Monday 25th June

It was celebration time this month as Sunshine Linus Inc. celebrated its 9^th birthday! Thank you Kaye for baking the delicious cake! Kaye and Susan had set up a colorful display for the occasion highlighting the ‘dressed’ mannequins from each team.

Judy gave a short summary of Sunshine Linus’ humble beginnings. Can you believe it all began in the back room of the Patchwork Angel shop nine years ago? Founding members included Judy, Thelma, Liz, Sharon, Jan, Carolyn and Judy.

Daniel from the Bendigo Bank, Woombye branch presented Sunshine Linus with a donation of $500. Thank you to Bendigo Bank for their ongoing support. Included in the celebrations were a number of lucky door prizes. Daniel was happy to take part in the proceedings drawing the raffle tickets. Lucky winners got to choose from a selection of gorgeous bags made by Kaye, her sister Lyn, and Sandra.

The new team organisation seems to be working well as everyone becomes familiar with their roles and responsibilities. It didn’t take long for the Quilting Team to start sorting items for their wish list.

Those members who make the ‘touchy feely’ blocks appear to be reaching new heights in creativity as Linda and Elaine show with these two examples.

Tina and Loretta were kept busy doing some unpicking for Claire.

Marion paid some bills while Jan took some time out to have a chat and catch-up.

Cynthia took a moment to sit and have a cuppa.

Jenny made time to finish her Kanyini bear before the distribution work began in earnest.

Forty Kanyini Bears were donated this month. Irene and Pam were happy to give an armful of bears a hug. One Kanyini bear came complete with its own baby!

During ‘Show and Tell’ Elaine showed a very cute Mr Pelican who had just gobbled up a bill full of fish!

This delightful ‘touchy feely’ cushion was a team effort with Dawn making the cushion and Linda making the ‘doodads’.

Another creative, ‘touchy feely’ item included this fabric book. It contained lots of ‘doodads’ to manipulate.

Susan has been hard at work making a number of these snuggly, sleeveless hoodies for the sales table on Open Day. She has been very frugal only using fabric donated to Sunshine Linus.

Kaye made this striking wall hanging using a set of elaborately, embroidered blocks that had been donated to Sunshine Linus.

Lyn has been constructing eye-catching quilts from ‘orphan’ blocks and pieces found on the freebie table. She has incorporated a quilt cover to make the back of the ‘I Spy’ quilt.

Joy showed a striking, modern quilt, and a country- themed, checked quilt both quilted by Leslie.

On her recent trip to South Australia Kaye kept herself from getting bored by knitting these two gorgeous vests. Yes, she was in the passenger seat at the time, not behind the wheel! And yes, the models are pretty gorgeous too!

Somehow Kaye also managed to make two quilt tops. The first quilt was made using 10 inch squares and the second incorporates some quirky stars to add some interest to quite a simple quilt top.

Cynthia modelled a cosy shawl Beany had made using knitted squares. Beany also showed some quirky bed socks, a very adorable mouse scarf, and two delightful, sensory doodads that the ‘touchy feely’ team scooped up.

Claire produced a number of items for a new client, ‘Talk Plus Allied Health’ in Caloundra. They had requested the need for some sensory items for a 3 year old child. She made a fun sensory cushion and a ‘cube with a purpose’. Of course Claire couldn’t resist making a cuddly friend too.

Claire made this ‘chappy’ for Nambour Special School and their Body Safe program. The body parts detach and reattach.

The last of Claire’s creations was a delightful wall quilt based on the book ‘Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas’.

Judy finished ‘Show and Tell’ with two charming ‘I Spy’ quilts. Judy had made up 12 packs of blocks ready to be pieced for anyone who was keen.

Other items of interest:

• Susan has bought herself a stud machine. It is great for attaching studs to pyjamas so if anyone needs to use it let her know.

• The pattern folders are now in the possession of the team leaders who are in the process of updating them. Most of the patterns we use are now on the Blog. They can be found under the ‘Patterns’ tab on the right hand side of the blog page.
• Open Day is not far away: Saturday August 17^th. On the next Activity Day July 15^th, we will be doing a whole lot of organising for Open Day including pricing, pinning rod pockets on quilts, organising layout and display areas and leaders will be required to allocate time slots for their helpers on the day. All sales items are to be delivered on Activity Day. Late donations will be priced on the day. There will be four items raffled including two quilts, a doll and a baby wrap.
• Remember attendees are allowed three visits and then they are required to pay the yearly $10 membership fee.

