us this week:  two weeks in a row!

Unfortunately, my picture doesn't do justice to the cute fabric.

Enjoy your week,     Cheers Iris

Thursday 31/10/2013 News

It was good to be able to applaud the Australian winners at Houston:  Rhonda Pearce, Jennifer Bowker and Helen Godden to name a few.   The full list of winners and their quilts can be found on  http://www.quilts.org/winners.html

We received a thank you card from the President of the Country Women's Association, for the donation we made to their fundraising event.    The quilt we donated was of 'wild flowers' quilt made by Robyn Jo - our knowledgeable queen of wild flowers.

Thanks to some shopping by our librarian Beryl B.,  we now have two new books in the library:  Modern Patchwork and Quilting on the go.    Both have been logged into the library and ready to be borrowed.

Robyn Jo gave us an update on the Coolatah Quilters:  they raised $3,900 for the Prostate Association  from their 'Socks and Jocks' exhibition and Trivia night.  Robyn's entry - I wish I had a picture -  was selected to hang in the Prostate Association's office.

Show and Tell :     Thank you to Suzi M who was our  photographer this week.

Gil went way outside her norm to made this pretty quilt in liberty fabrics:   the Eiffel Tower backing just worked so well.  

(Sorry, but Grelims have turned some of the pictures the wrong way and despite all my efforts, they have won !)

(The Eiffel Towers look more like Leaning Towers of Piza!)

Janet hand pieced this huge quilt - 2000 plus pieces.  Susan St J quilted it for her.

some detail ...

Joy shared her flannel  'Splats'

Thank you all,   have a fun sewing week and see you on Thursday for Community Day,
Cheers Iris

News from Thursday 24/10/2013

The quilt top for the Lord Mayor's Picnic is now finished.

Congratulations to everyone who worked on this quilt. It looks wonderful.

Jaquie S. has finished her Elephant baby's quilt.

Elva has made a gorgeous hat with ribbon embroidery...too nice to wear!

And for an exercise in colour, check out Robyn S's embroidery threads

News from Thursday 17/10/2013

Events coming up include:

• Mosman Barn Quilters 3rd Exhibition at the Scout Hall, beside the Mosman Ferry - Saturday and Sunday this weekend (19th and 20th).
• Inala Fair at Cherrybrook on Sunday 27/10/2012 - corner of Castle Hill and Franklin Roads:  the quilt that we donation is part of their fair fundraising.

Mark the date:

• Our 2014 Retreat has been booked for the weekend of Friday 16th and 17th May at Redleaf in Blackheath .

Jenny shared some 'words of wisdom' to help with inspiration for the design of the playing cards quilts - they will be officially published by Ailsa in the Quarterly Newsletter: essentially that means, I didn't write them down, so I can't quote them here!   Though I did get the 'wisdom'.

Show and Tell:

Deb used her jelly roll quilt from the NSW Quilt Show 'jelly roll race' to practice and showcase lots of machine quilting designs - it looked good. 

every row had a different design 

Marie K had fun playing with ducks:  they are cute.

and I managed to finish a top from one of my many UFOs -  more hexagons and I still have an over-supply of red fabric !

Next week I will be away,  so enjoy the next two weeks.   Cheers Iris

A Thank you day:

Thursday was a day of ' thank yous':  we received a  thank you card for our quilt donation to the Annual Fair at Inala and a thank you email for our donation to the Relay for life Fund Raiser.      Betty was back from her holiday,  so she brought in the thank you parcel which had been sent to her from Sunshine Homes: we shared the chocolates and the other 'goodies' in the box will be used as a  'lucky door' prize at our end of year Christmas lunch on Thursday 12th December.

Reminder from Robyn S:  the need for cot quilts for the Grace Centre continues.  So if you need a quick quilt gratification - whip up a cute 26 inch square, all cotton baby cot quilt.    It would be good to have a new supply ready for delivery before Christmas.   Robyn has the cotton wadding that ready for use.

Community donation:   this is from an over-achiever !!   Remember last week - 7 days ago -  I showed a picture of work in progress:

This is it on Thursday  ...  Grace works wonders !  It is finished - even the hand quilting and binding !  Great quilting with variegated crochet cotton - there is some in the cupboard for everyone to use.   The fabric was a gift to Laurel from an 'old'  HHQ girl,  now at HobbySew ( I hope I've got those facts right, Grace - if not correct me in a comment, please !)

Show and Tell ...  a wagga, started by Gil and Doreen at the 'working with wool felt' workshop, and then picked up and finished by Grace.   The hand quilting lines add order to the random shapes of the wool felt. Illustrates what you can do with 'just little bits' and a creative imagination!

And a 2nd  'exhibition' quilt in two weeks by our other prolific quilter, Jessica.   The theme is 'Water, Warp and Weft'.

Thank you to Alison for being this week's photographer - I forgot my camera.

Have a productive sewing week,  Cheers Iris

Textile Exhibition

The  Metropolitan museum of Art has a marvellous exhibition of textiles.

Interwoven Globe -The Worldwide Textile Trade, 1500–1800

Interwoven Globe

Community Day Thursday

It was noted that Fairland Hall seemed to be quieter than normal, not sure why,  but I can only assume it was because there was lots of community activity going on.   These are some of the pictures that I captured:

Robyn S, June and Jenny working on this 'leafy' design

Hexagons in progress: Meg, Josie and Lin

Kerry, Grace and team working out how many ways to play with half-square triangles

and a snap-shot of some secret community work, by the community team  ...

It was a birthday bonanza with Alison, Janet, Marie G and me all celebrating birthdays  this long weekend.

We had an email from Betty to tell us about a 'thank you' parcel that she received  from Sunshine homes. They had a very successful raffle of the 'Blue Quilt' made by Marie K. which we donated earlier in the year.

After enjoying the 'good shopping' from Material Obsession during September,  we can now benefit from good shopping at Quiltsmith:  25% of fabric from Tuesday 8th October through to the end of October.

Show and Tell:    two new quilts have been donated to our community stash ...

Another donation from Pamela R:  this one is velvet 

And from Ros  ...  brights !

(sorry - you need to turn on your side to see it !)

but the detail is OK ....

 Have a great weekend - enjoy the ships and see you Thursday.   Cheers Iris