Today's Finishes

The first QAYG quilt was finished today and it is going to a group which helps homeless people in Melbourne. They have a special day where they provide support and information about the community services which are available for them. This is warm and was made from all the leftover trimmings from backings as well as poly cottons and flannels. It's in darker colours so it won't show the dirt and will be more suited to a man but it will be warm regardless of fabric colour.
The next quilts are all donated tops that I've quilted and finished and will all be going to Emerald in Qld. I have one more to bind and I hope to get some more QAYG quilts made tomorrow before the truck leaves with all the boxes of quilts for Emerald.
Many thanks for all your generous donations which have made so many people warm.
Hugs Jan Mac

Quilts for Emerald, Qld

These first two quilts were donated tops and they are much more vibrant than the photo shows here. Unfortunately the light wasn't good by the time I took the photos. The last 2 quilts were made from donated QAYG blocks and they each look different due to the variety of fabrics used. I have another one almost finished for the Homeless Connect day in Melbourne and a pile of 4 quilts to bind from today's quilting efforts. Time to get back to the machine again.
I've also started a pile of quilts made from warmer batting which will be going to New Zealand for the Christchurch earthquake survivors.
Take care and thank for stopping by.
Hugs Jan Mac

Quilts for Queensland

These beautiful quilts were all made from donated quilt tops and they will be sent to Emerald in Queensland to assist with their flood recovery. The smaller ones in more 'adult' colours will be given to people living in aged care and assisted living units and as lap quilts they will bring warmth and comfort. The checkered squares are the back of the quilt in subdued colours of black, blues and purples and as the back is made from donated flannel squares it will be lovely and warm and will suit a man's taste.The smaller quilt at the end of this post is one of 5 that I donated to the local hospital for the Wrap with Love program and will be given to families who experienced the death of a baby. The baby is wrapped in the quilt so the family can hold them and take photos of their baby and the quilt can then be taken home by the families.
I have my paid work today and will be packing quilts into boxes tomorrow ready for transport to Qld over the weekend.
Of course it's only thanks to all of your generous donations that so many quilts are finished and donated.
Hugs Jan Mac

What Can We Do?

I'm sure that like many others the tragic news of Christchurch's (New Zealand) earthquake has been a shock as the film of the rescues and devastation unfolds. I was busy with my paid work yesterday (I'm an after-hours hospital manager) and as busy as we were I was thinking of the medical staff in Christchurch and their monumental task with dealing with all the people needing treatment.
It would have been easy to get caught up with watching the events on TV today but I decided to spend the day quilting as it's something positive I can do from here. I did have very good news yesterday when I heard that I have transport for the quilts to go to Emerald (Qld) at the weekend. Margaret at the Relief Centre is very excited about the donation of quilts and she assures me that it gets cold at night there and the quilts will be very welcome.
I managed to bind these two quilts yesterday before work and today I quilted 7 donated tops- 3 of them are large and I can see a pile of quilts on the table ready for binding so I'd better get them done so they can go to Qld in few days time.
Thank you for all your generous donations and offers of help for the Quilt Appeal. At the moment I'm also working on how I can get finished quilts to New Zealand which I hope will repay, in a small way, the very generous support from our NZ friends.
So what can we do with these tragic events occurring far too often? We can quilt! I do it because I love to make something pretty and useful which will bring comfort to others. I always feel lucky to be able to donate the quilts on your behalf because let's face it it's not easy living in a Quilt Factory and I need to make room for the next lot of quilts I'm finishing.
So if you have scraps of fabric and batting and want to spend your time making something useful then turn off the TV and get busy because the need will be ongoing. We may not be able to help everyone but the people who receive our quilts will be comforted and that's what matters.
Thanks to all of you who have joined in with the quilt appeal and please spread the word and get your quilting friends involved too.
Time to bind! Hugs Jan Mac

Some Berry Pretty Quilts

The first quilt shown was made from donated QAYG blocks. The young lass who made them was only going to make just a few blocks but loved making them so much that she made enough for a whole quilt. It reminds me of a summer parfait with pretty berry colours and it's a very pretty quilt.
The following quilt was made from blocks donated by Ulla of Finland with a few others added to it.
The QAYG sashed with orange was made from a variety of donated blocks from around the world. I know that some of you comment that when you send your blocks they look a bit drab, and I've felt that about some that I've made too. However when they are added to other blocks and the sashing strips are added to join the blocks, the eye is drawn to the sashing and the colours seem to be enhanced. I've yet to see a QAYG quilt that I haven't loved.
I've also been quilting some donated baby quilt tops and they are now done and ready to be donated. The last lovely quilt was donated finished and it has beautiful stitchery and is in soft colours and will be loved by a new Mum.
I'm just waiting to hear about the final arrangements but it looks like I'll be able to send many quilts to Qld next week and that will give me more room for the quilts I'm making this week.
Many thanks for all your lovely donations which are getting finished. I quilted 5 tops yesterday and still have the binding to finish on two of them.
More to follow.
Hugs Jan Mac

Quilts From New Zealand

These three fabulous quilts were made and donated by Vida McDonald from New Zealand.

