Some Changes

 Hi Everyone,

First thank you to Deb for taking care of the blog last week and well done too.

Grace showed us a different way of making perfect circles for applique and Ann brought in many jars of her cumquat marmalade to share.

We had a committee meeting on Thursday morning. A few changes have been decided.

* Kitchen:

Many of our members have expressed an interest in not reinstating morning teas when the current restrictions are over. We have become used to bringing our own lunch and thermos or drink.

We have decided however to have the ability to boil the kettles for hot water. There will be hand wipes next to the kettles for everyone to wipe the handles down before and after each use. I know we have the zip hot water already in the kitchen but I do not find this very palatable. Of course if you are worried about using the kettle, continue to bring your own thermos or drink.

* Hours change:

As most of us leave just before 2.00 pm we have decided to reduce our hours from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.

Originally the hall was opened at 10.00 am to allow those bringing morning tea to set up before everyone arrived at 10.30 am.

Most of us arrive at 10 or shortly thereafter. This will save $500 in rent per year.

* Library Books:

Sue and Alison are going through our library one shelf per week and culling many of the very old books that have not been used in years. You have the opportunity to take any you would like to keep. Others are going to Achieve or recycling.

* Life Members:

Life Member badges were given to Beryl R. and Robyn Jnst. this week. 25 years of continuous service is a real achievement. Congratulations to you both.

When I looked at the number of members coming up for Life Membership I was startled at how many there will be over the next few years.

We rely on your annual membership fees each year to keep us viable. As you are aware we have rent to pay, insurance fees, cost of batting and many small expenses. It is especially critical this year without the benefit from our show. Your continuing contribution provides necessary financial support to the group.

* Christmas Party:

I will announce details for our Christmas party closer to the end of November. Our last day will be 10th December this year. We will have the 'party' on both 3rd and 10th December so everyone will have a chance to come.

Show and Tell:

Four baby quilts from Beryl

Baby quilt from Marie K.

6 Baby quilts from Sue D.

Cushion from Sandy

"Guitar Quilt" from Grace for Charity

Iris has been using her stash of green fabric. To her dismay she still has lots left! This one for Community.

Community quilt from Marie K.

Community quilt from Ros

Robyn Jnst used a panel to make a cot quilt

A very big quilt from Robyn for a special friend. It was too big to photograph easily so here is a sample.

Until next week .........

WHICH WAY IS UP?

Hi Everyone,

We had 24 members attend our usual Thursday sewing meeting. It was a quiet news day. One highlight was the appearance of Judy and Iris on the front cover of the local newspaper, The Weekly Times. The article marked the Sesquicentenary of the Hunters Hill Public School and the presentation of a commemoration quilt made by HHQ to the School to mark its 150 year anniversary. This newspaper will go into a time capsule created by the School to be opened in 2070.

Sandy thanked members who had made stars and nine patches ready to be made into a quilt over the next few weeks. These blocks will go up on the design wall next week so that Grace and Sandy can finalise their positions into a very pretty and colourful quilt, which will be a likely candidate for one of the Sylvanvale quilts.

Sue and Alison did some culling of library books and a few of us rescued several of these books otherwise destined for recycling. 

Iris had finished a partly sewn quilt top that had been donated to HHQ by a retiring member. Iris deftly modernised it and created a beautiful quilt that will go into the Community quilt pile or perhaps to Sylvanvale. The quilt did prompt some discussion as to which way is up. The picture below is one alternative!

Caroline not only brought in another ten baby quilts, but also put together a wall hanging from a panel and Dresden plate blocks that she rescued from Val’s pile last week. 

Helena led a hearty Happy Birthday chorus for one of the Debs whose birthday was on the day. 

It was with sadness that we heard the news of the passing of life member Norma McMorran in August.

Until next week...

A Little Quieter

 Hi Everyone,

As it is school holidays our group was smaller this week. Birthday wishes for all the October members.

A reminder about the 7 quilts for Women and 6 for Men for Sylvanvale.  Refer to last week's blog for details.

Grace has completed the top for the 'Street and Houses' quilt that we contributed to during our lockdown. We are going to hang it in the Hall as a reminder of this year. It looks so good. Those who were there on Thursday had fun looking for their block. I am forever amazed how random blocks fit together so well. I will post a photo when it is finally finished.

Sandy and Grace used the design wall to arrange the wonky star and nine patch blocks from lockdown. Lots of help from everyone but not finalised.

We had a lovely visit from Val Nelson this week. Her daughter has been helping to clear out Val's quilting fabrics and bits and pieces.

Val is looking great but was disappointed that some of her quilting friends were not there this week to talk to.

Sandy did a great job sorting through everything and storing some of the fabric in our cupboards. Some backing fabric too which is always useful. Also some new cutters etc that will be put to good use.

Val had started a Japanese quilt which Ros has taken to finish. There was a large bag of stretched hexagons that had been sewn together in strips. Most of us were able to find some fabric to use.

Slim pickings this week for the Blog but here goes!

Show and Tell:

A baby quilt from Deb T.

One of Rhonda Taylor's tops ready for quilting.

A play mat/tummy time quilt I made  for a friend's baby.

Some flower photos from my garden - Rhododendron.

Dendrobium Orchids 

Clivea

Until next week .....

Busy Meeting

 Hi Everyone,

We had a busy day this week with lots of baby quilts to show. More members are returning which is good to see. We still need to stick to our 4 per group though to abide by the Government rules.

Robyn Jnst contacted Sandy during the week about an organisation called Sylvanvale. They support 750 children and adults with disability throughout the Sydney metropolitan area and the Blue Mountains to live and participate in the community as they choose.

