Miscellaneous Charity Blocks

International Womens Day

Queensland Quilters are assisting Bev Parel (Maleny Magic Patchwork) by providing blocks in Purple Green & White so that she can achieve her goal of making 50 quilts by 8 March 2025.

At a Queensland Quilters meeting in the second half of last year, Bev Perel gave a very interesting presentation on International Women's Day, which is held on 8 March every year. In 2025, it will be 50 years since the United Nations gazetted the date in Australia.
Bev's aim is to have 50 quilts to display for 2025. 

I made 2 blocks last year - but didn't take pictures, so I have highlighted my blocks on these photos that Bev has sent through.

They are hard to see....but it's just for me so I have a reminder.

I have now made a third one.

Australian Melanoma Research Foundation

Echidna Sewing has launched "Echidna Flowers In The Sun - a Community Project" for the  Australian Melanoma Research Foundation..  The request was to make the logo in blue & yellow.  The pattern was available for purchase at $5 - the proceeds going to the foundation.

Echidna say:

"Our aim for this community project is to create a symbol of hope and solidarity for all those who have been touched by melanoma, and a reminder of the need for more research and action to fight this disease.

I recently lost a good friend to Melanoma.  :😧

RSC - May

I am running a bit behind this month....lots to keep me busy including almost a week away on retreat.

But "Done & Dusted" as they say.

These look a little dull, but really are quite bright.
I have quite a school of fish now....but plenty still to do.

Sunday Stitchers Retreat - Boonah

I had a lovely 4 days at The Outlook at Boonah with some of the Sunday Stitchers gang.
(May 20 - 23)

We sewed, chatted, laughed, ate and had a bit of additional, unplanned entertainment.

Monday we met at the Boonah Tavern for lunch, before checking in.
No pictures...was a bit ordinary.

Unpacking & setting up is not the most fun - and we have stairs to deal with...ugh.....but it gets done and it's great that we help each other.

I had planned that Monday was a "sew for me" day and had planned a few FPP blocks . . . .well, only one got made!

The rest of the time was spent on charity work - making & planning tops for our DV quilts.

After spending 'some' time laying out the collection of French General fabrics that we had, I was able to put this top together. 

Then I sorted out the fabrics for a Novelty I Spy quilt
Sue kindly put that one together.

Next I moved onto the collection of 2.5" strips that we had accumulated....mostly florally and the softer tones.  (I could say "traditional colours" - to myself I say "dull & dirty"...LOL)
We had a mix of long & short strips and I did a very rough "ballpark"  estimate to determine if it was roughly equivalent to a jelly roll.   It looked like it would be a bit bigger than a jelly roll, and I thought it would end up roughly 64 x 72. which is a good size for an adult quilt.

I didn't get it finished but the worst of it was done.  I finished it Friday morning at home.
It ended up at 64" wide and 81" long.  We may shorten it a bit, but I am happy with the width.

My resident Quilt Holder Uperer wasn't home, so this will have to suffice.

Additional, Unplanned Entertainment.

The dishwasher displayed an error after completing its cycle, so I called the office.
Maintenance arrived - a number of us needed to visit the kitchen while he was dealing with the dishwasher.  (He was kinda cute - the term "eye candy" may have been used a few times.)

Sandi was making our lunches at the time and christened him "Man In the Cupboard"...MIC for short aka Kenny.
He was a lot of fun to have around and we even shouted him a toastie for his hard work.

Sadly, the dishwasher still wasn't working properly when we left.

It was great fun - lots of different projects were worked on, and we found a 2025 project...LOL...cause we all need another project!!!

Thanks to everyone for making it a happy time, and special thanks to those who helped with the DV quilt projects (we have more if you want to help).

Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge - #5

When we were dicsussing the Challenge idea during a Zoom meeting,it was suggested that #5 could be a FPP project and a Kiwi block had been shared with us from Louise.

When I started the Back to Nature FPP project - knowing there would only be 9 blocks in that, I decided to make the Kiwi block to go with the nature blocks.

So, my #5 was done early in the month.  Just one block.

Maybe I need to stitch an eye, so he can see the other blocks?

Sunday Stitchers - May - UFO Challenge #11 - My Small world - Section 6

Last Month's Challenge number was #1 - parts of My Small World and "luckily" enough - the challenge for May was #11 - another section.
I have done Section 6 - only Section 5 to go.  So I have amended my Challenge List so that Section 5 is included. Maybe by the end of the year I will have a finished top.

I suppose for a project started in November 2019, it's not too bad....LOL

Two Baby Quilts and Six Taggies

When DD2's partner's cousins have babies, I make a quilt for them, and a taggie.

I use the same pattern each time.  It's easy, its one width of backing fabric and although I buy the two border fabrics, I can usually get the "coins" out of the stash.

This is the one for Josh & Maddie

This is the one for Alana & Liam

I also make taggies - so that was two to make - but recently one of the couples in our playgroup (Children are now 30++,  but we still catch up occasionally) has recently become grandparents to a boy from their second daughter, but the eldest daughter is due with twin boys this month.  So - 5 taggies needed.  And a friend is expecting a new great grand baby, so I made one for her too.

Even though "Frugal" is not my word for the year, I economised and used what I had...so tey are all flannelette (no minkee) and some are smaller (approx 10" square) instead of the usual 12"  square.

FNWF - May

When you have the luxury of being able to sew all day . . when do you officially start FNWF??

I figure that is up to me  . ..so my day's efforts included:

Counting & some extra cutting of Novelty 5" blocks and the necessary number of half blocks.

Cutting and cutting 5" French General and FG-like blocks and the necessary number of half blocks.

Darn - there are only 170 good ones and 10 "sort of OK" ones.  I need 200 . . . hunting....hunting...


These are in preparation for an upcoming retreat...getting some charity work organsied  . . .hopefully a few will do some charity sewing....


Then it was some "me" time....I am sitting & waiting for this week's FPP block, so in the meantime I thought I'd whip up this Kiwi block.  This is actually my Chookshed Challenge #5 project, so I will do a separate post later....but he turned out kinda cute.

Now, I better get myself organised for  . . .yes...another sewing day tomorrow!

Thanks, Cheryll for hosting us again.
I hope everyone had some "me" time and was able to craft a bit.