Starry Night for Josh

This Quilt is now finished!!

It is called Starry Night for Josh. Josh was in the Army, Stationed out of Ft Riley, and was in Southern Afghanistan when his helicopter was under Enemy fire. He and 5 others did not survive the crash. Josh's parents are wonderful friends of mine. His Dad served in VietNam. I met them when presenting Quilts of Valor to Josh's Dad - and we have become forever friends.

I thought that maybe by creating a Quilt of Valor in Honor of Josh would remind them that my family does think of him often. He was a wonderful man.  I ran this as a mystery on the blog and now the pattern is in my Craftsy Store.

Starry Night for Josh

Here it is:

You will notice that it is not bound. And That my dear friends - is because I have a wonderful group of friends here that will bind it for me, as they know that bindings... requires a Lot of chocolate or

I go into anaphylactic shock.... it's true!

 So you may see it again - when it is bound - but I am quite proud to have finished the quilting on it

I used swirls and spikes - to give it the look of wind.

I sort of pictured this quilt as what I thought Josh would see from the air. And being a pilot myself, I pretended it was me....the twinkling lights of homes, the stars in the sky, a big star to guide you .....

Okay - I use my maps and coordinates - but pretend with me ok?

And that is my finish for this week!

PS - if you enjoy doing my mysteries - I am hosting the next Mystery Quilt in a Yahoo group called Mystery Quilts 4 Military.  You can join in - the next mystery starts November 14th - but Fabric Requirements might just leak out here in the next couple of days..... Hint Hint

Linking to:

CrazyMom QUilts

Confessions

TGI Friday

Quilts of Valor 2015 and the Fremont Quilters

As many of you know... it takes a village to make these Awesome Quilts of Valor - and we have amazing Quilters all over that pitch in!  One such group here in Colorado is the Fremont Victory Quilters. They hail from Canon City CO - and are a FANTABULOUS group!!

They had a sew day this last week and sent me the photos of their awesome tops ... so I wanted to show you. They work with local Longarmers ( and are always looking for more in the Canon City Area (hint hint)   )

Ready to see their tops?

I don't have a favorite!! They are all so Cool!

Thanks Fremont Quilters!!

I went to the Post Office and picked up a HUGE stack on squishies and boxes - 

So am taking photos of all the wonky stars

Here is all the info on the Wonky Star Drive:

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2015/09/qov-2015-block-drive.html

OH!!! And not only is Vicki Welsh Donating Fabric for a few lucky star makers

I have another surprise Gift as well - come back next

Wednesday to read all about it

and Stitch your Stars!!

Senior Photos

I guess that I am going to have to admit that my boy is a Senior.... I keep telling them all they should stay with me until they are 90... so far - I have no takers!


My Son is getting his Senior Photos - and these are a few of my favorites:

I'm pretty sure he is still two!

Because - seriously - how did they grow up so fast?

We had a really good time taking photos

and of course - 

I have more!!

You can find me hiding in the corner - pretending they won't grow up

Yep!

( I hope you all know I am kidding - It's fun to see what they do, where they go,

but they sure leave us with a big ol gap in our house!!)

Wonky Star Design Wall

Sunday was a QOV Sew Day for us and we had the University of Northern Colorado Softball team show up!! yay!! it is always such fun to have them join us in our efforts. I believe this is the 3rd year in a row!

They spent the day working on Wonky Star Blocks - we had a literal Chain Gang going on!
One of the girls broke her tibia and had to have surgery, so we sat her at the ironing table - and she became a master. The rest worked in pairs and stitched, and ironed and trimmed - and we might have had a little talking going on (just a little though)

Here they are in process

and here is the whole group in front of their progress

They made a LOT of blocks! 

There were 17 softball players

and 7 of them were new to our sew days

It was SEW much fun!!

Thanks girls for your support - see you at the Softball fields!


Linking to:
Monday Making
Patchworktimes

Bloggers Quilts Festival - ROYGBIV

Here is my Second Entry for Bloggers Quilt Festival - in the ROYGBIV category:

It is from the 2014 Rainbow Scrap Challenge - and I am proud to announce it was finished before the new millennium!!  ( you know the 3000's ;-)  )

Every little heart is made of scraps

Each square is 3 1/2 inches of pure scrap!

I quilted it with Deb Geisslers Double Hearts Pantograph

And just in case you were wondering ...

nope - it did not use up all of my scraps !

Oh And!

This is an original design too

Here is the link to my pattern

if your interested you can use it too ;-)

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2014/03/scrappy-saturday-teal-edition.html

Bloggers Quilt Festival - Original Design

I keep seeing all the photos of quilters going to, or prepping for Houston - and it made me all excited - Amys Creative Side - Bloggers Quilt Festival starts too!!! Yay!!

I am entering in the Original Design Category

This is a Quilt that I designed, and then ran as a Mystery Quilt on the blog. The pattern is now in my Craftsy Store.

I designed it as a Quilt of Valor

It was fun to take a twist on row quilts

I just had a blast Quilting it

I have a Nolting Pro and LOVE it 

It is a workhorse!

Stats:
Name: Stars and Stripes
Finished Size 63 x 81
Pattern: Stars and Stripes  ( by me yay)
Bloggers Quilt Festival Category: Original Quilt Design

Quilts of Valor 2015 and the Wonky Star Block

Good Morning!!!   It is still dark in this part of the world... it feels like it should be really early, but alas- one of us forgot to set the alarm.....and it's not as early as I think.... but still dark .

