Biggest Morning Tea - A Cancer Council Fundraiser

Every year during May the Cancer Councils around Australia encourage organisations to host a morning tea in order to raise funds for cancer research and support of patients.
For a number of years Canberra Quilters has hosted a morning tea - or an extended lunch - dubbed the Biggest Quilting Bee. This year it was held on Sunday, 22 May, at the Community Hub Hall at Cook - in the same complex of buildings as our headquarters.
Members had a fine old time from 11am until 3pm. The tables were groaning with tasty food - "bring-a-plate" brings out the best in the quilting cooks. The raffle tables were piled with donated prizes. Everyone had fun trying to complete the puzzles, chatting to friends, getting a little stitching done - and eating and drinking.

food, glorious food

What's a quilting bee without a bee?

Many, many prizes to choose from

Hard at work on the puzzles

Chat, sew, read, eat, drink...

Are you sure that's the answer?

At the end of it all...cleanup

A total of $1301.40 was raised on the day. Congratulations to Mary Robertson and her team and to all who attended. Special thanks to our MC - VP Tricia Morton.

Row by Row Meeting - 11 May

On 11 May the ROW makers had their meeting to reveal the results of the third row. Below are images taken on the day - in most cases showing the three rows completed by each person. Some definite styles and directions are emerging - through choice of fabrics and techniques.

The next meeting will be on 8 June. The two elements to be included in the next row are bugs/butterflies/bees and the colour orange. Once again this can be interpreted in many ways - it may be appliqued butterflies, pieced bugs or incorporating a bug fabric. Orange can range from the palest apricot, through a true orange to a deep rust.

Lut-Da Award shared by Canberra Quilter - Iris Hockley (Life Member)

The annual Lut-Da Award goes to a quilter who has made an outstanding contribution to their local or quilting community via the medium of quilting. It is presented at the Australasian Quilt Convention awards dinner.
This year the award was shared between our own Iris Hockley and Roslyn Moules of NSW for their work in community quilts.
For many years Iris was the convener of the Quilts for Others program of Canberra Quilters. She handed over late last year, but this is a fitting tribute to Iris and national recognition for the work she has done with this program.
Congratulations to Iris and the other hardworking volunteers in the Quilts for Others program.

The next QFO working bee is on 10 May - 10.30am until 2.30pm.

ROWmakers meeting - Wednesday 13/4

The last meeting on 13 April came up with a name for the meeting - ROW (Rowdy On Wednesdays)makers, courtesy of Sandra Farley. The name reflects the energy and enthusiasm of the group. Thirty five people attended, including a visitor from the UK.

Here are some images of the rows- two having been completed. Some people have chosen a vertical orientation, instead of the more usual horizontal.

The next elements to be incorporated are stars (chosen by Jacquie Rogers) and stripes (chosen by Margrit Davies).  The next meeting of ROWmakers is on Wednesday 18 April, 10.00 am for a 10.30 start. See you there with your three completed rows!

Carol Taylor workshop - The Value of Value

Canberra Quilters hosted international tutor Carol Taylor for a three-day workshop 19-21 April. Below are some of the images from the workshop. Despite having to evacuate for a fire alarm on Thursday we all had a great time and learned something new.

Carol's work:

Two students hard at work (Jenny and Janet):

Our class photos, on the steps at Cook:



Year of the Rabbit

Our April evening meeting was the deadline for entries in the Year of the Rabbit mini-quilt challenge. Below are images of the entries received. By popular vote, the first quilt was selected as a winner - of a basket of mini-chocolate eggs, of course!

Quilts For Others (QFO) working bee - 12/4

Quilts for Others is holding its monthly working bee on Tuesday 12 April, from 10.00 am till 2.30pm. Come along to help out with kit preparation, sewing blocks, cutting strips, binding, basting tops ready for quilting, even do some quilting.
Catch up with old friends and sew for a cause. Bring your lunch and stay all day!  Coffee, tea and snacks provided.
All the quilts made by QFO are donated to various charities in the ACT. These include Mary Mead, Ted Noffs Foundation, various nursing homes and refuges, Karinya House for mothers and babies. The charities use the quilts as they see fit - for their clients or as a raffle prize for fund-raising purposes.

Busy Week for Canberra Quilters

After the meeting last night we continue with a busy week for Canberra Quilters.
Today is the usual Friday drop-in. Tomorrow (Sat) the Art Quilters meet and are having a demonstration and mini-workshop on fabric painting by Lyn Steel.
On Monday the first evening drop-in will occur. This will be a regular occurrence, on the second-Monday-of-the-month, from 7.00pm-9.30pm .
On Tuesday the regular Quilts For Others (QFO) working bee will be held from 10- 2.30. Come along to help - baste quilts, cut strips, sew blocks, quilt (!), bind and label.
On Wednesday in the morning is the meeting 10 for a 10.30 start, until 12.30. This meeting revolves around the row-by-row challenge. It is followed by the regular Wednesday drop-in until 4.00pm.
On Friday it is drop-in day again!