Robyn's granddaughter who is finishing her nursing degree pops in to help dress and care for residents before she goes off to her nursing lectures, etc.

She has requested us to make 7 quilts for Women and 6 quilts for Men using bright colours.

A total of 20 will be wrapped as Christmas presents and given to 11 women and 9 men. Ages from 20's to 37 i.e. young adults.

If your group can make one or two we would be very happy to donate them to such a worthy cause. 

Size - single bed size. 

Show and Tell:

Carolyn brought in 10 baby quilts. She has made many and will bring 10 each week.

Ros has made 4 baby quilts.

Sue D. finished the hand quilting on this one.

Iris finished quilting the Jacob's ladder lockdown quilt.

3  of the baby quilts from Ros

Until next week.......

Second Birthday Celebration

 Hi Everyone,

We had a second celebration for our birthday this week. There were quite a few members who had not been last week and have in fact not been so far this year. Narelle and Kerry hosted the event and everyone enjoyed it.

We had 28 this week. Please be aware at all times of social distancing . It is easy to become complacent but we do need to be vigilant. We keep the windows open to allow as much fresh air as possible and self catering works well.

I received a phone call from Betty Wilson's daughter-in-law this week. Betty is in a care home and is 96 years young. Many of you remember her. Her daughter-in-law, Karen has a number of quilts and wall hangings to donate to us from Betty. She will pop in for a visit one Thursday.

Joy brought in two buckets full of her wonderful lemons for us all to share. Thank you Joy.

Ann asked if anyone had a cumquat tree for her to make jam. She was inundated and brought in some of her bounty.

Akiko is ordering more wadding.

Robyn delivered 47 baby quilts to Westmead. We have another lot ready to go.

Show and Tell:

Kerry has finished her wagga and it looks great.

We had 21 baby quilts to show this week. First lot from Alison.

Next from Lindy.

Sheila used many of her scraps to make this lovely quilt. It is the Arkansas Crossroads pattern. It would make a great Community quilt.

Robyn finished one of the 13 quilts that were donated by Rhonda T.

It is for Community.

Baby quilts from Grace.

Until next week ....

38th Birthday

 Hi Everyone,

Last week and this week we are celebrating our 38th year. We should feel proud that our group has been going for so long. We have made hundreds of quilts and waggas over this time and made many donations to a number of charities. We are celebrating over two weeks so hopefully everyone can join in the celebration as we cannot all gather in a single group.

Susan St J. called in. She has been very ill and spent some time in the Chris O'Brien cancer hospital. We gave Susan a wall hanging that the hospital wanted and also a quilt for them to raffle.

Baby quilts: Robyn had some good news. Westmead will take our baby quilts again. In fact the hospital called Robyn to say they had none! We can certainly fix that with so many of us making them during the lockdown.

Meg had a brochure advertising the Great Australian Craft Show 6. It will be online from Thursday 10  to Sunday 13 September. There will be 120 craft shops, event specials and demonstrations. All exhibitors will be online to chat.

Website: https://gacs.craftalive.com.au/

FB Live Feed :www.facebook.com/craftalive

Show and Tell:

Iris and Robyn were given these soft fabrics and have made a quilt for Community.

Two from Carolyn for Community.

Sue Stev. has made this lovely quilt for her granddaughter.

Sandy made this 'happy' quilt during lockdown.

A wagga from Meg for her grandson. His great grandfather had a tailor shop and many of the fabrics are samples from there. 

A perfect wattle  in full bloom on my walk this morning.

A community quilt from Carolyn.

Until next week ....

Full House

 Hi Everyone,

We had a full complement this week with the return of Alison, Meg and Lin.

I had forgotten the August birthdays but caught up with August and September birthdays - 11 members all up. Happy Birthday.

The day started for Iris and me meeting a mother from Hunters Hill Public School who had originally approached us with a commission for the school's 150th Anniversary. She had organised a meeting with the headmistress and year 6 students at 9:30 for us to hand over the wall hanging.

The children were delightful and asked many questions about the making of it ( I posted a photo on last week's blog). They were quite taken with the design. It was a great success.

As it is our Birthday month in September - 38th in fact - we will have a celebratory drink and individual cupcake for next week 10th and the following week 17th so nearly all of us will be able to celebrate.

Don't forget to bring a glass. I will have paper cups as backup.

During the morning we had a visit from The Womens' Refuge- Sallianne and Ruth. We donated 8 quilts to them. Sallianne spoke to us about the refuge and how the lockdown has affected them. She reiterated how much the quilts mean to those who come to the shelter. To be able to go to their cupboard and choose a quilt they like and then be able to keep it when they leave, means so much.

Well done everyone.

Suzie sent me an update on our other charity, Days for Girls. The group has not had meetings since March. Some ladies are continuing to sew kit components at home. There is no information to date as to when they may be able to return to in-person workshops at the scout hall.

Lord Mayer's Picnic Quilt:

Iris has been informed that they will not require a quilt this year. This is the first time in many years that we haven't had a commission from them.

A reminder about Community quilts:

The quilts we make for Robyn - a mother and child refuge - require labels to be attached. They are the same labels we use for the Baby Quilts.

Show and Tell:

Grace is finishing a beautiful quilt that Adrienne had not completed.  Grace has machine and hand quilted it. I took a photo of the centre to show the exquisite work.

The centre block from a Wagga made by Sandy.

Jenny made this colourful round quilt for a granddaughter using a 9 patch block and a sheet. It is just as colourful on the back. 

Sheila had this lap quilt hidden away unfinished for a long time. Now finally rescued it is very pretty in blue.

Alison found this photo from our 1989 quilt show. She loves the patchwork outfits. There was also a statue of a Sphinx on the stage! Unfortunately the resolution is not very good.

Until next week .....