Successful AGM

 Hi Everyone,

We had a successful AGM this week.  Thank you to Ros and Iris for chairing the meeting. In 2020 we had a paid up membership of 55.

We hung the Show Raffle quilts for Iris to photograph for publicity. Respecting the social distancing rules not all of us could be photographed together unfortunately.

A reminder that 2021 fees are now due. $110 to be paid online or given to Akiko.

I was very impressed with the reports given at the meeting. They were all excellent. Thank you to all committee members.

We are going to have a Show Committee meeting on March 11 at 9 am. If anyone has any input about the show please talk to me or Alison.  

Show and Tell:

A final puppet shot - Geppetto

Baby quilt from Bev

Baby quilt from Judy

Three cot quilts from Laurel for the Robyn's refuge.

Val gave us a rather large quilt to be finished. Due to its size, Ros decided to make it into two quilts.

A sterling effort Ros. Thank you.

The wall hanging I promised a week or so ago. Elva is working it for a friend. A Wendy William's design.

Until next week .......

Special Photos

 Hi Everyone,

We had 26 members this week. 

A reminder that the AGM is next week. We can now have 6 members per group so most of you will be able to attend.

Also a surprise visit from Pamela Reeves. Pamela dropped in 4 quilts to be donated. 

Jacky Smith also stopped in to say she will not be back to quilting as she has severe arthritis in her hands. I do hope she can pop in now and again just to say hullo.

A friend of mine went to see The New Quilt exhibition in Windsor last week. She and her husband were in awe of the work on display. I have some photos below.

Perhaps some of you can go together and make a day of it. Exhibition from 6 February to 11 April at Hawkesbury Regional Gallery (top floor), 300 George Street, Windsor.

Plenty of parking and a large space for social distancing. Hours Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 3pm. Closed Tuesday and Public Holidays.

It is also walking distance from Windsor Railway Station.

The Sydney Craft and Quilt Show is currently scheduled for 30 June to 4 July at the Sydney Showgrounds. Quilt NSW are currently reviewing the flow-on consequences for their show this year.

Show and Tell:

The four quilts from Pamela. Grace machine quilted them.

Photos from The New Quilt exhibition. So much detail and imagination. A wonderful display.

This one is not a 'real' lady looking at the quilt but is a part of it. The artist chose a pregnant lady as the background quilt is of seeds ready for germination.

Until next week .....

More Puppets

 Hi Everyone,

We had a group of 25 this week. It seemed quieter than normal but lots happening nevertheless.

It is good to see both Jonquil and Robyn returning regularly. It is Doreen's birthday at the end of the month. I have a card for her. Those present this week wrote in it. I will bring it again next week for those who were not rostered on. Gill said Doreen loves reading the messages and remembering everyone.

Sandy has found an unfinished quilt from Val in the cupboard. Val had sewn oodles of stretched hexagons together. Alison and Sandy have halved the very long rows. For next community day we will ask for volunteers to sew a row or two together. It will be a very pretty quilt when finished.

I was very taken with a Wendy Williams piece that Elva was working on this week. It was originally started by one of the elderly residents at the Montefiore residence. Elva is finishing it for her. I forgot to take a photo but will do so next week if Elva has it with her. 

AGM 18th February. We cannot accommodate everyone to attend but if you would like to watch on Zoom let me know and Helena will set it up.

Show and Tell:

Sheila made three baby quilts last week using leftover blocks and fabric for a bigger quilt. Many remarked on her machine quilting. It is very effective.

Alison's puppet friend Bruce bought a 3D printer, used Alison's old Apple Mac and 3D printed the bag, hat and staff for Don Quixote. There seems no end to his talent. Amazing!

Doreen's doily in full view as well.

Until next week .....

Another Happy Gathering

 Hi Everyone,

Thanks to Deb for standing in for me last week. My husband  and I had a 3 day break on the South Coast. Very pleasant and relaxing. 

Despite the rain, we had 28 members come this week. There is always so much to talk about.  We are very lucky to have such a group.  A chance to leave the world's troubles behind and simply enjoy each others' company.

AGM: 

Kerry has emailed the agenda for our AGM to be held on 18 February.

If you are not rostered on that day, Helena will organise a zoom meeting for those who would like to watch from home.

Special congratulations to June and her husband who celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on 27 January. 

Marie G had a clean out this week and came across photos from a fire that burnt the interior of the Hunters Hill Town Hall in 1978. The council relocated to Fairland Hall for their meetings and business until the hall was gutted and renovated.

Robyn reminded us that Mothers Day was coming in May. She would like to take many baby quilts to Westmead before the date. The quilts are popular as gifts on the day for the new mothers.

Show and Tell:

Carolyn brought in 10 more baby quilts. All lovely fabrics.

Iris has finished this one. All hand quilted.

A quilt from Grace. Grace quilted it with vertical lines which gave it a nice soft feel.

Jenny has finished her Bonnie Hunter design quilt for a family member. It is a very large quilt. A major effort Jenny.

Sheila made a Feathered Star block a while ago. She then decided to finish the quilt using shot cottons and a pretty turquoise colour. A lovely quilt.

Until next week ........

Beautiful Baby Quilts.

