Search Results for: quilts for queensland

making quilts for dandelion support network

January 4, 2013 By corrie 20 Comments

This morning I was up on the balcony in my nightie photographing a quilt that I’d finished last night. The very first quilt that we’ll donate to the Dandelion Support Network (read here if you need to catch up!). And I know that you have questions so here is what you need to know, all in the one place. And of course if I’ve missed something just ask me and I’ll add it here.

What are we doing

Let’s make cot quilts for babies/toddlers that can be given by Dandelion Support Network when they give a cot package. Bassinets are also given so if you don’t think you can tackle cot size then try bassinet size which is smaller.

What will you accept

Quilt tops that are of a suitable size for bassinet/cot

Quilt blocks that can be used to make baby quilts (say 5 or 10 inch blocks are a good rule of thumb and make it easier to join together rather than random block sizes)

Finished quilts that are bassinet to cot size.

Backing fabrics that are suitable for babies/toddlers and at least 1m in length and width.

Bias binding (you can make this yourself if you’d like something small to donate)

Flanelete and polar fleece in pastel or primary colours that are at least 1m in length as they make great quilt backings too

What shouldn’t we send you?

Let’s make sure that what we receive can be used to make beautiful quilts. Please use fabrics that are suitable for babies and toddlers. That means it might be best to keep those skull and cross bone fabrics to yourself or any heavy brown florals for another project. Let’s make these bright and happy quilts to give some happiness to families who need a bit of a helping hand. Think whites, pastels, bright and fun, modern fabrics and use things you’d be proud to have your name associated with.

No money thanks, this is just about the quilts and they will be delivered by car so we don’t have any postage costs.

I have a quilt how do I get it to you?

In March we will do our first call out for quilts and blocks. I will provide you with my PO box or you might prefer to drop it in at our quilting day which will be held on a sunday in March or April on the northern beaches. Please don’t send me anything before then as I just can’t get to the Post Office everyday to collect parcels and the painter arrives in a week which means my house will be moved around everywhere.

What will happen at your quilting day

I’ll hire a community hall, we’ll sort through all of the parcels, work out what is finished and what needs work. We’ll piece quilts together, make up sandwiches, quilt them, add binding, make binding and finish them. We had a great time doing our Quilts for Queensland day last year and everyone was given a job and it was a great day of craft and friendship. Beginners learnt a few things and everyone is welcome. If you can sew, then we’ll have you. You’ll do. Details of the day will be announced in February but I promise you a fun day.

I’m a beginner can I still help?

You bet! What a great place to start. We’d love to have your help

I live in Melbourne and want to make a quilt for St Kilda Mums

A few of you said that you’d like to help St Kilda Mums. Because I want to keep the donation of the quilts local and this project manageable, I am just focusing on Dandelion Support Network this year. The idea being that I can deliver them and get some sydney ladies to help me. If you live in Melbourne and want to help St Kilda Mums then please make a quilt yourself, get a group of ladies together and donate some quilts directly to them. Now you’ll find their details on their Facebook page. I’m so sorry that at this time it would just be too big a job to incorporate both but I know some of you love a challenge and will help out. Maybe that’s the project for 2014!

Do you have any patterns you’d recommend for a beginner?

There are so many great patterns out there. You could just grab a pack of charm squares, join some strips together, make applique or whatever you like. A few good tutorials if you’re after them.

Diary of a quilter baby quilt

Moda Bakeshop

strip quilt tutorial

easy pinwheels

self binding baby quilt

Got a question, just ask!

Filed Under: babies, quilt, quilting, quilts for dandelion

first quilt for queensland

January 16, 2011 By corrie 71 Comments

Well I’m writing this so I must have survived zumba…….in fact I l.o.v.e.d. it! Not as hopeless as I thought I’d be and ladies of all shapes, sizes and ages in there. I’m feeling a little sore today but I had plenty of body to shake it when needed! Definitely got a date with zumba again next week.

And after some recovery time (i.e lying on the couch and asking other people to do things for me) it was time to get started piecing my first quilt for queensland. I left grandma betty in charge of the little people and with a bit of time to myself decided a quick quilt using a jelly roll was the way to go. To make one you just lay out the strips, start at the top and join 2 strips together, then add the next strip to these 2 and keep going adding 1 strip at a time. Before you know it you’ve used up most/all of a jelly roll.

Trim the sides down so they are straight, I actually took an inch off so I could lay the quilt down on some fabric measuring 115cm wide for the back. I did have one little whoopsie that required some unpicking after midnight and then I was off again. I find free motion quilting is fast, forgiving and looks so pretty. I trimmed the batting and backing to match the front and at 1.30am called it a night. I actually fell asleep wearing my gym clothes I was so tired! Ha, can’t believe I just told you that but you know sometimes I just have to let you know I don’t have it all together here!!!

