Firestorm in Victoria
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 06:54PM I have just been on the phone.
First - I need to give a bit of background story. A very long time ago my mother remarried. I was grown and married, and so were my new stepfather's children, but our families met from time to time and I am fond of my step brothers and sisters.
Alice and her husband moved to a delightful wooded area in the hills of Buxton in Victoria. I am not giving their full names - Alice is proud and would not like to feel as if she was being given charity.
They set up fire systems, and as fires moved towards them they were ready to stay with their house to fight for it. It was the advice of a neighbour - a man who had a lot of bushfire experience - which made them move. He had cleared fields around his house where Alice and her husband had lots of tall trees - and he said they should get out as they would not have a hope of saving it.
They threw a few things into the car and headed for Marysville.
Now all Australians know that that town no longer exists. All but fifteen houses burnt to the ground. There are terrible and terrifying stories of bodies found and perhaps 100 people died there.
Alice and her husband realised that the town was unsafe - it was being evacuated - and drove just ahead of the fire to Alexandra to the next evacuation point.
It was days before they could get back to Buxton to see if they had a house - and everything was gone. Their tool shed is there so they have garden tools and a lawnmower - but no garden and no lawn.
Alice had started quilting quite recently - and the beautiful blue quilt she was making for her daughter has gone.
They have been offered some temporary accommodation and I am going to send her a machine I can spare at the moment, a rotary cutter and a ruler and mat. What she needs most is activity. I know how calming and fulfilling quilting can be - so I want to try to replace her fabrics so she can work on a quilt.
She was working in all shades of blues and pastels. My idea was to ask if my readers could spare a piece of fabric from their stashes to send it to her.
I would not post something like this without permission so I spoke to Jan, her sister in law and my other step-sister who is in contact with her.
Alice was thrilled with the idea. She does not want to feel like a charity so I am not asking for goods or clothes - only fabric and perhaps some quilt magazines with patterns. Her idea is that if she gets the offered house in Buxton she will start a group for the women there - and if she has some fabric she can share this with others. This means that all colours will be very welcome. I was really touched that she would immediately think of a way to share whatever might be sent.
At the moment she does not have an address so Jan is offering to receive packets for her and will take them to her as soon as she has a place to live.
The address is:
For Alice,
c/o Jan Stinear,
76 Prince Street,
Mornington,
Victoria 3931
Australia
Please be generous and send her a fat quarter or a nice piece of fabric - I love the idea of a phoenix quilt group, rising from the ashes.
Reader Comments (37)
The Quilting group I belong to has been wondering how to specifically target quilters with their donations.
This is it! Thank you. I also have a heap of thread so I'll send that along too.
I have gone "shopping" in my cupboards for some goodies for my fellow quilters because the nearest craft shop is 600km away for me. I even found some crochet hooks for those who don't quilt!! We went to town today, 120km away for us and posted the parcel. I was so pleased to be able to do this and I hope if it was me in this situation, that someone would do it for me too.
Yvonne in the Northern Territory, Australia ybauer@activ8.net.au
This is just the thing I was looking for as I wanted to help someone in real need. Last summer so many quilters "stepped up" to make quilts and donate sewing supplies to help those in Iowa who suffered flooding from the Mississippi River. I will begin pulling fabric and I have some magazines, new ones, that I will be happy to send along, too!
your message was posted on a Dutch blog which is read by many Dutch quilters. You can be sure that there will be packages from The Neterlands as well, I'll go through my stash tonight!
Bless you for the idea
Hilde
This is exactly what I've been looking for to make a contribution to - will make up a parcel tonight, I'm sure if there is more than you sister can use, they will find a way to share it with others in the same situation.
Best wishes
Bernadette.
A little something is already in the post. More to follow. Am spreading the word. It's good to do something practical. Thank you, Jenny, for letting us know. Some things don't seem so important any more. Thinking of you out there in Australia.
Sue, UK
I've just received my birthday FQs, from some online groups, so I'll put some in the mail on Tuesday.
God bless, Christine in Los Angeles
Oh Jenny what a wonderful way to help. Only too happy to send some fabric.Good on you Alice for your great idea.
Maria WA
What a wonderful idea. Is it permitted that I copy the post on your blog and paste it on our forum "Quiltvirus"? We have seen on television what happened with the fires in Victoria and it is difficult to understand how big this disaster is. I thank you for giving the opportunity to do something!
I have just been catching up with your blog Jenny and so have just read about your sister. My heart goes out to her. My sister in law is in Traralgon and thankfully she did not lose anything in that dreadful fortnight. I have been looking to help quilters and have recently sent blocks to another quilter who has family in Benalla who have friends and relatives who are quilters who lost everything and they are also organising to share these blocks to make quilts for other victims. Fabric will be on its way today.
Terri WA
Hello, is it still possible to send fabric to the lady in Australia? i didn't see your blog until today. i live in utah, and can send some blue fabrics, and some others.
Thank you@
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