Happy Wednesday Friends!

There are, as always, some beautiful sentiments in the following gratitude letters.

Grab a cuppa, sit back and relax while you soak up some well-deserved gratitude!

We still have a few AHQ 2026 calendars left. If you are interested in purchasing one please see ordering details at the end of the blog.

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This quilt has gone to a veteran. I am told that he was really touched and blown away by it. Huge thanks to everyone who contributed to the speedy delivery of this quilt, from the express posted crests, to the digitisation of the footy logos by Lois and Geoff and Philomena who quilted it. None of this would have been possible without the regular supply of great quilt tops that come from Bobbie and themystery BOMers. You all make a huge difference.Huge thanks everyone!

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Hi Bobbie S and the Mystery BOMers,

You recently made a quilt for my husband.

I wanted to write and let you know the truly beautiful quilt and laundry bag were received last week and it really gave my husband a big lift when he saw them. You captured the brief perfectly and both items are so beautifully made they will be treasured by me and by his extended family.

I am also in the service and received a quilt and laundry bag while deployed and they remain among my most treasured possessions.

I cannot thank you enough for the swift response to our request and the extraordinary lengths you and all your team must have gone to in order to complete the quilt and bag so quickly.

Thank you also for the notes enclosed.

warmest regards

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Good afternoon Robyn P,

Can I say firstly, thank you very much for my quilt and surprise laundry bag! I had requested a pirate themed laundry bag which I had already received and am very happy with it but I am very pleased to have a matching set! You did a wonderful job on the laundry bag as did Geoff with the quilt! When I put in the theme description I wasn’t sure exactly what would come back but this is outstanding! Where did you get the images? Do you print them on fabric?

I am familiar with where you live having gone to high school in Melbourne and I have actually done a tour of the mine when I was at the Australian Scout Jamboree in 2007 which was hosted in Elmore. Before joining the Navy I have done quite a lot of work in regional Victoria. I love it and am very fond of its colonial architecture. Mind you it can get rather cool in winter.

That sounds like a wonderful way to spend an ANZAC day. I have been trying to get more involved in the local services community since moving to the area of the Central Coast in 2023 with some success, though it can be hard to find the time between family and work. I like to keep busy myself.

Thank you again for the beautiful bag and quilt, I really do love the result!

Fondest regards,

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Hi Clarissa L,

I recently attended the AHQ’s Thank you dinner in my husbands place, he is away. I had no idea what to expect, and so when I realised you may have been in attendance and that I could thank you personally for the beautifully made laundry bag for my husband…..

This act of service is made significant when you know at this stage of his career, he did not have one because he had always made sure everyone else had received one first.

Most gratefully….

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Good afternoon Kirsten O,

I just received the beautiful quilt you made for me today and I wanted to reach out and say thank you so much, it’s absolutely perfect and everything I could have hoped for

Seeing as you shared a bit about yourself, I thought I’d do the same.

I only served for a tiny amount of time compared to you, and I was one of the first female’s working in the area I did on Navy ships.

I now live happily alone with my Staffy Service Dog, Marley

She has brought so much joy to my life and we enjoy travelling together and walking on the beach. We’re lucky to have amazing weather over here and the most amazing sunsets.

Anyway again I just wanted to say thank you so very much and I wish you all the best and hopefully the Winters in Canberra aren’t too cold

Warm regards,

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Good Evening Beverly F,

It was so lovely to learn about you and your love for travelling, my parents recently did a similar thing, selling the house and buying a caravan with my younger brother and they too loved every moment of their adventure around Australia.

I’ve been in the Army for almost 7 years and my deployment this year was my first one and I had so much pride in the work I was doing. Receiving your quilt only made it more special!

The quilt has been frequently used on the couch while watching movies and it fits perfectly in my camping set up that I’m getting ready for an East coast road trip for Christmas.

Hopefully your current sewing projects are going well. Have a very merry Christmas and once again thank you so much for the quilt, you have no idea how meaningful receiving something like this is.

Kindest Regards,

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Jan-Maree,

I would like to thank you and the quilting clan for the wonderful, and expertly tailored laundry bag.

I was very fortunate to have received one back in 2015 in the Middle East. We still use this for work and leisure trips and it is still in 100% perfect condition.

The memories that these bags relive brings a smile to my face each time our family use them.

Thank you again.

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Hi Cath H,

I hope you are well!!

