Quilts of Valor

Let's hear it for those who champion our heroes--which also makes them heroes!  Recently, I was honored to work along side some of these wonderful people at a sewing day for Quilts of Valor.  This organization has their mission:  to cover all combat service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.

There are some ways anyone can participate in this organization: 

• piece a quilt top at least 55"x 65"
•  quilt a top
•  donate monies towards postage and supplies
• volunteer administrative assistance for the Foundation
• join a local sewing day



There were also stacks of donated fabric on hand in case our kit ran short of necessary supplies.  What to choose?  What to sew?  So many interesting choices......and with each quilt, a pillow case to match is presented.

My friend Judy and I arrived at Tomorrow's Heirlooms Quilt Shop to begin our sewing adventure.  Our leaders from Columbine Quilt Guild had kits available for us to begin our task for the day.



I chose this patriotic quilt--pattern and pre-cut strips were in the kit and we're off and stitching!

Judy chose this rail fence kit and whoa!  rail fence blocks had already been assembled!!

During the morning I took a break to see what others were working on--nice to have fabrics ready for sewing

And the facility!  great lighting!  great set-up for cutting and pressing!  great tables for machines!

Here we have the makings of an interesting quilt with 18" star block

Our sewer is on her way to completion of this interesting string center with star points

another sewer brought her featherweight Singer to show it still had some life in its stitches

Zoe Ann & Vicky, our leaders, were working on the great flannel board on this Coin quilt top==hint, if sewing this one, make sure to sew four together and then sew the strips, otherwise, you'll have wavy strips--voice of experience talking (so says Zoe Ann)

so many interesting patterns to sew together

And we are back to mine--sew four of five fabrics together; five of six fabrics together--get that!  Then cut into 8" blocks and 9.5" blocks; then cut diagonals and you have all these triangles, which are then sewn together

We are getting there--should have total 20 blocks 11.5"x 11.5"

All but borders and Judy completed her top--isn't this smashing look with such a simple pattern--it's the fabrics that make it so yummy looking!

Another good thing about being in a quilt shop is the lovely surroundings--quilts on the wall with interesting stitching

And yes, the visitors who drop in to see what you are doing............here we have a visitor who brought her prize winning quilt to show off.

Nice! and Nice!  I can see why it won Blue Ribbon at the competition

This quilter knows how to do some raw edge applique! 

This was definitely a good day and gave me a warm feeling of serving in some regard to bring comfort to our military personnel--okay, off to finish up those blocks and assemble.........

This foundation is not about politics. It's about people.