Bound together

With winter finally upon us, last Saturday morning was so chilly you might have been forgiven for dubbing our depleted St Mark's Quilters 'the frozen few'.

But hot coffee, Michelle's yummy chocolate Florentines, and a cosy heated hall soon had us properly warmed up. It was just the weather for sitting with cosy quilts over our knees, the conversation flowing freely while we carefully hand stitched the bindings on our Blankets of Love and kindy quilts for The Marcia, a kindy for autistic children.

Susie was binding this kindy quilt.

Margaret was binding another kindy quilt in similar bright fabrics. 

Di B was a step behind, machining the binding onto a baby quilt in her favourite colour combination of blue, yellow and white.

Gail had a sweet Blanket of Love warming her lap. Dots, chevrons and gingham checks in aqua create such a fresh, clean look, and she has the skill it takes to use a check for the binding, keeping it accurately lined up.

Gillian (left) and Michelle (right) sat together.

Gillian finished off the binding on two Blankets of Love, one for a boy and one for a girl....

...while Michelle made progress with her doggy-themed strippy quilt.

Di C machined the binding to her quilt, but then (like most of us) couldn't resist playing with a new selection of fabrics and sketching and planning her next quilt. 

She and likes to plan her quilts thoroughly, and has a wonderful feel for colour.

Liz was also enjoying the excitement of starting on a new quilt, opening up and ironing a stack of Japanese style fat quarters ready for cutting. I can't wait to see what she does with these😊.

And apart from floating around taking photos I (finally!) started stitching down the binding on my Economy Blockalong Quilt that's been lurking in the background for a few months. It's an I Spy quilt with novelty fabrics fussy cut for the centre of each block, and will go to a little person at The Marcia once we have enough quilts to warrant a delivery.

Di B and I were delighted to report to the ladies that we'd recently delivered 46 Blankets of Love and several dozen knitted beanies to our other mission, the Royal Prince Alfred Newborn Intensive Care Nursery.

I've updated our Blankets of Love and Kindy Quilts galleries too, if you have a few spare minutes to take a look.

Back in the hall we were feeling more comfortable as the day went on, stitching, nibbling and chatting. 

Outside it was warming up too. 

By the time we closed the doors and headed for home the sky was blue, the few remaining leaves on the trees shone like little gold flakes, and our band of happy quilters had earnt the description, 'golden girls'!