Quilts for Christchurch

These three quilts will all be winging their way across the Tasman this week where Cat will very kindly pass them on to families in Christchurch.
I hope that the bright colours will bring them some joy as well as warmth and comfort.
The first two quilts are made from donated QAYG blocks and the last quilt was a donated top.
It's been very heartwarming to read how much the quilts mean to the families who have already received them in Christchurch when they commented on my other blog. I am very grateful that they took the time to write and tell us about their experiences and I hope that the quilts which will reach their city will soon bring the same comfort to others.
Love and hugs, Jan Mac

Quilts for Queensland

Today I managed to finish off 5 quilts which was very pleasing. The first 2 are QAYG but using 15" blocks so they went together very quickly. I have a few more of these sized blocks and will make some more to join them into a quilt.
The next 2 quilts were made from donated tops. The pile of quilts for Emerald is growing again and will soon be on their way to Qld.
I tallied how many quilts I'd finished for February and March and found that I'd done 71, which was similar to the 37 I finished in January. I was surprised as I was away for 2 weeks in March. Of course it was only possible to finish so many because of all the wonderful tops or QAYG blocks that have been donated.
I need to start working with the beautiful heart blocks which have arrived from Holland and Belgium to make them into quilts for Qld.
Thank you everyone for all your donations as we have been able to bring comfort to so many people having given out 175 quilts so far this year.
Love and hugs, Jan Mac

Quilts Leaving Soon

It was lovely to take a break and catch up with my quilting friends but I'm now enjoying getting more quilts finished and donated. The first two QAYG quilts I finished yesterday and the next quilt was a donated top which just needed quilting and binding. I also received the next quilt from a member of AQA and the last quilt shown was from Lesley Lowe from Kyabram (Vic).
I have almost finished another larger QAYG quilt and then plan to finish quilting some more donated tops. Where the quilts are sent depends on the donor's request or the thickness of the batting. These quilts will be going to Emerald (Qld). Check out my other blog for recent donations and comment on my question if you want to share your thoughts.
I received some lovely donations of money to help with costs of the quilts and I posted off another 5 quilts to Cat for Christchurch NZ yesterday. Unfortunately the previous arrangements for shipping to NZ have fallen through so I'll be posting the quilts using donations, to make sure they reach New Zealand and can bring comfort to those who have lost so much in their recent earthquake.
Hugs Jan Mac

Finishing Quilts for March

It's time to get back to the Quilt Factory and get more quilts finished and donated, especially now that winter is approaching fast and I know that Christchurch will soon be experiencing their cold weather.
I had a lovely time at our yearly retreat for Southern Cross Quilters and was very lucky to receive more beautiful quilts to donate as well as a very generous donation of money to help with the costs of postage and batting' This means that I will be able to send more quilts to Japan and New Zealand as well as here for our flood areas.
The first quilt was made and donated by one of the SCQ members, and I think it was Lola from Vic but there was a lot going on that week so I may be confused LOL. If it was someone other than Lola please let me know so that I can change the information. The quilt is so pretty that I'm sure Lola won't mind taking the credit anyway LOL.
Prue Ling (WA) and Edith Burgess (Tas) both made quilts in the theme of Carnivale for the retreat challenge and they very kindly donated them to Oz Comfort Quilts for distribution.
The quilts are beautifully made and so colourful that they are sure to brighten the lives of their new owners.
The last quilt was made by the group, ANZA Quilters in Singapore and they also very kindly sent QAYG blocks as well. The quilt is so beautiful and fresh with its crisp and co-ordinated range of colours that it will be treasured by the new owner and how cool is it that quilters from around the world very generously donate their gift of time and fabric to comfort others. One of the ANZA memebrs has also contacted me about delivering more quilts when she visits NZ this week and I know that Cat will be thrilled to receive more lovely quilts from around the world.
And last but by no means least, Jenni S. (Vic) has been very busy knitting beanies for the Homeless Connect Day to be held in Brisbane (Qld) in May and so far as made 15 of them. They will be so welcomed by the group who can give them to the people who were among the worse- affected by the floods in Brisbane and this will be such a huge help to making their winter a little more bearable. I am also working on a crocheted blanket and another quilt to send to this group too so I'd better get busy now that we're into April.
I'm very humbled and grateful for all your donations which have allowed us to help so many people around the world and I'd better get busy finishing more quilts today.
Hugs Jan Mac

Quilts For Japan

I've been very saddened like many others who have been watching the news about the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan and wondering what I could do to help from here in Australia. Luckily I received an email from one of my blog readers, Sandra Shigeno, and she very kindly shared some information about what types of quilts would be suitable for a Quilt Appeal for the Japanese people.

