Friday, August 28, 2009

Quilt of Valor Sew Along Step 4

Before we get started - remember this is a mystery designer's pattern. If you think you are guessing the designer - keep it to yourself... as you will have a chance later to win something cool with that knowledge!!


So - On to Step 4


Remember all those strips you sewed early on? You need those now. The strips should be about 11 inches long. You are going to cut each strip into 4 ~~2 1/2 inch pieces.

~

I kept each strip into its own pile of 4 pieces - as you will use all 4 pieces in one block.












Remember all those 2 1/2 inch pieces you cut of a Dark and of a light? Now it is time to lay them out into the block and Start sewing. I layed mine out like a 9 patch block, and chain sewed. As I got more confident - I layed out 4 blocks and chain sewed 4 at a time. I was impressive (giggle)

~

After I got each of the three rows sewn together I headed over to the ironing board. I kept each block chain pieced together until I was ready to iron it.


I have no clue if this is the right way to do it or not - but it kept all the pieced of each block together for me. And because I am usually sewing and ironing to the tune of - Hey Mom... I need to be back at school at 5:30 tonite ( and it is 4:45). Or Hey Mom - I can't find a towel. ( Oh you mean the two towel closets filled with 40 towels are completely empty?)

Mommmm - I'm hungry -what can I eat? ( Oh I don't know - check the 3 drawers of snack foods, or all the fruit on the counter, or check the leftover list....)



~

Oh and when I press them I pressed the top and bottom rows in, and the center row out, so when I put the block together the seams will interlock.

And tada - after this large amount of sewing you will have 61 of these little blocks that finish up at 6 1/2 inches.






GIVE AWAY
This week I am giving away 12 Patriotic Fat Quarters.

This should inspire you to make another Quilt of Valor - because - well its patriotic ( grin) But, of course, you don't have to make a quilt of valor with them... they are yours.
All you need to do is make a comment on this post by Friday the 4th of September at 8 am Colorado time. Be sure to leave me a way to let you know if you won or not. I will do a random drawing for the winner.
~
Have a great weekend!!



47 comments:

Ann said...

I would (of course!) use the FQs to make another QOV for your project!

Judy Sinclair said...

Great job you are doing. Fq's would go for quilt of valor of cours.

Anita Bydlowski said...

I certainly would use the FQ to make another QOV quilt for your project! Thanks for all the inpsiration!!!

zizzybob said...

One can never have enough fabric plus I love a giveaway. Please put my name in the random number thingy.

Sue in Scottsdale, AZ said...

This will be a great start to another QOV for you. One can never have enough patriotic fabric for such a worthwhile cause.

Quilttiger said...

What a neat opportunity to obrtain more fabrics for QOVs!

Judy V. from Thornton

Susan said...

I'm ready to start my 3rd QOV: one can never have enough patriotic prints! I haven't had the time to follow your Sew Along, however I've made note of the steps so I can make one in the future...probably 2010!

Thanks for the opportunity, Alycia!

mkhquilts said...

I have been printing out the quilt instructions, will actually start it someday! lol. Got to finish some stuff first.
FQ's would sure be fun and motivating too!
Mary H

quiltsbykathie said...

Of course I have to try for the FQs.

Kathie L.
Southern Maryland

jane m said...

I am totally up to date with the sew along and am surprised i caught up! Thanks for sharing and keeping us going.

Anonymous said...

Alycia, I am loving this mystery quilt! I want time to work on it....(see light bulb going off over my head)... speaking of which, as much as I would DEARLY love to win those fat quarters, could you give away a little time with those, too? VBG

Bari

Sherrill said...

AWRIGHT!! Patriotic fabric, I LOVE it! I'm so IN! Thanks bunches.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I am always looking for patriotc fabrics. I am having a harder time finding them it seems. I like to find lights to good contrast and the only choices have been stars. I have had great choices in the past but I have used them all. please include me in the drawing. I am just finishing my third QOV. Gloria

Denise V said...

oh boy! thanks for hosting such a practical giveaway! If I win I would *eventually* send them back to you in a QOV quilt.

and I know this is not related to the current post, but I HAD to comment on the next step of the sew-along. I AM LOVING IT!! It is going to look great I think. Naturally I rebelled somewhat from what you did (my reds are your blues and my blues are your reds). And I was a little worried AFTER cutting all those strips, hoping this quilt wasn't going to emulate a flag with red/white stripes. whew! I think it's going to be beautiful.

thanks for all the fun!!

Denise V said...

oops, I guess the giveaway post and step 4 are in the same post. disregard my mention of separate posts, lest anyone think I know something beyond what is here. ha!

Unknown said...

My daughter (doing a 3 yr tour on Oahu / husband in the Army) and I are having a blast reading your comments along with the instructions to this Mystery quilt. A friend sent me your website, and I sent it to my daughter and we're totally inspired to finish this and start another for Quilts of Valor. We anxiously await Friday to see what the next step will be.

Unknown said...