The Wonky Star Blocks have started arriving!!  ( I have another stack that I picked up last night on my way home from guild!)   You can find the Pattern and details

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2015/09/qov-2015-block-drive.html

On this top wall 

Blocks from left to right 

Suzanne from Sutton AK

Sherrill from TX

Debby from Pennsauken NJ

Jan from St Louis MO

Kristi G from CO

Maria from Tuscon

All (ALL) of these 

came from Jane in AppleValley MN

These are all so fun you guys - I am having fun checking them out

Our sew groups are making them too - were all having a good time!

Just a reminder - all blocks need to be in by Nov 11th if you want your name in the drawing for

Drum roll please

The Fantaboulous Vicki Welsh

of

https://www.etsy.com/shop/vickiwelsh

has created two Stash packs for us!!

This one is Citrus Grove

and this one is

Ocean Currents

All of you who have sent in blocks - your names have been entered in the HUGE BAG and on November 14th we will draw to see who wins these beautiful Fabrics

In the meantime check out her shop!!

So.... lets check out a few quilts of valor okay?

( I don't want you to leave me yet )

This beauty was pieced ad Quilted by Crystal S

She is here in CO 

and I love her!

This beauty was Pieced by Kristi

and Quilted by Crystal

Kristi is one of The Busiest Ladies - I never know

how she can make so many quilts!

(below)

Another pieced by Kristi

and Quilted by Crystal

And the last one for today 

Pieced by Kristi

Quilted by Crystal

( see I told you she pieced a lot!!)

I will leave you with another Veteran

Proudly showing off his Quilt of Valor

It never fails to amaze me at how much a Quilt can bring out the Love

They are full of Super Powers - and then when they find out

that they are so selflessly made - ...Wow - the Awe factor

Go Forth and Quilt!

Little bit of Wildlife

We love our little ranch, and we love being on it - 

but there are days we really need to get away.

So after digging a batrillion feet down to fix a bit of a water leak,

We loaded up and headed up the mountain.

I heard there was a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory that missed me;-)

We went into Rocky Mountain National Park.

It's pretty good Elk viewing around there right now, so we went the opposite way that all the cars were..... and we found some Bucks!

If you recall  - I sort of love Trees, and we were pulled over to the side checking out a tree.

All of a sudden a ton of cars pulled over behind us, realized there were no

wild animals - and they left......

Then he came out from behind the trees

( and yes, I had seen him, he was being patient for me)

I only took about 455 pictures - 

400 of them were trees (ha ha)

So be prepared..... there may be trees in a lot of future posts!

Still Working on the Plaids

As I worked on my Plaid Phase Quilts

I didn't throw one teeny tiny piece away

and

I kept looking at the scraps 

and then I decided I had better get to stitching something up

SO.......

All the Flying Geese Look a Likes are the half square triangle Cut offs 

from my Plaid Pineapple that I made

(photo at bottom, claimed by Son #1)

Because it was so nice outside

and Someone else was making dinner - I took another shot!

And then I tried to get all smart like and hang it up,

only the wind was blowing just a tad bit,

and it kept falling

That sis where I am so far - I will work on some bordery type pieces with the other scraps

I would like it to be bigger ( Its about 50 x 50 right now)

Here is the Original Plaid Pineapple

that the half square scraps came from.

I am off to Quilt  ----

I have a fabulous Client Quilt up for today - I am excited to get to work on it

(It is yours Maxine ;-)   )

Linking to:

Cooking Up Quilts

Patchwork Times

Love Laugh Quilt

Freemotion y the River

Sew Cute Tuesday

Quilt Story

Quilts of Valor October

Welcome to Wednesday...... What? It's Not Wednesday??? Who says?  Can we just pretend that it is ?  I always wish I could have an extra day to the week - so maybe this is the week it will happen??

Ya, I doubt it too.....

But let's just say Wednesday was a busy one..... and you are ready to get to the quilts aren't you?

My Favorite photos are the ones like above

I love seeing the smiles, and the joy of being wrapped in a hug

Below

Pieced by Deb

Quilted by Kathy & Sue

below

Pieced by TK David

Quilted by Kathy and Sue

(below)

Pieced by Lori and Crew in Nevada

Quilted by Kathy and Sue

(don't you LOVE those crumb blocks?? )

Another one pieced by Lori and Crew

Quilted by Kathy & Sue

I love how it created a heart!

Below

Pieced by Kathy P 

Quilted by Dawna

(below)

Pieced by Ann G

Quilted by Mary

If you have been reading my blog for a while - you might remember that

plaids kinda reached out and grabbed me

When I opened this quilt - I swear - I swooned!!

Pieced by Beth

Quilted by Mary

LOVE strings Quilts!!

This one was pieced and quilted by Mary

9(below)

Another Pieced and Quilted by Mary

Check out the darks - doesn't that make a great secondary pattern?

(below)

Pieced by Peg in MI/OH

Quilted by Peg

( she is wonder quilter!! I LOVE the colors!)

Another Pieced and Quilted by Peg

And a Third by Peg

We have a Women Warriors Retreat that Colorado Supports

in 2015 we had 60 Women Veterans and were able to cover each of them with a 

Beautiful Feminine Quilt

Peg knows this - and these three of hers are slated to go to the 2016 retreat.

There is healing in these quilts!!

Just wanted to show you a really cool presentation

This Veteran was so surprised to see his gang arrive. 

Isn't that cool to have that support?

Alright - you all go forth and Quilt!

I am heading down the stairs to go Quilt!!