10 Great reasons for volunteering

The time is flying by and before we know it we'll all be enjoying the 2017 Springwood Community Quilt Show. Here's a friendly reminder to get your quilt entries in before the 17th of March.

A big part of running a quilt show is the greatly needed help from volunteers. We couldn't do it without all the wonderful people filling in the required roles necessary to make the show the success that it is.
You don't have to have a quilt in the show to be a volunteer. Maybe you didn't have time to make a quilt this year, you can still take part by volunteering some of your time.

10 Great Reasons for Volunteering

Here are some great reasons for volunteering some of your time during the show

• It's a great way to be involved in something that benefits the community, not only your fellow quilters but the wider community of the Blue Mountains region. The money raised is used to make donations to the Blue Mountains Rural Fire Service and the Springwood High School. In 2016 we made a donation of $8,000 to the RFS which was only possible with the contribution of the team of wonderful volunteers. 

• Helping at a quilt show is a way to help the RFS. I know I wouldn't be capable to hold a hose in front of a wall of fire but I can enter quilts, and volunteer time at a show that raises money the men and women who do a great job of keeping us safe. 

• It's rewarding to experience the quilt show as a participant. A sense of being part of the team that makes it all happen.

• You get free entry during the show when you arrive for your shift/s.

• As a bonus all volunteers names for each shift are entered into a draw to win prizes.

• There's a job for everyone! If you need to sit down you'll be perfect for being on the front desk welcoming people and selling tickets. White gloving is a great way to spend time looking at the quilts. Setting up or packing up are great shifts for getting husbands involved.

• There are 5 days so there are lots of different times to suit everyone schedules.

• Volunteer with a friend or take the opportunity to make new friends. 

• We have broken the volunteer times into blocks of 2 hours so the time passes quickly. You can choose to do more shifts on one day or do shifts every day if you like.

• It's Fun!! You meet lovely people, you know how friendly quilters are! You're surrounded by lots of beautiful quilts. 

How Can You Help?

So now we've listed all the reasons why it's fun to volunteer lets look at some of the tasks you can help with.

Wednesday 26th April: Building frames and setting up the hall. 2-4pm

This is the day we assemble the hanging equipment and set up tables and chairs. Setting up the frames isn't as hard as it sounds. The frames although solid are light enough for anyone to carry and come together easily. This is a great day for getting husbands involved, and everyone else too for that matter. Many hands make light work and when everyone pitches in everything gets set up quite quickly.

Thursday 27th April 

This is such a fun and rewarding day. You get to see the hall transformed as the empty frames are filled with beautiful quilts.

Receiving Quilts, 10am -12midday:  Help receive the quilts and follow a list to allocate them to the correct rows.

Hanging Quilts, 12.30-3pm, 3pm-4.30pm: Don't be worried if you don't want to climb a ladder because there are plenty of other tasks, like pinning up small quilts, helping to unfold and pass up quilts, attaching quilt show labels etc, If you do enjoy climbing up a ladder you get the bonus of seeing the hall from a birds eye view.

Friday 28th-Sunday 30th: During the show

The following are the 3 areas we need volunteer help. The times are in blocks of 2 hours but you can volunteer for more shifts, and in different ares for variety if you like.

White Glove Duty - This is a great way to wander around and have a good look at the quilts. whilst being on hand to show a backing of a quilt or a closer detail if someone would like to see. Most people know not to touch the quilts. There are at least two white glove people at any given time.

Front Desk The time flies by when you're on the front desk. It's fun to welcome people to the show. One person sells entry tickets and another sells raffle tickets.

Cafe support- People love volunteering for the cafe. You work with a great team serving delicious food to happy showgoers.

Sun 24th April from 4pm-6pm onwards: Takedown. 

Once again this is one of those times where the more hands on deck the faster and more efficient it will be. There are jobs that will suit everyone - Getting the quilts down, unpinning small quilts, folding the quilts, assisting people with the collection of their quilts. As always husbands are very welcome and we find they especially enjoy helping pack up frames and getting the quilts down from the walls.

Baked Goodies for the Cafe

We have introduced a new way for people to help out. This is a great one for all of you who enjoy baking yummy things. Our Cafe is known for it's delicious home made slices and cakes but we can never have enough so we're putting a call out for cakes, slices, cookies, and all those delicious goodies. 

