Good to be back

Hullo Everyone,

 I must apologise about the Blog last week. I forgot to press the 'Publish' button. Hopefully I won't do that again! Alison kindly sent it out on Thursday once I discovered that no-one had received it.

How about our Helena! As you know, Helena participated in her first Triathlon which was held in New Zealand last weekend. Helena did brilliantly, coming 15th out of 40 in her group. She looked marvelous on Thursday and not a bit tired. What a feat! Congratulations Helena!

We held our AGM this week. Kerry has emailed the Minutes out to every member.

June has had shoulder surgery and is now in rehab. We hope she will be able to call in soon to see us. We have very much missed having her at our meetings.

I have had a query about our show this year. As you are all aware we are living in very uncertain times. We are working towards having the show at this stage. I will keep you updated as the news changes.

The latest NRMA Open Road magazine has a centrefold of baby kangaroos in pouches made from donated fabric. It is a cute photo and wonderful that so many sewers joined to make them. Ellen's daughter was very much involved with the organising and many quilters donated fabric.

Joy and Elva held a mini quilt show at Montefiore last Tuesday. It was a great hit with the residents and a lot of fun. They are planning on doing it again.
Elva is doing her best to organise a bus to bring some residents to our show.
I will add the photos in the next blog.

Show and Tell:

The quilts below are being donated to the Fire Victims in the Lake Conjola area:

A Wagga from Gill and Doreen:

 Two below from Grace:

 From Carolyn and Margaret:

Ann made this one for a friend in the USA. 

 Ann is keeping this one:

Another one for Lake Conjola:

Until next week .......

Back to Fairland Hall

Hullo Everyone,

It is very good news that we are back at Fairland Hall next week. We have had 7 weeks at the Scout Hall. It wasn't ideal but we made the best of it. I particularly enjoyed the mixed seating where I found myself next to someone I wouldn't normally sit with. Next week we will go back to our usual groups but I do hope we can move around the room and mix more.

Dates for your diaries:

Our AGM is this week at 12 noon, 12 March.

Dates for our quilt show - August 6,7,8,9.

Also dates for our retreat in May 1,2,3. We have 21 girls coming so far which is excellent!

Hunters Hill Primary School:

I received a phone call recently to ask if we accepted Commissions. As we are a non profit organisation I explained that we did not. I asked what it was that they were after.
The local Hunters Hill Primary school will be celebrating its 150 year anniversary in September.
They were wondering if we could help make a quilt or wall hanging for them.
We have decided a wall hanging would be more appropriate and we will base the design on their 150 year badge. The badge has a picture of the Jacaranda tree in the school grounds that is particularly significant.
Iris will organise the project. Hopefully we will have time, given that it is already a very busy year for us.

Quilts for Lake Conjola area:

As you are aware, Robyn S. has asked for quilts which she will donate personally to the people in the lake Conjola area.

I had a phone call from a lovely lady living in a Retirement Village nearby, to ask if we could use two quilts that she had made.The timing was perfect. I picked them up and you will see the photographs below.

Quilt Shows you may like to visit:

March 26 - Nelson Bay Quilters
April 3-5 - Fairholme Quilters

Show and Tell:

Baby Quilt from Susan H.

One from Jenny

Two from Bev

One from Gill.

For Community from Jenny

Robyn Jnst. two for Mother's Refuge:

Two from lady in Retirement Village fro fire victims:

A Baby Kangaroo

Hullo Everyone,

We had a bigger rollup at the Scout Hall this week. It is really very pleasant at the moment with the cooler weather. It has been our home for 6 weeks now. Hopefully we will be back in Fairland Hall before too long.

Elva received a photo of a baby kangaroo that has been rescued after the fires. It is sitting in a pouch that was made from some of Cheryl's fabric. The carers have named it "Pip" (after Cheryl's daughter) and another has been called Cheryl.
Cheryl would be thrilled. I can see her smiling and chuckling about it!
The joey is so cute.

Quilts for those who have  lost everything in the fires:

Robyn S. has a holiday home on the South Coast near lake Conjola. This was devastated by the recent fires. Many residents have been left with nothing.
Robyn has asked us to contribute any quilts that we have to help. As she knows many in the area, she would like to take them and distribute them personally.

Robyn suggests a king single size which is 107 x 203 cm.

Teenage girls and boys particularly are hurting. Remember that the South Coast will start getting cooler now that Autumn is here so think 'warmth' too when deciding what to contribute.

Helena and her Triathlon:

Helena will be leaving for New Zealand on Wednesday to enter into her first triathlon to be held on March 7.
We all wish her the very best and lots of luck and love from us all. What a tremendous effort!

Show and Tell:

Ros made this very colourful quilt using the 'quilt as you go' method. First photo is the front. The second is the back of the quilt.
The quilt is for community and will go to a very lucky and deserving person.
Thank you Ros.

Below is a sample of the Contemporary Raffle quilt for our show in August. Iris designed it. We all contributed blocks and Grace will quilt it. I love it.

Below we have a very pretty baby quilt from Beryl R. ready to go to Westmead.

Below are 4 baby quilts from Carolyn. Carolyn has such a knack for colour. All for Westmead too .

Until next week .....

Reminders and Housekeeping

Hullo Everyone,

We had 23 members at the Scout Hall this week. The lighting is excellent and the hall is smaller which allows for more banter between the tables which I enjoy. We seem to move around more to chat. It was a very pleasant meeting.

No word on when we can return to Fairland Hall. Jenny will send out an email to everyone as soon as we have word from Council.

Retreat:

Narelle handed out the details for our retreat in May. If anyone would like the information, please email Narelle and she will forward a copy to you. We require a minimum of 20.

 As it is our show year, it will be a great opportunity to work on your show quilt.