 We had 25 keen quilters attending this Thursday. It was great to welcome back Christie, Robyn J. and Jonquil, who we had not seen for awhile..

Gill gladdened us with the good news that Doreen is travelling along well and is looking forward to leaving care to return home.

Our AGM is coming up on February 18th and we will try to run a concurrent Zoom session for those not ‘rostered on’ that day.

We had a lovely thank you note from a grateful grandmother whose grandson received one of our quilts via Robyn’s granddaughter, Ash..

Heather’s grandson arrived happy and healthy, and will enjoy his Christmas stocking next year.

Sandy was able to add two more Community quilts to our donation pile. One, a pretty pastel HST quilt, was made by Ros’s cousin, who wished it to go to a women’s refuge.Beryl donated a wonderfully colourful quilt.

Grace had made 3 lovely baby quilts for The Grace Centre. Look at those beautiful, stitched bees and butterflies!

Alison returned to quilting after her brief,but successful, foray into puppet costumery and showed us two beautiful baby quilts-one for her friend’s granddaughter, using Brigitte Giblin’s snowflake design papers, and one for another friend’s baby granddaughter. She also had made a gorgeous outfit for her granddaughter from a Kaffe Fassett fabric featuring pomegranates. A sundress and bloomers...fabulous.

Looking forward to seeing more of our wonderful needlework next week.

Deb x

We are back

 Hi Everyone,

15 of us returned to quilting this week. Good to see Akiko back, safe and well from her trip. Lots of news to catch up with everyone. It was a good day.

Deb has been in touch with Jacky who hasn't come to meetings for a long time. She is suffering badly from arthritis and is unsure if she can return. Deb suggested that she call in just to say Hi whenever she feels like it. 

Sandy sorted all the quilts in the cupboards and made sure she had catalogued all of them. We have quite a few ready to give away. Iris mentioned that she has noticed an increase in the number of  'likes' we have had on Facebook which is good to hear.

We have three Life Members this year. Both Gill and Alison were there this week to receive their new badges. Alison and Gill joined on the same day. Robyn Jms is also a Life Member. I will save her badge until she comes.

Alison had a special surprise for us this week. She has a friend who is a Marionette Puppeteer and Painter. A Marionette Puppet is controlled from above using wires and strings. We all remember the Punch and Judy shows from our childhood. 

Alison brought in the Duke of Mantua puppet her friend Bruce has made. She then proceeded to show two puppets that she had dressed. One is Geppetto from Pinocchio and the other the Don Quixote.

Alison bought fabric and fake leather from Spotlight. Don Quixote had a doily that Doreeen had given her a while ago around his neck. Gill took a photo to show Doreen.

We were totally enthralled with such a special treat and filled with wonder at Alison's expertise.

In all the excitement I totally forgot to photograph the 10 Baby Quilts from Carolyn. We have now received 60 from her, all made during lockdown. Thank you Carolyn.

Show and Tell:

Geppetto

Don Quixote

Duke of Mantua

Until next week ....

Happy Holidays

 Hi Everyone,

We finished our quilting year on a high note with our Christmas party. It was a little different this year and some members think that we should use the same configuration next year.  Ros and Narelle's table had the best decoration and food. I fear they have set a precedent so I expect a lot of competition next year!

It was wonderful to have 32 attend. Marie K brought Moina along and it was so good to see her. Also Karen joined us which was a nice surprise as she has not come to any meetings since the lockdown.

A great big thank you to Narelle for organising and serving the drinks. Ros helped her too. Narelle handled it with aplomb and made sure no one went without some form of liquid in front of them. Narelle made a delicious fruit punch as well this year which was very popular.

I read out messages from Suzie L, Lindy and Laurel - all wishing us a Happy Christmas and New Year.

Felicity contacted Judy S. to say that she was thinking of us. She was worried about coming as she has been in and out of hospital so often this year.

Gill organised a card to be signed by us all for Doreen.

Robyn S took 103 quilts to Westmead. This brings the total number given to them this year to 150. There are 33 more ready for next year.

Marie G made 40 little fabric Christmas trees for everyone. These were handed out with the Lucky Door prize tickets. I called her yesterday to say there were 8 left over and did she want them. She said no keep them so I have given 3 to my grandchildren for their trees and the remaining 5, I will distribute to friends.

Sandy handed out more of the Christmas Challenge kits. Many had been finished and returned to her already.

Of course the highlight of the day was June's game. June had many more tricky questions again this year. It was great fun as usual. Nobody was wearing pink undies! June announced that this is definitely her last year! She has two deputies in mind who will take it over from next year. I think though it will always be known as "June's Game".

Thank you June for doing it every year for so long. It is always the highlight of our Christmas Party.

Show and Tell:

June's quilting friend Bronwyn has given us 5 beautiful quilts to be sold at our show. Meg has kindly offered to take them to Suzie L for safe keeping.

Only parts of the quilts are shown:

I wish you and your families a Happy Christmas and I look forward to a brand new year in 2021 that will hopefully be more normal.

Keep well and take care.

We start again on January 14, 2021. I will send out an email to everyone before then, re numbers who can attend etc. depending of course on the status of the virus.

 Until next time.........