 If you are interested, please let us know what day/s you would like to cook for. You'll find the Volunteer form on the right side of the page, Simply tick the "Make a cake or slice" box for the corresponding day/s or email us at springwoodquiltshow@hotmail.com

So please volunteer some of your time. We couldn't have a show without everyone pitching in to help. Let us know what days and times suit you by using the online forms or download a paper form. If you have any questions please email us at springwoodquiltshow@hotmail.com

And please keep all those wonderful quilt entries coming in! I'm sure we all agree - the more quilts the merrier!

Visit Sew Can I to see the raffle quilt

The raffle quilt has been on the move again and you can now find it hanging at Sew Can I in Werrington County.

I asked Karen Stewart a few questions about the shop and her reply sums them up all up perfectly:

"Sew Can I, is a full service craft shop, we pride ourselves in our friendly and helpful service.

We sell quality fabric, if you are looking for something a little different through to traditional we have it. We stock Tula Pink, Anna Maria Horner, Kaffe Fasset, Tilda, Cotton + Steel and Moda just to name a few. We also stock wool, scrapbooking supplies, gift ware, handmade candles and melts.
Sew Can I are authorised Bernina Dealers with a great range of machines in store.

We offer a range of classes from beginner to guided workshops, dressmaking, machine embroidery, knitting and crochet. We have Anne Sommerlad and Chris Jurd teaching in our shop on a monthly basis also.

The shop has recently expanded and is located at Shop 3, 21 Lavin Crescent, Werrington County.

If you would like more information in regards to classes please call us on 02 9623 4570.
Keep up to date with the latest news at Sew Can I please like our Facebook Page "

Now it's time to sit back and enjoy the photo tour of the shop.

So pop on over to Sew Can I and see our Cherry Time raffle quilt. You'll be able to buy raffle tickets and stock up on crafting goodies. Karen is one of the traders at the Springwood Community Quilt Show so you'll be able say hello to her there too. 

One month to go...

To all you wonderful Blue Mountains quilters out there - it's just one month to go until entries close for our 2017 quilt show.

We classify the Blue Mountains region from Penrith to Bathurst over to Windsor. Or if you aren't in this area but you are a student of one our clever Blue Mountains teachers, or perhaps you get your quilts quilted by a Blue Mountains quilter you're eligible to enter quilts too. We simply ask that you have a connection with the Blue Mountains in some way. 

If there's anyone who's not sure about entering their quilts remember it's a great way to help raise money for the Blue Mountains Rural Fire Service. With all the hot weather and catastrophic weather conditions we've been having it's good to know we have a great RFS watching over us. For me, I know that if there was a fire I couldn't hold one of those big hoses in front of a wall of flames, but what I can do is be part of a show that raises money that assists the people who do.

We also donate money and supplies to the Springwood High School textiles department ensuring future generations of sewers and quilters.

If you are shy about sharing your quilts please be assured that you don't need to be. Our show is non-juried so you don't have to feel as though your quilts will be judged. We only ever hear the most positive comments about the quilts on show.

I've heard some people say they don't think their quilt is good enough. Phooey!!! Every quilt is beautiful whether it's a simple patchwork of squares or a complicated applique quilt, modern, art or traditional, table runner, mini or a big quilt etc. We believe it's the variety of different quilts that make an exhibition of quilts so wonderful and interesting to see.

You can enter up to 3 quilts so if you have already entered one why not pick out a couple more to enter. They don't have to be your most recent quilts, we'd love to see your old favourites too.

You'll find the link for the online entry form on the right hand side column. We have the easiest and most straight forward forms to fill out and use. We don't require photos and it's free to enter!
If you prefer not to use an online form you can print a form out and send it to us at the address provided.

If you have any questions simply let us know by emailing springwoodquiltshow@hotmail.com.

We look forward to receiving your wonderful entries! Remind all your quilter friends to enter their quilts too.

2017 Quilt Show Bookmarks

Have you seen our 2017 quilt show bookmarks?

Not only do they have all the information you need to know about the show on one handy card. 

they're also good at wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day. 

