QUILTING FOR CANCER & more bags again....

THESE LOVELY WOMEN SPENT A WHOLE DAY MAKING HAND BAGS TO BE AUCTIONED FOR CANCER PATIENT SUPPORT.

PICTURES OF THE BAGS ARE FEATURED BELOW.


I recently ran a free-workshop for my patchwork friends in Eltham. There were 7 of us making handbags.


We called it “Quilting for Cancer”, because our handbags (or the proceeds of them) are being donated to Eastern Palliative Care and Banskia Palliative Care


Whilst sitting around quilting one day (yes every fortnight I took time out to quilt for 3 hours with these wonderfully funny women) we found that almost every one of us had nursed a relative with cancer with the help of Palliative Care. Some had gone on to become volunteers and others run regular stalls to raise money for them


My mum receives help from Eastern Palliative Care in the form of a Biographer who has helped Mum finish her biography, a Music therapist who comes fortnightly to let mum sing, listen to her favourite music, and plays the keyboard to any request mum has. Also we have had the Palliative Care Nurses help through regular monitoring and assisting us in times of emergencies, coming to administer emergency medications, assist with admissions to hospital and information on what to expect and how to help mum. We have also had the services of a brialliant counsellor who helps mum (and us) cope with this very difficult and emotional time.


All this hands-on care is done by the most wonderful women - and all organised by the not-for-profit orgnaisation. No wonder I'm committed to helping and hope I can enthuse you to support them too.

SO HERE COMES THE CRUNCH DEAR FRIENDS.



Who would like to make a bid for one of the bags?


Unfortunately colours on these photos are not exactly true - the handle on the second bag is actually almost a denim colour, matching the pattern in the bag materials.




These bags took 5 hours each to hand make by some very talented quilters.




Unique handmade bags are priceless, but your generousity for Cancer patient support is of even more valuable.

STARTING AT
$20 Australian Dollars

$US18,

£9British Pounds,

$26 Singapore dollars,

$17 Canadian dollars

€12Euros

64 UAE Dirhams

7 Omani Rials

¥2,00 Japanese Yen
We’ll take any currency….

THIS AUCTION IS A SILENT AUCTION, NO ONE KNOWS WHO'S BID, NOR HOW MUCH, PLEASE JUST SEND YOUR GENEROUS OFFER TO rowlands@nildram.co.uk

We’ll take any currency….
THIS AUCTION IS A SILENT
AUCTION, NO ONE KNOWS WHO'S BID, NOR HOW MUCH, PLEASE JUST SEND YOUR
GENEROUS
OFFER TO rowlands@nildram.co.uk

We’ll take any currency….
THIS AUCTION IS
A SILENT AUCTION, NO ONE KNOWS WHO'S BID, NOR HOW MUCH, PLEASE JUST SEND YOUR GENEROUS OFFER TO rowlands@nildram.co.uk

Imagine you are just sending mum a bunch of flowers, but instead
you receive a lovely handbag.

WE HAVE MADE SEVERAL BAGS FOR
SOME VERY LUCKY LADIES.

If you are a guy and have no one to give one of
these great bags to for
a birthday or Christmas present…. you may just like
to make a donation to
Eastern Palliative Care, you are most welcome – it is
a non-profit organization
that helps lots of families like ours and every
dollar helps them help
others.

On a separate note but still on handbags (of course)

Sue, Loretta and Vicky came to an impromptu workshop I decided to run on the Sunday after I arrived in Melbourne. We all contributed material we had in our stash, threw it into the middle of the table and mixed them all up. I strip cut the pieces randomly and we each put the bags together in different ways. The creativity made each bag quite different. It was based on the one I made below in Singapore, but added many "Miranda" touches to it: more functionality, pockets, easier method and more practical size.

From Left to right : Loretta's, Mine
Below: Sue's










Mum always said she loved my "workshop handbag" because of the batik material. She said if it wasn't so big (before it had extra height and width (see photos below) she'd love to have it. So the other night I thought "Hmm I'm the hand bag lady - I should be able to fix it." So I pulled it apart and cut it, and took it in, sewed here and there, and VOILA, mum gets the bag she wanted in the size she wanted. She loves it!!!

For my friend Hiroko, (she supplies me with the glorious Japanese fabrics in Singapore for my bags). I enjoyed making these two matching carry bag and handbag because as you will note, they are not my usual colours . The material is exquisite silk - they are actually the front and back fo the same material - just showing the different weave weft one is predominantly orange and the other is a gorgeous Japanese clam shell design (Seikaiha).- unfortunately too subtle to be picked up in the photo.

Betty, Sandra and I (featured in last post) decided to do a handbag workshop together. This is the result. Using a Bernina Araura 440 to embelish it with numerous embroidery stitches.

I made this one for my sister. It's calico and inspired by the little block of kangaroo material I found in Warradyte. The bag is really handy at the moment as it is huge and carris 1/2 her life between mum's and her house.