Quilts to sell :

Suzie has asked me to remind everyone that she needs quilts to sell at the show. We usually have 900 or so people attend the show and many of the quilts are sold.

Entry Forms for our show:

The entry forms for our show will be handed out or emailed on April 9. These are to be returned by May 7.
Everyone is expected to enter a quilt in our show.
There are maximum and minimum sizes. These details will be on the form.
Please be aware that anything you have copied or been influenced by in the making of your quilt, must be acknowledged.

QuiltNSW Show:

The Guild will be holding their annual show from 17-21 June at the International Exhibition Centre Sydney, Darling Harbour.
If you wish to enter a quilt in their show, you will have to apply on line by 9 March.

Hunters Hill Quilters have applied for a Stand at the show for Friday 19 June. Days for Girls will share the Stand with us.
We will also enter our two Raffle Quilts in the show.

Baby Wadding:

Jenny has the wadding for any baby quilts. Perhaps contact Jenny before the  meeting to make sure.

No Show and Tell this week, Sorry!

Until next week .......

Homeless for another week

Hullo Everyone,

We are still in the Scout Hall - our fourth week. I have heard from Council. They cannot give me a date for our return to Fairland hall.
Unfortunately the volume of damage to the Child Care Centre is more extensive than previously thought which is most disappointing.
However we are making the best of the Scout Hall.
We do miss our cupboards and the members who do not find it easy to come to the venue.

We have however made the meetings fun and our usual camaraderie is ever present.

A special thank you to Suzie. Every week Suzie carries the tea and coffee bits and pieces to the hall for our morning tea.We appreciate this very much.

Contemporary Raffle Quilt:

Iris surprised us with the contemporary raffle quilt this week. Iris had spent the last very rainy weekend mostly on her hands and knees, putting the blocks together. An amazing effort.
I must say the quilt looks fantastic. I am sure we will be selling many raffle tickets as so many people would love to win the quilt.
A huge thank you to Iris.

Cheryl's Fabric:

For those of you who remember Cheryl, Elva sent me news from Cheryl's daughter.
She donated a pile of Cheryl's fabric to a sewing bee making pouches fro wildlife injured in the bushfires.
They were thrilled to get such a donation.
They made 610 pouches and basket pads. They especially liked the bright fabrics as this helps them identify each animal.
Below I have included a photo for you to see.

Retreat:

Important information about our retreat in May.

The dates are 1-3 May 2020.

The venue requires a minimum of 20. Also the cost has risen by $40 this year.

Narelle will be handing out the information soon.

Show and Tell:

Lindy joined us this week with a Baby quilt - lots of little Scottie dogs.

Until next week ....

A Day of Surprises

Hi Everyone,

We had a great meeting this week. As the weather was cooler more of our members arrived.
It was a thrill to have Meg back after her long "illness".
Then Laurel arrived! What a treat for us all.

Community Grant:

Akiko surprised me with a letter and cheque from Council. The Community Grant I had applied for last year on our behalf was accepted. We received the full amount of $800 for our wadding purchases.

Unexpected mail:

We also received a lovely letter from a mother who had received one of our Baby Quilts for her son at Westmead.
Her son was born prematurely and was transferred to Prince of Wales Hospital for treatment on his heart.
The letter thanked us for the beautiful quilt she received. She said it brought them a lot of joy in their dark and worried times.
I have replied to her as we were very taken by her plight. It is so good to hear that we were able to contribute a small amount of comfort to the family.

QuiltNSW Events:

Grace mentioned the Friday Showcases that the Guild holds on the first Friday of every month.
They have interesting guests and it makes for an informative morning. You can always have a lunch somewhere afterwards in the city.
 Anna Brown was the guest on Friday 7 February this week.

This year the Guild Show is from 17-21 June. The deadline for anyone wanting to enter a quilt is March 9. Paid up Guild members only can enter a quilt.

Grace also mentioned another exhibition:
"Play it by Ear" exhibition by Sophie and Jane Witter. This is at the Watchhouse, 179 Darling Street, Balmain.
Opening Friday night 5-8 pm 14th to 16th February, 10am to 4pm.

All in all - a great day!

Show and Tell:

A baby quilt from Beryl B. - all handstitched.

4 Baby quilts from Carolyn.  So colourful.

 Laurel made this quilt. Akiko has kindly offered to finish the binding for her.

Laurel made this cot quilt from orphan blocks at our Retreat in September. It will go to Robyn's charity.

Until next week ....

A Cooler Day

Hi Everyone,

The weather was kinder to us this week, although it was still quite warm in the Scout Hall.
22 members gathered. We set the tables up in a long row, which I liked. We normally sit with the same friends each week. With this different arrangement, we get to mix more and chat to members you would not normally speak to. I really enjoyed the morning.

Thank you to Debbie A. and Helena for morning tea. With the heat we don't eat as much so the light morning teas are perfect.

Deadline for the black and white blocks:

Message from Iris to ask that your blocks be in next week. Jenny and Iris put the ones we have received on the design wall this week. I must say they are pretty spectacular. Thank you everyone for contributing so quickly.

Achieve at Balmain:

They are looking to finalise a permanent outlet in Balmain. Many of us visit for woollen fabrics for Waggas and other bits and pieces so this good news.

Community Day Postponed:

As we are betwixt and between at the moment, we will sew as normal next week. Our normal Community Days will resume once we are back in the hall.

Retreat:

Mark in your diaries that the retreat this year is the first weekend in May.

Show and Tell:

 Only a couple of baby quilts this week.

 This one is made with 'Quilt as you go" blocks from Sheila. Sheila has used fabrics designed by Kathy Doughty.

 Jenny has made this very colourful baby quilt using techniques learned during a workshop with Alaskan quilter, Maria Shell.

Until next week ....