I received the quilt at the end of my deployment and absolutely love it, thank you so much for all of the effort you put in, it’s incredible.

I spent the last 7 months in the Middle East which was a great experience. Busy and stressful at times but opportunities to help Australia’s interests overseas is the main reason I joined the Defence Force.

I loved reading your letter. Thank you for the time and effort you put into it. I love the William Butler Yeats quote, we are now friends that haven’t met. I enjoyed getting to know you through your letter, your rose garden sounds great.

Hope was lucky to live her life with you. I love golden retrievers and would love to have one one day. It made me very happy to read that you have Ruby now, and great choice of name. It sounds like you two are inseparable which is very cute.

Wow! That is a lot of laundry bags!!! That would have brought a lot of joy to a lot of people.

You did such a great job with my Persian rug. It makes me feel special that you put the research and effort into it. Its so impressive you made it like that. It made me so happy when I received the parcel and I am extremely grateful: thank you. The colours are amazing and I particularly love the gold in the middle. It brightens my day every time I look at it.

I can confirm that living out in the Middle East for an extended period is tough at times. No greenery, no trees, no clear skies, no smells of freshly cut grass, no comforting rain; just sand, heat, and dirty air.

Well, I guess it is time that I tell you about me.

I have been in the Army for over 7 years now. I grew up in SA and studied at the University of Adelaide, where I also completed a study tour in the UK for 6 months. After university in my field, but I realised that it wasn’t for me, I wanted something more meaningful – so I joined the Army. I still enjoy studying and am currently completing my third Masters.

This is my third operational deployment and my third time to the Middle East. I was working with a great team and really enjoyed my time. I love being challenged, that is why I joined. I just got back to Australia after spending almost 7 months across the Middle East.

Outside of work I love the gym and travelling. I love a fitness competition called Hyrox. It includes running and high-intensity exercises. I have spent a lot of time travelling around the world across Asia, Europe, North America, South America and obviously Australia.

My next travelling adventure is to the Canary Islands (off the west coast of Africa).

Thank you again for the beautiful blanket and the letter that you wrote me.

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Good Afternoon Janis K,

I’m just writing to thank you for the quilt you made for me.

It was a very obscure design indeed, it was to reflect my deployment in England training Ukrainian soldiers along side the Finnish armed forces. Hence the Ukrainian trident and Finnish coat of arms. The Sutton Hoo helmet and runes was to represent England and Anglo Saxon culture, also my very distant heritage (8 generations Australian) The Sutton Hoo helmet was believed to have belonged to the last King of East Anglia, Suffolk (before England became Christianised) and has been claimed as one of the most important archaeological discoveries in British history and is an important significance in British culture.

Your quilt turned out great, it was even better than I had imagined, and I will cherish it. It would have to be my favourite and the most meaningful item I have in my collection of military souvenirs, that I have collected over my 11 year service.

Thank you again,

I hope you finish of the year with your loved ones and have an excellent Christmas and New Years.

Regards,

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Good Afternoon Sue N,

I have been very delighted in the quilt that you have made. I am so grateful for the effort and the quality of what you have created.

I was at sea when the application of the quilts was made but have come ashore recently. I am afraid that this quilt will never go to sea because I think the quality of the product in a “at sea mess environment” would deteriorate it too fast. The heavy duty washing machines and the dirt that builds quickly at sea. I have read the instructions.

I will be proceeding back to sea shortly in the near future (next week) so the snacks and crossword are most welcome and thoughtful. In the meantime I currently work in a Safety Equipment and fabrication workshop. It annoys me that I have some very nice sewing machines (expensive too) but have no ability to create something as nice as the quilt.

I have attached a picture of the quilt next to a ridiculously sized long arm sewing machine that I am quite incapable of using and a life-ring that I was too lazy to remove (my sailors had left for the day).

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and hope that you all stay healthy and happy during the time.

Yours Faithfully and with much appreciation,

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Cheers Catherine D

Until next week keep your letters, emails and photos coming in. Wednesdays would be so totally boring without them!

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

AHQ 2025 Calendars for Sale

For the very low cost of only $20 you can purchase a 2026 AHQ calendar.

If you would like to place an order, please email Bel Payne via AH**********@******************om.au with your mailing details. I will acknowledge the email and include the bank details for payment.

Orders will only be taken by email. Do not leave a message under this blog or on the FB post.