Quilts for Orphans (QFO) are back at Mont De Lancey this week for the group’s biggest fundraiser of the year.
The Quilt Display and Craft Sale running until Sunday 9 November sees a huge display of handmade quilts, table runners, Christmas themed items and fabric, all at reasonable prices up for sale.
Every dollar spent, QFO president Libby Anderson said, supports the group, ensuring it can cover costs for another year.
“We usually raise between four and $5,000 and that would set us up quite nicely next year,” she said.
“The purchase of the wadding is the biggest cost. A lot of fabric is donated. So we have been buying backing fabrics, but they’ve not been on special, and we’re seeing a big difference in change.
“So we’re not buying backing fabrics, we’ll just use what fabric we’ve got and piece it together, but it’s the wadding and our fixed operating costs with insurance, and energy bills that are the most.
“And its 100 per cent volunteers, and all the money goes into the organisation.”
This year, QFO had great support from Lorne Quilters, who donated many quilts to be sold.
With such an array of quilts, from hand embroidered to a traditional wagga quilt, there are so many to choose from, catering to every need and aesthetic.
The QFO fabric hug journey began in 2007 with a small group of ladies in Monbulk. The ‘mission’ was to provide children in 26 Children’s Homes in India with tangible ‘hugs’ in the form of quilts which would wrap them in love from across the other side of the world.
The original goal was to make 2000 quilts.
Since then, over 6500 QFO fabric hugs have been gifted locally to emergency relief, family, refugee and domestic violence organisations, aged care settings, children’s hospitals, and have recently supported projects in Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Having received several grants through the Yarra Ranges Council recently, QFO has been able to undertake some different projects too.
Last month, as part of the Over 50s festival, Ms Anderson said they did a sewing project called Heart to Heart, where they ran a workshop to create 104 fabric hearts for Life’s Little Treasures.
“So parents would wear them next to their skin to get the scent, and then they’re put into the crib with their baby,” she said.
The current projects are making single quilts for some local aged care homes and some 100 day quilts for Life’s Little Treasures.
Don’t miss the chance to see some extraordinary quilts on display and perhaps find one to take home from Mont De Lancey from 10am to 4pm Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 November.
For more information on Quilts For Orphans, visit: quiltsfororphans.org