My daughter (doing a 3 yr tour on Oahu / husband in the Army) and I are having a blast reading your comments along with the instructions to this Mystery quilt. A friend sent me your website, and I sent it to my daughter and we're totally inspired to finish this and start another for Quilts of Valor. We anxiously await Friday to see what the next step will be.

swooze said...

Oooh sign me up! What size pillow cases do you need? Standard? Queen?

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

cool! I could always use more rwb to spice up the existing stash! Thanks for this opportunity :)

Elaine Adair said...

As I promised I was going to get seom QOV quilt made, I CAN really use that fabric!

hmmm on the mystery ...?

I'm practically your neighbor, here in western Nebraska. 8-)

Jackie said...

I'd love to add to my patriotic stash to make more QOVs. Count me in.

Becky said...

I'd sure like to win, my partiotic stash is going down pretty fast!
Thanks for the sew along instructions!
Becky J in SD

Wanda said...

You are such an amazing lady. The work that you do and all that you share with others is greatful. Thank you so much, Wanda

Brenda said...

More fabric for another quilt would be great. I am having so much fun! A few steps behind as school is starting, but I will catch up eventually.

omashee aka Barb said...

Alycia, Of course I would use them to make a QOV! I love your mystery quilt and although I'm not able to work along with you I am saving it for the near future.
Barb
omashee@msn.com

omashee aka Barb said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kathy F said...

I'm working on it and have completed most of step 1 and all of step 2. Trying to catch up but had to make a baby quilt these last 2 weeks.
I like anything that's free.
Kathy

Jo said...

I am so interested in making some QOV quilts. I really enjoy the blog and mystery quilts.

Linda D MI said...

Thank you for all you do for the troops and the injured. I have been working with a group for 6 years now. Will continue until they are all home. Enjoying this mystery a lot. Keep up the good work.

Nancy Buckley said...

I am a longarm quilter and have quilted lots of QOVs for our local group and I have made a few too.  would love to win some patriotic quilts since we are also making 22 red/white/blue quilts for a Vets House halfway house that is in Virginia Beach.  I can always use more fabric. Nancy Buckley/Nancy B Creations.

garipenn@att.net said...

This has been fun. Great job. Certainly would use the FQ's to make another QOV!
Rita (IL)

Betty said...

how generous of you...I love fat quarters as my stash can attest to!

Unknown said...

Alycia,

Thank you for all you do for QOV! I really don't know how you do all you do, especially with a family! I tip my hat to you, since I know how hard it is to work and raise a family too, and you make it look so easy! I just wish I could do half of what you do, but I have health issues which prevent me from really doing what I want to do. With God's help and the surgeon I will get through this and really look forward to "living" again. I've done serveralQOF and look forward to doing alot more. My nephew is in the Navy, and I feel it's the least I can do for all the military people that put their lives on the line every day for the rest of us Americans. And I love to win any thing related to quilting, what an added bonus! Thank you, Thank you and God Bless you for all that you do for QOF!!!

LizA. said...

Hhhhmmm, I'm hoping it's not too late to jump in on this. We've been so busy building our little cargo trailer that I haven't stepped foot into my sewing room in over a month. I'm going through withdrawals. I think I need to go try to catch up on this one.

Anonymous said...

Who doesn't love red, white, and blue? I have started collecting these colors to make a rwb quilt. Susan M (peacebypiece7@yahoo)

Jeanne said...

Me, too! Please add my name to the drawing for the fqs.

Anonymous said...

Those would be great to add to another
QOV. Hope they end up this way.
sewlady31@yahoo.com

JustPam said...

I have the beginnings of a patriotic quilt of valor, so the fat quarters would be great for that!

Lori in South Dakota said...

Yippee, a giveaway!! Did you peek and see that my current patriotic quilt is looking for a few more small pieces of fabric to piece side borders??

Librarynan said...

Hey, this is fun! I'd love to win the FQs. Think I would make a QOV for you with them...

J Barham said...

Great looking FQ's. I am working on making quilts for the veterans in our family.

Thanks for the give-away.
You are doing a great job with this sew along and with Quilts of Valor.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hello,
Alycia, I'm a big fan of your patriotic service to our mena dn weomen in the Armed Forces.
I would love to win some patriotic fat quarters to start my first QOV.

beth9253@sbcglobal.com

Anonymous said...

Alycia, I really should have proof-read my message before sending it.

The spelling (or was it the typing?)in my previous post was horrendous. Sorry about the garbled message, but I would still love to win!

beth9253@sbcglobal.com

GeeGee said...

Thanks for posting the mystery. Anxiously awaiting the reveal. Great give-away!

Bjwalsh101 said...

Always looking for more patriotic fabric, actaully any fabric. Took the month of August off from sewing, need to get going again, what a nice jump start those fat quartes would make.

Dreamquilter Elke said...

Hello,
you do a great job. Your blog is one of my favorite sides. The mystery is easy and I am a fan of american. By my first visit in USA last year (it was only that one till today), I look for patriotic fabrics. Have fun with your projects!!!!!!!!!!!!
Elke from Germany

Sallie said...

Me too! You know i want them!

Sallie in VA