The first one has lovely fabric with realistic bird prints and a water theme with dolphins and fish.

The next one is a very clever use of strips grouped according to colour and it's a really well planned design around a central panel.

The last quilt is also a string quilt in a planned colour-way and with a piano keys border which is a great way to use up shorter pieces of fabric.

These quilts are light-weight and have all been packed in readiness to send them to Emerald in Qld. I think I have solved my problem of shipping quilts to Qld as I have fiund a driver willing tot take them to Brisbane and I think I have a courier company who will take them up to Emerald. I also contacted one of the people working with flood victims in Dalby and he said they were winding down their relief centre and didn't require quilts so I plan to send mine to Emerald at this stage until the areas in Vic are able to take some too. Then there will be a need in Tully where they had their homes destroyed by the cyclone.
Time to get some more quilts finished.
Many thanks for all your donations, Jan Mac

Special/Different Quilts Finished

I always feel that I only give away special quilts but these are a bit different because they were made for a purpose or a theme.
The first one was made from donated 8.5" squares with a blue theme. I made a few extra so that there would be enough for a small quilt and this one will soon be on it's way to Emerald in Qld.
The next quilt was made from all sorts of leftovers and was made specially for a homeless person. It is warm and sturdy but I used up odd bits and pieces that I don't use in the other quilts. This one has some flannel and poly cotton pieces and the binding was a piece of fabric which must be about 20 years old. I originally bought it to make board shorts for my DS and it has green skulls on the fabric. Cutting it up in strips means that the skulls aren't obvious and the fabric is cotton so it will wear well. I'll be sending this one off with it's own bag and it will be given out at the Homeless Connect Day held in Melbourne in March.
More parcels have arrived in the last few days and they are shown on my other blog.
I have a busy few days of paid work so I'm measuring tops and backings and matching them so I can have a big quilt push when the paid work is done.
Many thanks for your donations, Hugs Jan Mac

Monday's Finishes

The first finish here is one of the tops donated by Kyvalley and Girgarre patchwork group. They included a matching backing, binding and batting and the quilt is very striking and will be loved by someone who loves earthy colours. The next four quilts were donated as tops and it's good to get some more of them quilted and ready to send off. I've been working on finishing more for boys and men as they are often overlooked when I'm working with florals LOL.
The last two very large quilts were donated and dropped off by Maryjane Morris when we met in Melbourne last Monday. The wonky churn dash only need to be trimmed and bound and the lovely navy and blue quilt had been basted with pins and the machine quilting had been commenced. I took the quilting out and loaded it on the quilting machine as it was much quicker to finish it that way and I always love a finished quilt even though I only meander quilt on them.
I hope the donors are happy with the finished quilts and I know the recipients will be as the weather will be getting cooler soon.
Many, many thanks for all your donations.
Hugs Jan Mac

Donated Quilts from Kyvalley and Girgarre

The patchwork group from Kyvalley and Girgarre have very kindly donated tops for me to finish and donate and I was also very surprised to find these 5 beautiful quilts had also been donated by their members. These quilts will be given out to the farming communities in Victoria where they have experienced devastating flooding and these quilts will remind them that they have not been forgotten.
Thank you so much for your very generous donations.
More to come, Jan Mac

Five Finished Quilts Donated

These fabulous quilts were all made and donated by Liz Burlington from NSW. The first one is a really cute fabric with cows which will be loved by one of the kids in the farming communities. The next one is lovely and bright and a great abstract design. The frogs are really cute and they come with their own bag with a froggy pocket and will be sure to hold a little person's treasures. The next quilt is a striking one with a girlie print and the fabulous black and white with red trim is a huge Queen sized quilt and my DH has asked for one the same so I know that someone will really love it. Maybe a St Kilda fan? The simple design shows really well with the good contrast between fabrics.
Liz has done a wonderful job and the quilts are building here so there's almost enough to start giving them out in Victoria as well as sending some more to Emerald in Qld.
I have 5 to bind now after a big day of quilting and will have some more to show very soon.
Hugs Jan Mac

Quilt Finishes Again

It was good to get some more quilts finished after a severe storm overnight which left us without power again until almost lunchtime today.

The first quilt is a combination of purple QAYG blocks donated by quilters from around the world. It photographed darker than it is because today has been rainy and overcast for most of the day.

The second quilt is a variation of QAYG and the blocks were made and donated by Sandra McLay (Vic). The binding is 2" wide and I think it cam from AQA but it also may have been from Maryjane Morris as I received donations from both on the same day.

The third quilt is from a set of "boy" blocks from the Colleambally quilters in NSW. They have cute fabric with checks, plaids and tractors and will be going to a boy from a farming community so it will be well loved I'm sure.

The last quilt was made from a donated top and it has cute kid's prints and will be loved as well.

Sorry that I'm late in emailing you to tell you that your parcels have arrived. Keep checking the blogs and you should see your blocks displayed and then made into quilts and I'll try to catch up with emails soon.
Many thanks for all your help with this quilt appeal.
Cheers, Jan Mac