Sunday morning while Elodie napped and cartoons were on, I pulled out the binding (premade binding is a huuuuge time saver). And as I try to become proficient at sewing binding on with a machine, I used a blanket stitch to sew it on. I’m far from perfect at it but looks very pretty.

Thanks to a blog reader for suggesting that stitch to me last time I did a quilt. Next time I’ll attach it to the back first, then fold over and then blanket stitch. Maybe that is what she told me. I’ll get there but I’ve got to say it’s a much faster way for me to finish my quilts which is very important now!

And that is that! One finished quilt, the first quilt for queensland. This one is going up with retro daddy tomorrow and a care package for his colleague, Corey (I know! great name!). They are still cleaning out their home and it will be at least 1 -2 months before they can live in it again. I hope that the little package I’ve put together (with huge thanks to Lisa, Sharon, Skye) will cheer them up this week.

Filed Under: queensland floods, quilting, quilts for queensland

65 hats all ready to go………….

July 12, 2015 By corrie 9 Comments

Remember when I put the call out for hats for the Childrens Hospital at Westmead….well I’ve still been receiving hats and now have 65 ready to go! 65!!!!!!!!!

The biggest thank you to each and everyone who made and donated a hat (or two or three). They are so beautiful and now to contact the lovely reader Lisa who asked me to collect them. I also have a bit of a surprise to go with them so you’ll have to wait and see but we’ll be donating a few things together and I just know they’ll be popular. And the perfect time of year.

So what do we think….squares next? I’m up for my next challenge. First there was Quilts for Queensland, then these hats and what about knitted and crocheted squares for some big beautiful blankets for little ones? Or do you think we should keep making hats? You let me know what you think……………………………….

and thank you again…………….

Filed Under: charity, craft, crochet, knitting

a new year, a new charity

January 6, 2014 By corrie 22 Comments

One of the things I love about blogging is the ability to use it for good. Quilts for Queensland was my project that kept me busy in 2011. You were all so generous with quilts and blocks. That was one big project that took over a room of my home but one which I loved and felt the love.

Last year I decided to support Dandelion Support Network and thanks to lots of lovely readers we were able to make and donate quilts and blankets to them. Thank you. In December just before the year was finished I donated $5000 to Dandelion thanks to sponsored posts on this blog. It felt so good.

This year I’ve decided we’ll still keep making blankets and quilts and I’m thinking about a craft day in March and will accept your donations from now of new handmade quilts and blankets (basinette or cot size) for this year. Also I was thinking of including hand knitted or crocheted baby items with our donations. Just drop me an email and I’ll give you my PO Box details if you’d like to help. And keep an eye out for details of our craft day.

And the charity that I’d like to support financially this year is Lifestart who do such wonderful work as an early intervention provider to lots of kids with special needs in Sydney. I first heard about Lifestart when my lovely friend Angela’s daughter was found to have a rare genetic syndrome. She joined their services and would always rave about them and help them fundraise. Little did I know that I would be making the call and using their services with Elodie last year. We had to go on a waiting list and I realised then that they would be my charity so that they could help more families. We’ve loved the support of their playgroup last year and are so excited to have a place with them this year. Elodie will receive some occupational therapy, a weekly group session with other little ones her age as well as assisting our little miss settle into preschool. Using my blog to give back to them just seems the right thing to do so that they can do more for other families.

So that’s where we are at. I look forward to supporting both Dandelion and Lifestart this year and I thank YOU my lovely readers who stop by, read, make quilt blocks, tops and quilts, leave a comment and support my blog. Without your support, generosity and readership I wouldn’t be able to raise this money and give it to charities. And I thank my sponsors too because if they weren’t sponsoring posts then I wouldn’t have the money to make the donations. So that’s a whole lot of thank yous.

p.s I love to give shout outs and help you get your charity events and causes out there in the public. If you have an event or charity close to your heart and want me to spread the word then just message me on facebook and I’m happy to help…………………..

Filed Under: charity, lifestart, quilt for queensland, quilts for dandelion, quilts for queensland

Get out your diaries for our craft day

February 7, 2013 By corrie 9 Comments

OK, I’ve just booked the hall so it’s all happening. Get our your diaries. We are going to be making some lovely things for Dandelion Support Network on Sunday 24th March in Sydney.

What are we doing?

