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A life changing event happened to me on September 03rd 2010 .... 

I went to bed that night heart broken.  I awoke in the morning to turn on the news to see a life changing event - a 7.1 earthquake - had happened in Christchurch.  

In the days and weeks that followed I was reading fellow Kiwi Mummy Blogs and felt huge empathy towards the children affected.

Over the following weeks and months I poured my grief into helping those in Christchurch with their grief and loss.  

Quilts for Christchurch was born. 

Between September 04th and February 21st I had co ordinated the making of approx 50 quilts.  My local LAQ quilted them at no cost and I spent many an evening binding.  

On February 21st I had the quilts sitting in my lounge searching for a way to get to Christchurch.

Que. February 22nd 2011 and a 6.3 earthquake hit and badly damaged the already broken buildings and people of Christchurch.  

Between February 22nd 2011 and June 01st 2011 another 70 quilts were added to the Quilts for Christchurch collection and were sent to various families throughout Christchurch. 

Throughout this period of time Christchurch blogger Miriam contacted me and a connection was made.  I already had plans to visit Christchurch and Miriam welcomed me into her home and arranged a get together with other Kiwi Mummy Bloggers.  

Whilst staying with Miriam I personally experienced a horrible earthquake (after shock) (insert laughter from Christchurch friends ... 2.7 had me thinking I was going to die) and I flew home literally hours before the June 04th earthquakes.

Over the last four years I have regularly caught up and visited my fellow Kiwi Mummy Bloggers on many occasions.  

Lasting 'in real life' friendships have been made.  

Whilst many bloggers stopped blogging and become Instagrammers the friendships have remained the same, if not strengthened over time.  

We laugh together, we cry together, we support each other through life changing events, because after all it was our individual life changing events that brought us together.

Blessed to be adopted into this city and given the title 'Honoury Christchurch Blogger'

Know In Your Heart It Will Be Returned

.. .. .. way back in October a group of us wrote blog posts re Blessing Deb we went cyber space 'viral' taking up your blogger, twitter, instagram and face book feeds in hope to raise $3,500 to purchase a Juki machine for my very special friend Deb

In December we reached our target and the machine was ordered *insert SQUEE*

In January the machine was delivered *insert double SQUEE*

On my trip to Christchurch I got to see Deb's Happy Quilt she had made to bless another 

Even the smallest contribution counted

I was so inspired by the design of the quilt that I came home and with the scraps Deb had given me I quickly (and yes it really did come together quickly) whipped up a quilt top

Yesterday I popped the quilt top in the post to Deb 

Deb will complete the quilt with her Juki machine 

And one day in the not so distant future this quilt top will be blessing another 

That makes me happy

Linking in with my friend Leonie who also makes me happy 

Quilts for Christchurch II

In the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes I had a dream "Quilts For Christchurch" 

A hug, to let the people of Christchurch know they were loved and cared for by people around the world. I put the call out on my blog and so many people responded. 

Over 120 quilts were distributed.

Fiona – an expat living in London, responded to my call. Between her mother and herself they had many quilts made but with no home. So along with a group of very willing friends in their quilting group they parcelled up MANY quilts and sent to me for distribution.

Fast forward a few years and Fiona is back home in NZ and along with her Mum is the proud owner of a quilt shop in Gisborne, More Than Fabric. 

Fiona and I are now 'in real life friends' having met in person in London, Auckland and more recently in Wellington at Handmade. Over a coffee or two in the knit lounge at Te Papa we talked about Christchurch and Quilts for Christchurch. Dinner out with Gillian of Mudbird Ceramics and our eyes were further opened to the very real fact life has not improved for a many people in Christchurch and winter especially is a real struggle.   

The decision was made

It is time for Quilts for Christchurch II

How you can help

Blocks to be turned into quilts OR completed quilts can be sent to 

More Than Fabric

106 Ballance Street

Gisborne 4010

New Zealand

More information can be found on Fionas blog Foot On The Treadle

Thank you so much Fiona for offering to co-ordinate the appeal this time round