Sandra wrote: Typical Japanese quilts (futon) used every day for covering beds made up on the floor (tatami mats) are rather puffy and not quilted closely -- more like what we think of as tied quilts with a thicker batting than we would use -- and are usually made of large pieces of fabric, not pieced like a Western quilt.    Having said that,  Japanese quilters do spend hours on turning out exquisite piecing and quiltwork for show (as for a living room couch or to hang on a wall), but I've rarely seen what we Westerners think of as a "bed quilt" actually used for sleeping under, except in the homes of a few quilters themselves.    The futon quilts that Japanese use are what we would think of as single-bed size;  each person has his or her own individual sleeping space, even married couples, so there's no need for even a double quilt.   However,  in the summer, those thick quilts/futons are just too hot, so our Western type of thinner quilts would be just fine then.   Western-type beds are more popular nowadays than when I lived there; so the "Patchwork Tsushin" editor probably assumes that with more beds being used in Japan, that more people are becoming used to Western-type quilts.  They would be a lot easier to make, collect, and mail than trying to gather the same amount of the heavier Japanese futon!

As an added note,  Japanese prefer rather subdued colors more that bright ones;  even in their clothing, they don't like to stand out or look "different," so they wear a lot of browns and dark blues and earth colors more than anything else.Quilts with the dominant colors of dark blues and muted tones of complimentary colors would be popular.
The majority of evacuees seem to be older people living in small farming and fishing communities, and they would certainly be more conservative as to colors.   As mentioned on TV, most of the younger folks have in past years moved to larger cities to find work, so it is mainly the "elderly" who are left.

The request for quilts has come from the Japanese Patchwork magazine, Quilt Tsushin, and they are requesting any new or unused quilts to be sent to Japan after May 1st when it will be possible to deliver the quilts where they are needed.










Please post to:

Naomi Ichikawa
Patchwork Tsushin Co.,Ltd
2-21-2,Yushima,Bunkyo-ku,Tokyo,Japan zip:113-0034


Even the donation of just one quilt from all of us would make a huge difference to the people who have been so traumatized by recent events.

Hugs Jan Mac

A Festival of Quilts

Wow what a wonderful donation of quilts from around the world which have arrived for the Christchurch Earthquake and Australian Flood Appeals. The first 2 fabulous quilts were made and donated by Petra McLennan (Vic) and they will soon be on their way to Emerald in Qld. The next 3 quilts were made and donated by Maria Wilson (WA) and 2 will be going to Chch and 1 to Qld and their lovely colours will bring lots of smiles. The following QAYG quilt was made and donated by Julie Lawrenson-Wood from England and she has made a stunning quilt which will be going to the people of Emerald (Qld) for the flood quilt appeal.
Margie Wallin (NSW) sent another beautiful quilt with the lovely blue fabric as a border and it will be going to Qld too. The three last quilts were all made and donated by Jo-Anne Dick (Tas) and they are so lovely that they will be loved by the people in Emerald who receive one of these quilts.
Thank you so much for all your generous donations and I'm honoured to be able to send them on their way to their new homes on your behalf. The people who are giving out the quilts to their community report that they are very well received as a personal gift and they are overwhelmed that people they don't know would take the time to make and then donate such beautiful quilts.
Take a bow ladies as you making a big difference to many people who were about to give up hope. More to come,
Hugs Jan Mac

Quilts Do Comfort

We arrived home Friday night and after unpacking I decided it was time to get busy finishing off more quilts. I made 2 yesterday and 2 more today so far but have only taken a photo of one of today's finishes.
I'm prepping some binding strips now and plan to start another one tonight.
I had a lovely phone call today from Margaret of the Emerald Qld Relief Centre. She just wanted to tell me about the events when the quilts are distributed and that the people are so grateful to have a hand made quilt. She said there are often tears of gratitude and she feels privileged to be able to give them out and help her community to heal.
I've already started another pile for Qld as well as one for Christchurch in New Zealand and also Vic. The need seems to be great but if we only manage to make and donate one quilt, then that's one person who will be warmed and comforted. The news of Japan's disaster is also heart-breaking and as I'm not very good at standing by I'm busy making more quilts as I know for sure that there will be many in need of them. I am also knitting hats and scarves for NZ and their winter is on it's way and will make life much harder for them there.
Please help us to warm a head with a hat or scarf if you don't have time to make a quilt. If you make donations then please just add a note indicating where you would like your items to be sent and I'll honour that.
Thanks you so much dear blog readers for all your help and support while we try to heal the world one quilt at a time.
Hugs Jan Mac