Monday 27th May

There were 89 attendees at this month’s meeting and as usual, it didn’t take long for everyone to find a job that needed to be done and set to work. Daphne and Lyn are two of our faithful, fabric sorters. Each month they commit their time to sorting and organising the many bags of fabric that are donated to Sunshine Linus. Thank you ladies!

Jill and Carole set about getting the quilts ready for the distribution table.

Gail and Debbie from the ‘SewingTeam’ were collecting the items required for their wish lists as well as taking time to enjoy a cuppa.

Anne, Rosina and Helen from the ‘Sensory Team’ were hard at work stitching on labels and making blockenspeils and baby balls.

The ‘Yarners’ came up with a great idea. They had been struggling to sort the huge piles of the many, varied items that were arriving on their table each month, so Janet, Eileen and Helen came up with the idea to organise and label plastic tubs specific for each type of item. Hopefully this will make their task much easier! Thank you too Janet for taking over the leadership of the ‘Yarners Team’.

Members of the ‘Baby Team’ Marlene (a visitor from SA), Sandra, Sue and Glenis looked as though they had everything under control! They were happy to show a selection of beautifully knitted cardigans to be donated to the Salvation Army Noosaville and a still born baby cocoon and beanie bound for Tanzania.

‘Show and Tell’ began with Orrawin showing two quilts. The first was a striking, car-themed quilt with a very modern look and the second a bright, scrap quilt suitable for a girl.

Lorraine showed this delightful quilt suitable for a little girl. It also came with a gorgeous bag!

Susan reminded everyone about the ‘president’s challenge’ due next month. Each team must dress their mini model. The ‘Sewing Team’ have already set the standard with this lovely smocked dress made from recycled fabrics and it also comes complete with a pair of small scissors.

Lyn P made this sweet bag using a cross-stitched panel she found on the ‘freebie table’. She covered it for extra protection with plastic sourced from Bunnings. Who says the hardware store is only for men?

Lyn also made this eye-catching quilt using hexagons that she once again found on the ‘freebie table’.

Loretta made this handsome frog. He will be available for sale on Open Day.

Annie R told us a heart-warming story. Her husband is the pastor at a local Lutheran church. He asked her to speak in church about the story of ‘Dorcas’ because in his mind she and all the ladies at Sunshine Linus are ‘Dorcases’! Dorcas was a Christian woman of New Testament times who made clothing for the poor. As a result of Annie’s story, Sunshine Linus received a donation from members of the church of $1000, four bags of fabric and this beautiful hexagon quilt top. If you would like to read about Dorcas you can find the story here.

Kaye modeled this stunning, knitted jacket. She made it from a variety of different yarns. Kaye is planning to knit another jacket ready for the 'sales table' on Open Day. She will make the pattern available for those people who are interested in making one themselves.

Beany has been busy knitting and piecing knitted blocks of various sizes. She showed four bright rugs ready for the colder months.

Lorraine and Sandra were having a great time modeling a selection of cute and practical items made by the ‘Yarners Team’.

The ‘Baby Team’ showed a cosy, crocheted rug and two gorgeous, knitted cardigans.

Rosemary put out a request for ‘touchy feely’ objects. She showed a selection of suitable objects to attach to the ‘touchy feely’ items that are made. Remember that they need to be able to stand up to the rigors of an industrial washing machine.

Claire put out a request for quilts for Nambour Special School a few months back. She showed this delightful, heavy/light themed quilt made by Pauline and long/short themed quilt made by Liz.

Claire also showed an ingenious, weighted blanket she had made. It contains 36 pockets on the inside that hold the weights.

Claire continues to make amazing story-themed quilts.  She showed this quaint and interactive story quilt based on the song ‘Five Little Ducks’. She trialed the ‘Scan and Cut’ machine for the numbers.

And finally, a quilt based on the story ‘King Bidgood’ with removable bath tub scenes. This quilt swill be donated to Currimundi Special School.

Marion reminded us of the fire safety drill procedures which included:

1.  The location of the 3 fire exits
2. The need to assist older members who require mobility assistance
3. To assemble in the area near the car park

A few other important reminders:

• Open Day Saturday 17^th August
• A4 and A5 pamphlets are now available for distribution
• Vendors attending Open Day include: The Patchwork Angel, Kimz Sewing and Patchwork Centre, The Sewing Mill, Cooroy Drapery, Maleny Magic Patchworks and Quilts and Bowerbirdy
• Keep your items for the ‘sales table’ at home until Activity Day July 15^th when you will need to deliver these items to be sorted and priced
• Also next month Sunshine Linus will be celebrating its 9^th birthday! There will be cake!