Healing Green Hearts

Hopefully everyone has been busy making green hearts for the families of the Christchurch victims.

Sheila recently sent out the following messages describing the project-

As a response to the recent events in New Zealand I came across the "Healing Hearts" project. If you are a Facebook user look up "Angels in Gumboots". This is a Quilting shop in Ashurst New Zealand. The request was for blocks to make quilts, one for each victims' family. Last night the group agreed to make some blocks. Later Evelyn suggested we should make completed quilts and forward. Evelyn is willing to quilt and I am sure others will join blocks, bind etc.

There are specific requirements

Blocks should be 6.5 inches unfinished size.  So cut you block to six and a half inches, so they can be joined with ease.

All backgrounds are white. In Islam this represents peace and purity and is the colour worn to Friday prayers

The block should have a heart centered in the middle. This can be pieced, appliqued what ever you wish. This should be in green. In Islam this represents rebirth, hope life and paradise.  Do not use different colours, or prints with animals, faces or figures. The green can have a design as long as it but be predominately green. Just check your stash I am sure you will have something you can use.

There are many heart designs available on the internet but I enclose a pattern for a pieced heart.

There is also a pattern for crocheted hearts available if you would prefer.

It would be great if you could get the hearts blocks to me in the next 4 weeks so that we can see how many we have and how many quilts we can make. I am suggesting Saturday 27^thApril as Quilt put together day.  I would urge you to make a block or more if possible but no obligation.

They have had a fantastic response from around the world. They plan the making of quilts to expand to first responders too. As this is the case you can use colours also, but asked to avoid red. The size is 6x7 blocks s 42 blocks per quilt or 21 with a plain attached.

I have made a few as well-

The Quilts were Aired!

Our first ever Airing of the Quilts took place this Saturday at St Mary's church, Sunbury and it was a huge success!  We'd very much like to thank the church for letting us display our quilts in their beautiful building and thanks also go to Judy A who planned the event.  Thanks go to those who displayed their quilts and those who helped out on the day.  We definitely can't hold these kinds of events without the support of our group members.

We chose a great day for the Airing of the Quilts display because not only was it held on the Village Green during the annual Sunbury Sunfest but it was also a beautiful sunny day so there were lots of people around to tempt into our show.  The day began early with some of us casually throwing our quilts over the backs of the church pews and some of us carefully arranging theirs.  And rearranging ours ;-)  The set up was very quick and easy and we made use of every corner of the church.  Pack up was quick and easy too which was a lovely change from the hours of preparation that goes into our more formal shows!

The entry fee was a gold coin donation which is going to support the church's Chibobo Orphanage in Africa.  The raffle prizes were two quilts and ticket buyers were able to choose which quilt they preferred to purchase tickets for.  There weren't many buyers who didn't have a preference and I believe the split was pretty much fifty fifty between the two quilts.  The ladies who won these quilts were absolutely delighted!  The proceeds of the raffle are going towards supplies for making or finishing quilts for charity.

Anyway, without further ado here are some pictures of the event with more, I believe, to follow.  As always, click on each picture if you'd like to enlarge it.

Raffle Quilt 1.  Pieced by Joy, quilted by Evelyn, binding by Grace, label by Heather.

Raffle Quilt 2.  Pieced by Elsa, quilted by Judy A, binding by Ann Mc, label by Heather.

The back of the church.  We covered everything we could with our beautiful quilts.  A selection of quilts by Grace, Ann Mc and Sheila with our group banner in pride of place.

Don't they look stunning on display like this?

We even covered the pulpit!

The view from the front of the church. Quilts on display were by Judy A,  Di,  Sheila,  Evelyn,  Rosie,  Ann Mc,  Barbara B,  Annie M,  Barbara P,  Gail,  Annie C,  Grace and  Glo.  I hope I didn't forget anyone!

A closer look at the covered pews.

The kids loved the bears and the elephants!

The view from the back of the church as you enter.  There were a lot of Oohs and Ahhs!

Our group banner on display under the beautiful stained glass window.

Were they Mice?

In February, one Tuesday night there were some fun times making finger thimbles. Some sure looked like mice others, although using the same pattern bore no resemblance

This Saturday March 16th, St Mary's church Sunbury Stitchers and Quilters will have an Airing of our Quilts. Please come along if you are able to see the diversity of skills and support the event.

A great weekend was had at retreat!

Eight of us went to The Retreat, Gisborne, for the weekend and we were joined by four more on the Saturday for Sit n Sew.  There was lots of talking, laughing, swearing and drinking.  That was me.  The others did lots of sewing ;-)

I took a lot of photos but I obviously need lessons because I hardly have any that are in focus.  Oops!  Enjoy the ones I did manage to capture...

Sit n Sew

One of Sue's eye spy quilts

Another of Sue's eye spy quilts.  Sue had a slow day of sewing on the Friday but made up for it by the end!

Judy did a lot of sewing.  This is her disappearing hourglass quilt before it was pieced together.

Rosie worked on this quilt that she started many years ago.  She'll finish it one day!

Jan made this "falamingo" quilt for her daughter.

Jan also started this braid quilt.

Here I am pretending to sew.  This is Judy's machine so it's obvious that I'm not sewing.  The glass in my hand may be a bit of a giveaway too!  

Gail started this jelly roll quilt.

Robyn has almost finished this quilt for her grandson.

Dinner time!

I spent all weekend making hunter star blocks.  This is all I had to show for my hard work!

Judy worked on these delightful Dresden Plates.