Watch out for our wonderful bookmarks at quilt shops throughout the Blue Mountains and Sydney. 

Our wonderful Raffle Prizes

With our raffle quilt touring we thought it would be a good time to focus on all the great raffle prizes we have this year.

Of course our beautiful Cherry Time quilt is the grand prize!!

We recently had it valued by QuiltNSW and with all the hand applique, foundation pieced sashing and beautiful custom quilting the value came in at $2200.00.

Moving onto our Second Prize - We have an AccuQuilt GO! Fabric Cutter valued at $399.00!

The new GO! Fabric Cutter Starter Set saves you time cutting so you have more time to quilt!

• 90% faster than rotary cutters or scissors
• Accurately cut up to 6 layers of fabric at a time
• Safe, easy-to-use design helps reduce hand and arm strain
• Unlimited design options with wide range of quilting shapes

The new GO! Fabric Cutter Starter Set includes the GO! Fabric Cutter, the GO! Value Die (AQ55018), a 6" x 12" cutting mat, a die pick, PLUS a FREE 20-page pattern booklet which includes 12 block patterns and a sampler quilt pattern, so you can start creating right away.

With one of these cutters at your side the possibilities are endless. Just imagazine the hexagon quilts you could make, clamshells, half square triangles, it even does strips for binding. The AccuQuilt website has lots of great ideas and tips for using these handy cutters.

Our fabulous third prize is an Oliso Smart Iron valued at $169.00.

The Oliso® Smart Iron® features Oliso's patented iTouch® technology. What’s that? Just the easiest ironing experience ever.

Simply touch the handle and the iron lowers, ready to work. Iron those wrinkle away! Take your hand off and the patented scorchguards® lift the iron off the board preventing scorches, burns, and tipping.

The easiest, safest, and dare we say it... most fun way to iron.

I'm sure you'll agree these are all great prizes!!!

So where can you buy our raffle tickets?
You'll be able to buy them at quilt shops that host the raffle quilt. Follow the blog, IG ( @springwoodquiltshow)  or our facebook page to keep up with the tour.
Our friendly committee members have raffle tickets to sell.
Of course you can buy raffle tickets when you come to our quilt show on the last weekend of April, 28th - 30 April.

The raffle will be drawn on Sunday at the Springwood Community Quilt Show at 3pm , so buy lots of tickets and keep your fingers crossed for one of these great prizes!! Proceeds raised go to the Blue Mountains RFS and the textile department of the Springwood High School. 

Mountain Magic

Let's have a flash back to our 2011 Raffle Quilt.

Mountain Magic is a pictorial quilt depicting the Three Sisters Rock formation, the Blue Mountains' most well known and popular tourist attraction at Echo Point, Katoomba.

Here's a photo of its namesake.

The quilt was designed by Petal Davies, a local quilt and wearable art teacher, although assembly was a group effort by members of the show committee. 

The quilt includes a variety of materials and fabrics.

Furnishing fabrics were made into tree trunks. Those tree fern branches have wires in the spines so they can be manipulated into shape.

Layers of different shades of fine blue organza became the misty haze created by Eucalyptus trees that inspired the name for the Blue Mountains

Sunlight reflecting off the rocks was created with a gold ice cream wrappers.

Hospital grade plastic bags were used to construct the forest undergrowth.

And I'm sure you'll agree the result is wonderful!! 

Just a friendly reminder that quilt and volunteer entries are open for the 2017 show. You'll find the forms on the right hand side of this page. 

Post Office Patchwork

Our 2017 raffle quilt has begun its journey...

and is now hanging at Post Office Patchwork in Glenbrook.

So make a trip to visit the shop, see our beautiful quilt Cherry Time in person and buy some raffle tickets. While there you're sure to find yourself some fabulous fabrics treats from the great choice of civil war, repro, pretty Tilda, fun childrens prints, Dutch chintz or bright modern fabrics.  

The shop is easy to find at 33 Ross St, Glenbrook, just look out for the open sign with the colourful happy flags,

and Judy's big welcoming smile. 

For those who don't live nearby Judy will have a traders table at the show so you'll be able to stock up on goodies when you come to see the show in April.

For more information about Post Office Patchwork or the classes visit the website here

Or you can keep up with the latest news at their facebook page here