We are making quilts and blankets to donate to Dandelion Support Network who are an amazing Sydney based charity who respond to requests from social workers and charities for mums and families who need baby and children’s items. Cots, prams, clothes, formula, nappies and more. They do such good work and they did have a local group making quilts for them that they would give with each cot/bassinet package but they’ve run out of quilts. So each quilt will be given to a family in need. If you go and follow their Facebook page here you will see that some of the requests are so urgent with women in shelters, refuges and no one else to turn to. They are the sister network of St Kilda Mums who are based in Melbourne and also do amazing work. You can find their page here.

What do we do on the day?

we will unpack parcels, make up quilt blocks, quilt quilts, make binding, attach binding, embroider/stitch a little message on each quilt, write a little card to go with each quilt. I’ll also get some people to make some quick patchwork quilts using charm squares and polar fleece/flanelette backings.

Where is it?

The venue is a community hall on Sydney’s northern beaches (lower) near the Wakehurst Parkway. It’s in quiet suburban street with plenty of free parking outside. It is upstairs so if you need assistance getting upstairs or bringing your machines up just let me know and we’ll help you up. And if you are planning on coming please email retromummy@hotmail.com for the address.

What do you need to bring?

Your sewing machine, basic sewing supplies, any fabrics you wish to donate that are suitable and a plate of something sweet or savoury to share. I’ll have extension cords, powerboards and 2 irons all set up.

What does it cost?

Nothing. Everything is paid for and I have 2 huge overflowing tubs of charm squares, scraps, bits of fabric and 2 huge rolls of batting so even if you don’t have fabric just come along with your machine and we’ll get you sorted. We’ll have tea, coffee, sweets, water and drinks provided.

What size quilts should I make?

You can read some measurements here but just use them as a guideline, there are no hard and fast rules with this.

What if I don’t quilt?

Do you knit or crochet and could get started on a small cot or pram size blanket and finish it on the day. We’d love to donate some sweet blankets too. If you can sew a straight line and have a machine then come along and we’ll put you to good use. What about baby hats or little cardigans? We also need a person or two to stitch by hand a little message on each quilt just to make it a bit more personal and a keepsake.

What about the flood victims?

Yes if you would like to donate some quilts that aren’t for babies/toddlers then we will be donating those quilts and accepting blocks, quilt tops and quilts to donate to Queensland (perhaps Bundaberg) or another flood affected region. This follows on from the amazing number of quilts we donated with Quilts for Queensland back in 2011.

I don’t live in Sydney?

We would love your quilt blocks, quilt tops and completed quilts that are suitable for babies and toddlers. I am planning to do a melbourne day somewhere in the middle of the year when we’re next in Melbourne so stay tuned. If you’d like to send us something then please email retromummy@hotmail for the postal address.

You can read my previous posts on what we’re doing here, here and here. If you have any more questions just ask in the comments.

Filed Under: quilt, quilting, quilts for dandelion

my pet project for 2013

December 24, 2012 By corrie 30 Comments

Earlier this year I discovered through facebook a lovely charity called St Kilda Mums. They take baby equipment, clothes and toys and deliver them to mums in need. Some of their requests are so urgent. Women who are living in refuges, have no family, no money, none of the necessities that we mums take for granted. I wanted to help but felt so far away. I then discovered that they had a sister agency called Dandelion Support Network in Sydney. I liked the facebook page and just reading some of the stories make me get a little teary. Things that we take for granted like a place for a baby to sleep, nappies, a nursing bra or a pram. To me they are the basics but to some people in difficult situations these are big items.

Requests will come in from agencies or social workers and often are urgent requests for a mum coming out of hospital or who is homeless or leaving a refuge. Or it could be someone doing it really tough. I sent a few Christmas gifts to them to give to children but I knew I wanted to do more. It’s been sitting at the back of mind for a few weeks and I was trying to think of a way that we could do something else. ‘We’ being me and my amazing readers. And then it occured to me………………….QUILTS!

I asked if they had someone making quilts for them and they did have a local quilting group make them up so that when they gave away a cot they gave a quilt in the bedding pack too. But they are all out and the group doesn’t make them anymore. It was a sign. I had a job. A pet project to organise.

So next year I’ll be calling on you my lovely readers and quilters to get sewing and quilting. But I’m going to be a little bit smart about it all. I don’t want the avalanche of quilt blocks on my doorstep like Quilts for Queensland. As wonderful as that experience was I’d be trotting up to the post office every few days and I can’t get my pram into the post office these days without taking out a whole card display or a person. Last week a total stranger offered to sit and mind my pram while I went in.

So I’ll only ask for things to be sent during one month (say we do it 3 or 4 times a year) and at the end of that month we’ll have a working bee here in Sydney and work like busy bees to make and finish quilts. I figure we could run 3 quilting days next year and really make a difference. Plus it’s a great way for mums to get together to help other mums. But you don’t need to be a mum to help. Obviously.

