With the tragic fires that have been happening in Australia I want to help...
It's not much..
When we make quilts for charities the men aren't thought about as much. Our fabrics we use are more pretty and floral. This time I am focussing on males. Checks."
I have pulled all these check fabrics that have been donated to me to make QAYG blocks for the GIPPSLAND FIRES.
Jan Mac assembles QAYG blocks and sends them for Charity. I have been helping her over the past few years. She does an amazing job at forwarding on these quilts.
My table looks a mess. BUT a happy mess.
I'm working on 2 at a time.. They go together faster..
Here they are trimmed. I think these will look great
These are the blocks I have done so far to send to Jan Mac for the people that need it in the GIPPSLAND Fires..
Our NSW communities have been ravaged by fire since August 2019. In particular, the South Coast of NSW were devastated by bushfire on New Year’s Eve. Our state has suffered enormous losses. Families have lost loved ones, others their homes and all their belongings. Farmers have lost livestock, others their livelihood, not to mention the extensive loss and damage to our native flora and fauna. Unfortunately, it is only the start of our fire season and immediate forecasts predict worsening conditions, and anticipate further loss and destruction.
So whilst feeling deeply saddened by the overwhelming scenes of widespread loss and suffering - it got Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild thinking….. What can we do to help? Well, we can make quilts of course!!
So we would like to call-out to anyone else who would like to help us in making quilts for the affected
families within our communities.
How you can help:
We have decided to make tree blocks. The tree is a symbol of growth and nourishment. A tree symbolizes the generations of a family; a tree sprouts from a seed, the roots provide strength and stability, and whilst the new sapling is young and vulnerable they are protected by the other trees until they grow and flourish. In time the branches spread and then create new fruit that gives life to the next generation.
There is no restriction to one type of tree block. We would love our quilts to be beautiful and diverse just like our wonderful communities. The below quilt blocks have been designed and supplied for inspiration, but please feel free to use your own ideas and colours. If you would like to help, please make a tree block of a generous 12.5 inch square using a low volume / white or pale grey background. Once completed please send to:
Wollongong Modern Quilt Guild
PO Box 54
Jamberoo NSW 2533
AUSTRALIA
We are going to distribute the quilts made to the families who have lost everything.
We would like to ask that blocks be mailed for arrival by the end of February. We thank you in advance for your support.
Neutrals look like they will be sashings and borders. We will have to wait and see...
I've been working on my clues and then this happened... I knocked them on the floor.
Once I got Clue 8 worked out and laid out I got into the sewing.
PART A is all sewn.
PART B - laid out ready to sew. I have all the flying geese to sew before I can finish this Clue.
I have now put them all into individual bags to keep the sets together. I don't have the clips. Zip lock bags work wonders. I love them.
Im not sure when I'll get the flying geese all sewn but at least I am better organised now and am happy I am nearly there.
I've given this a lot of thought and I have decided to run another quilt drive for those affected by bushfires in Australia. I've been running these drives almost every year if I have contacts living in the affected areas who can distribute the quilts where needed and I have family and some friends living in and near the affected areas of East Gippsland and Southern New South Wales who will help with distribution. The largest quilt drive we've run was 2,300 quilts distributed to the residents of Kinglake whose town was decimated by fire in 2009 with 77 deaths. The huge amount of quilts we distributed was only possible due to the very generous donations of quilts, tops and QAYG blocks by quilters both here and from a large number of international quilters . I don't expect to be able to distribute that many again but any we can donate will bring comfort to those who have lost everything.
If you are able to donate even a few QAYG blocks that will help me make many quilts by combining them, without incuring huge postal costs. People are still in the survival stage and not ready to receive quilts yet but as 1,300 homes have been lost so far, the need will be great and I have started making quilts already so I have some on hand when distribution is appropriate .
The QAYG blocks are 10.5 inches square and you can use batting scraps as well as fabric scraps. I will post another reminder on how to make them if you are interested. If you want to send any tops for me to quilt and donate, it would be a huge help if you were able to send backing, but it's not essential.
There is also a need for crocheted blankets so if you want to send Granny Squares made from 8ply yarn and with 10 rounds of crochet, they would also be very useful for getting more blankets finished to donate.
I'm so sorry to ask for help with another quilt project but the need is so great, with so many communities being affected, especially in more remote areas, and I really felt I should try to do something to help. There's been a lot of anger, most likely stemming from fear as people say they felt they were abandoned, whereas so many small, isolated towns needed fire trucks that resources weren't available everywhere they were needed. I'm hoping that receiving handmade quilts and blankets will remind them that we are thinking of them.
I know there are many groups of quilters who will be making and donating quilts if they live near affected areas and I encourage you to support them if that is more convenient. Please email me for my mailing address and if you have any questions.
Tomorrow I'll share some photos of the quilts I've been making this week and I'm praying that we finally get some rain so the fires can be extinguished before more lives and homes are lost.
I was shoked today when a package arrived from Australia. "Who do you know there my husband asked?" Well I am not sure except some fabulous, fun ladies in my QATW quilt Group. Sure enough I spotted the label and it was Our dear Jo Butterfield. She had sent me the perfect panel for Christmas and I am going to turn it into a pillow cover to place on my new couch. I really love these Bench pillows and this will make a perfect one.
Thank you so much Jo. I love it so much and so will my grandkids.
