P & Q's Many Activities.

Shirley Goodwin has started the idea of making quilts or quilt blocks - called Healing Hearts, to send to the families of all those who have lost family in the Pike River Mine Disaster. See the info on her site. I spoke to my P and Q group about this yesterday, and I have begun sewing blocks last evening.
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Something my P and Q group does about once a year is hold what is called a Chinese Auction ( why I don't know ). It's always really funny seeing the outcome, as invariably a couple of people keep winning all the time.
 Everyone brings along things to contribute. ( books; magazines; fabric pieces; cottons ; half finished blocks or projects, wool and various other items including flowers and veges -  in fact anything of which they have a surplus. )

All the goods are set out in "lots," with a saucer in front. We limited it to 30 lots yesterday so it doesn't take too long to draw. Everyone who wants to then buys tickets ( the little tear off half kind ) at 5 for $1. They then place half their ticket on the saucer of the lots they wish to bid on and keep the corresponding half.
For each draw just one ticket is selected from each saucer - that person wins the goodies. Yesterday with over 40 ladies several of us including me won a lot. Some won 2, some 3 and one person won 5. Several won none at all!
 Sometimes some of the items in the lot are not wanted and  that person takes them away and keeps them ready to put back into the system next year. That is great for the books and magazines etc. The odd item has to be binned!

Here the members are contemplating which lots they wish to bid on.

For a club or group it is a great money maker. We made $97 yesterday and the Tuesday evening group did like wise a few weeks ago. The other benefit is it gets us all to clean out our cupboards for un used or unwanted or pre loved items.

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This morning R and I went to a Used Book Sale. In quite a short time we came away with 2 bags of books. Very, very good value as they were all priced at $5; $4 :$3; $2; $1 or 50 cents.

 I found a carton of quilting mags pushed under the table - each just 10 cents. ( obvoiusly whoever priced them thought them of no value - not me! )I just took 5 of those in case another quilter came along later. Luckily that will keep R in reading for a short while. What wonderful value for money - we were very happy shoppers.

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The sun is continuing to shine which is just what we need for the pollination of our fruit; both kiwifruit and avos. Lots of garden activities and the windows got washed!

 Enjoy your weekend.