November 2017

This month, Sunshine Linus members and guests met for our last distribution day, Show and Tell and a Christmas Luncheon. President Kaye welcomed the ladies for an earlier than usual start and the room filled quickly as did the distribution table.

A stack of blockenspeils were joined by fabric balls, knitted toys and hand puppets.

The entrance to the Hall was stacked with Santa Sacks made by members at the July Activity Day and filled under the guidance of Lyn W and her team. These will be distributed by the Uniting Church into the Nambour community. One large leopard seemed rather nonchalant about his future.

Member Orrawin who constantly uses the smallest scraps presented two quilts. The men's quilt is interesting on both sides

and Orrawin's hourglass blues and greens contains over 3000 pieces.

Some lightweight lap rugs for the nursing homes were welcomed,

while Neil Whiteman returned from some well-deserved leave to show how some of his mother's squares had been made into a rug, inspired by the efforts of Linus members.

Brigette had combined Scrappy Strips with some pinwheels for this effect,

 Anne responded to the call for more men's quilts with a scrappy number in browns,

 and Glorianne had made two appliqued quilts for children.

Lyn P's Christmas quilt was a "find" from the freebie table.

Special orders are generally Claire's speciality. However, Gabriele shared this velour cover (modelled by Daphne) suitable for sufferers of Muscular Dystrophy, especially men who dislike lap quilts which slip off.

A recent visit to Mooloolah State School Special Needs class resulted in a request from one small girl for a worm rather than a snake, and from a boy for a parrot - and of course Claire has obliged with these items

as well as some heavier dogs for autistic children.

Newer members and "old hands" listened to The Very Cranky Bear story. 

Then, just as we were almost finished, two members Crazy Quilters Caboolture arrived with a bundle of delightful small quilts. So, out came the needles while some Linus members attached the labels which accompany all of our quilts.

Christmas lunch was a happy occasion with members asked to complete a task where they had to find "someone who" had done certain things or had certain skills, forcing us to talk with people with whom we would not normally interact at a monthly meeting.  Special thanks to the team who organised the lunch, to all who contributed the delicious food, and to President Kaye for her hard work in providing dozens of lucky door prizes.

 Leaving with armfuls of fabric and good intentions, we will no doubt return with masses of quilts at our first meeting in 2018, January 29.

October 2017

While I was interstate for the October meeting, the preparation for the blog was made admirably by Carolyn and Orrawin - my thanks to them - and what a pleasure it was to create this post looking at all the show and tell with fresh eyes. I hope that all our readers are also motivated by this month's photos.

 Early In October, Sunshine Linus held one of three Activity Days planned for each year. Three demonstrations were held.
Jenny Wilcox from Palmwoods Arts and Crafts gave a comprehensive demonstration of the Scan and cut machine, one of which has recently been donated to Sunshine Linus.

 

More about this equipment in the October Links.

Barbara demonstrated flying geese and disappearing nine patch variations.

 Later in the blog you will see the variety of quilts made by Barbara and handed in for distribution at the end of October.

Our untiring President Kaye demonstrated "scrappy stacks" quilts.

"Super easy" I am told and you can see more examples of these below. A hands-on day is planned for 2018 so we can try it for ourselves.

Jan from Chinchilla regularly sends paper-pieced challenges.
Two of these returned as quilts this month:

Bright circles used by Judie B and marine animals used by Kaye.

Dee has been quilting small quilts and, while we do not always know the designer/maker, we are thankful for all these donations. Members will be busy this month adding the bindings and labels for a finished product.

Glorianne had a dinosaurs theme with three delightful quilts for small children who, for some reason, seem to be walking encyclopedias when it comes to dinosaurs.

Anne is an expert at applique and her quilts featured varied squares with a small floral border

 and a nautical theme with half square triangle border.

Dorothy used storybook squares to effect, and farm animal motifs.

Dorothy's squares are effective in these two small quilts:

 while Denise's choice of strong browns and greys is definitely for a male.

Barbara presented several finished quilts including these below:
 From simple squares

 to a disappearing nine patch

 to flying geese

to scrappy blocks

 and the use of excess furnishing fabric.

Kaye used the triple layered flower cut during the Scan and Cut demonstration
to add interest to this scrappy stack quilt,

demonstrated a colourful brick effect 

and what can be achieved using those leftovers of different width and lengths.

A special order scrappy stacks quilt has been completed by Kaye for Rose Cottage hospice.

The distribution table supported a variety of other items including these blockenspeils
and towelling bibs, and

 sensory cubes,

 including this large cube made by Lee.

As the November 27th meeting will be our last distribution day for 2018, a variety of finished products can be expected.