By Mikayla van Loon
For a small group of Yarra Ranges sewers based in Hoddles Creek, they have one simple mission – to give a fabric hug to those in need.
This mission sees them gift hundreds of handmade quilts each year to local, Australian and international organisations who support orphans, refugees, premature babies and women escaping violence.
Quilts for Orphans (QFO) brings together the expertise of 40 local sewers and many more people around the country who stitch together colourful quilts of all shapes and sizes.
Secretary Deb Woodward said over the years, QFO has distributed quilts to people in Syria, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Timor Leste, as well as in Mooroolbark, Warburton and Frankston.
“Since 2007 we have given away thousands of quilts. Last year there were just under 500 and they went to people like the Australian Syrian Association,” she said.
“They put a container together every couple of years with household goods, and a lovely pile of quilts, and they’ve gone to the Syrian refugee camps.”
Partnering with Sydney based organisation Mahboba’s Promise after a member heard the story of Mahboba’s work from an Afghani friend, Deb said “we instantly supported them”.
“[They have] four orphanages in Afghanistan, in Kabul and out in the suburbs and they’re basically for children for education and to be housed, many are displaced children. So we started sending quilts to Afghanistan through Mahboba many years ago,” Deb said.
When war broke out again in Afghanistan, Mahboba was able to support 10 children and 10 adults in getting to Australia who are now housed in Sydney, with QFO supplying quilts for the beds for their arrival.
“That’s just beautiful and the kids just hugged them and that’s why we call them fabric hugs. It’s just a beautiful comfort and it’s a very simple mission of ours, to provide comfort.”
Deb said Mooroolbark’s Billanook College is also a wonderful supporter of the QFO, hand delivering quilts to children in Thailand when students go over there to help with building projects.
80 or so quilts have also been hand delivered to orphanages in Vietnam to both children and adults living with disability caused by Agent Orange 50 years after the war through Change the One.
More locally, Deb said the handmade fabric hugs are often supplied to Warburton women’s refuge Benwerren or Treasured Babies in Mooroolbark.
“Last year, too, we had contact from a caseworker in Frankston who had a dad and his kids living in a car at Christmas time. We were straight down there with quilts.”
With many finished quilts sitting on the shelves, Deb said QFO is preparing to send 50 to flood victims in Victoria via Jan at Oz Comfort Quilts who is organising the distribution.
Heading into 2023, Deb said QFO will be looking to gain more members to keep up with the demand of finishing the quilts with wadding, backing and binding.
“We’ve got about 40 members, probably about half of those would be active and would walk in the door and work. Then some of them are down in Gippsland and interstate as well.
“So we just need more people here to literally keep the machines going to do the whole process. It slows down a little bit if we don’t have all of those people here.”
Meeting every Tuesday and every second Saturday of the month, Deb said she hopes to encourage more people with a passion for sewing to join the group, no matter their age or abilities.
“We have three octogenarians in our group. So Yvonne, Christine, and Pauline…and isn’t it wonderful to have these very active eighty year old women who are still thriving with thread and fabric,” she said.
“We have many in their 70s, many in their 60s and some in their 50s and I spoke to a girl the other day who is probably in her 20s and she wants to come and sew with us.”
Another aspect Deb said will be a focus in the new year is raising more funds through sponsorship to ensure the group can grow and supply more quilts while keeping equipment and people safe.
“We take every opportunity we can to raise money and we do it mostly through our markets because all of our fabrics are all donated to us, the labour is all donated to us. It’s all in kind.”
Deb said QFO’s home at the Edwin Spencer Burr Reserve hall is a “nice, safe, welcoming environment to be in” surrounded by lovely people all striving to make a difference.
“It gives us a sense of purpose. We all love sewing, so to turn your sewing into something productive and valued and to give warmth and comfort is wonderful.”
For more information contact QFO president Annette Stone on 0407 648 618 or email info@quiltsfororphans.org