So that’s that then. I’m going to think about some specifics and measurements but just wanted to put it out there as I was so happy to hear that they needed our help. Giving is better than receiving and on this Christmas Eve I wanted you to get excited about it too. Because I’ll need all the help I can get.

Filed Under: craft, quilt, quilting Tagged With: charity, quilting, quilts

Keira’s quilt

January 2, 2012 By corrie 30 Comments

Well I think making grandma betty’s quilt has got me on a quilting roll because here is my 2nd single bed quilt that I’ve started and finished in a week. This is heading into world record territory for me.

This time I decided to make a pretty quilt for keira since she’s moved into a bunk bed. I pulled out some red and pink fabrics and got cutting. 196 squares in total. 14 squares down by 14 across. Added a 9 inch border all the way around in white quilters muslin. She adores it. I think her face tells it all.

I used a real mix of fabrics. Darla and Delilah (Tanya Whelan), Cherry Fizz (Henry Glass), Hoo’s in the Forest (Riley Blake), Flower Sugar (Lecien) and Colour Basics (Lecien). And I backed it in some Colour Basics too. But of course I forgot to take a pic of the back before I put it on the top bunk bed and tucked in all the edges but I’ll do that soon.

I also took the opportunity to photograph each step of how I do my binding on the machine now. I used to do my binding by hand but doing it on the machine has cut down my finish time by days. Weeks. So I’ll get to finishing the charm square tutorial this week. I hope you’ve been getting some craft done these holidays too.

p.s one of the lovely helpers for Quilts for Queensland has her own project helping out our Aussie soldiers serving overseas. Pop over here and see if you can help out. Jan-maree is a very generous quilter.

Filed Under: free motion, free motion quilting, quilt, quilting

happy new year and a look back

January 1, 2012 By corrie 25 Comments

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you had a great night. For the first time in a very long time (i.e. before children) we braved the fireworks last night. And it was lovely. We parked the car and walked down to Forty Baskets beach which looks onto Manly. With chips and lollies to keep little people entertained we had a lovely time. And I think we’ll do it again

And I always like to look back on the year that was. But 2011 was always going to be a bad year. I was kind of avoiding doing a year in review post because it brings back all the bad memories of how the year started and my mum deteriorating so fast and then passing away. I don’t think anything comes close to the loss of a close loved one. You just can’t bring them back or make everything better. But we have all of our memories and I have a strong faith that she is in a better place looking down on us.

And somehow we have made it through the year and so many things happened! Keira started school and turned out to be quite the star student that I hoped she would be.

Elodie turned 1

the twins turned 3

and Keira turned 5.

I got a makeover! You can watch it here

we finally got a new car

and we finally renovated our kitchen (and yes it was an expensive year around here)

I did some knitting and actually finished a few things….more than two!

I did some quilting (not as much as I would like to)

and with help of so many of my gorgeous readers I co-ordinated quilts for queensland and actually got them out of my house!

I did a few markets

I got a thermomix

I baked

and I baked some more (and I joined the gym)

And to finish out the year, I got pregnant. The best gift of all. And I have to thank you all for being a part of the journey! All of your comments, emails and visits always make my day. I look forward to sharing 2012 with you all……………………………………………..wishing you a safe, happy and enjoyable year ahead too.

Filed Under: blogs, new years eve

home day

July 12, 2011 By corrie 25 Comments

Home day, cleaning day, pyjama day, we’re not going anywhere day. Whatever you call it – we’re having one. The roll of garbage bags is out and I am determined to work through every room and get rid of stuff. We don’t need any groceries today and we certainly don’t need anymore ‘stuff’ in this house. These are photos of my craft room in happier days.

tell me you have days where it just gets to you. I’ve decided enough is enough. Every room is practically bursting with stuff and there are lots of things we don’t use, don’t need, toys that are missing things, clothes that don’t fit, cupboards where things fall out (one of my worst habits) and it’s time for a good cleanout.

I don’t think I”ll get any help from the little ones so am going to devote an hour to each room today and just get stuck in. One of the biggest jobs is my craft room aka the junk room where bags get dumped, the ironing board lives, clothes waiting to be mended live and quilts for queensland boxes are stored (update tomorrow).

And why am I telling you this? Because I’m really hoping to get out some things to put on ebay like my gocco, smocking machine and more. A well overdue clear out.

Filed Under: cleaning, sewing room, studio

Search Results for: quilts for queensland

making quilts for dandelion support network

first quilt for queensland

65 hats all ready to go………….

a new year, a new charity

Get out your diaries for our craft day

my pet project for 2013

Keira’s quilt

happy new year and a look back

home day

hi I’m Corrie

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