Yep! The years are racing by! In some ways that is sad in others it is lovely when fun anniversaries come round again.  For quilters there is a Saturday every March that is celebrated as National Quilting Day in the USA and which has been quickly adopted and renamed International Quilting Day by groups across the globe.  Last year I found out a little about the history of the IQD and this year I double checked the link and found that in the US the National Quilting Association ‘dissolved’ in December 2015 and responsibility for National Quilting Day has been taken up by the Quilt Alliance. I’ve no idea about the ‘politics’ behind these changes but think that the good will of quilters around the world should ensure that IQD will go from strength to strength.

So, homing in on my little corner of the quilting world I am very happy to be able to report that lots of quilting groups in this part of the UK met to spend a day being sociable, making items and raising funds for their chosen charities.  The group I spent IQD with raised money for a local respite house providing a holiday destination for children suffering life limiting illness and their families.  We made drawstring bags for the charity Beads for Courage and support cushions and drain bags for women recovery from breast surgery. In the afternoon some quilters carried on making charity items, others of us turned to our own projects and enjoyed a show and tell too.

Beads of Courage bags to the left, drain bags to the right.

Some of the heart shaped support cushions

Our day was as well organised as ever with; tea, coffee and biscuits on tap; a very tasty ploughman’s lunch prepared for the hungry workers; a couple of raffles providing generous, quilt related prizes; and a local quilt store, Purple Stitches, providing retail therapy.

Busy sewing at Brown Candover on IQD.

I’m looking forward to reading blog posts recording how other quilters marked IQD.

As a postscript, I include a photo of the pot holders I made on Saturday afternoon.  These are made from HST units left over from recent projects.  I only used one layer of cotton blend wadding in each so they’d be no good for handling dishes out of the oven but they’ve already proved their worth with hot teapot and saucepan handles and they are brightening up the kitchen too.  This little project was part of my promise to have ‘home’ and ‘family’ as my key words for 2016 – ‘Way to go, Allison!’ is all I can say!

And, (there’s more?) this is my blog post number One Hundred!  A great opportunity to thank you very much for reading my posts and leaving so many helpful and interesting comments. I really enjoy writing these posts, reading comments, getting to know other bloggers and discovering through blogging more about the world of patchwork & quilting and quite a lot else besides!

Just in case I don’t get to post again this week: I send you greetings for a very Happy Easter!

Allison