Harriet - A Tribute

Last week one of our own passed away.

I was trying to find the best way to honor her, and Jeff ( from QOV) encouraged me to tell you about her!

Harriet was amazing -

Thirteen years ago I got involved in Quilts of Valor.  I had attended our local Quilt guild maybe once or twice, and I had even made one Quilt ( however, looking back on the way I finished it, I'm not sure it still qualifies as a quilt) - So that totally made me a quilter right?

I did have a long -arm machine - so that doubly qualified me as a true quilter right?

But I digress....

Our fifth grade , my son was a 5th grader, decided to get involved with me in Quilts of Valor - and we had a blast. We pieced 10 quilts, we quilted them, and then we learned that we were supposed to bind them properly.

So! I took them to the Quilt Guild, proudly showed them at Show and Tell, and then sheepishly asked if anyone could teach me to bind.  Harriet didn't even hesitate - she said bring them to me and I will teach you.... and so she did!

She might have also bound a few as she was teaching me, cuz I might have been slow.... and resistant to learning how to bind... and that began our relationship.

She encouraged me to start a stitching group just for QOV"s and she never failed to show.

She came to every award ceremony, she traveled with me when she could to Various Military Posts.

She was a military wife, and she knew what had to be done.



She has pieced and bound more Quilts of Valor than I can remember. And she was always there with a smile and hug.  She was called an Angel by some of our Vietnam Veterans, as her hugs were truly healing.



Her granddaughter ended up being in my class the next year when we made Quilts of Valor, and she jumped right it.  It has been so fun to watch Harriet, her daughter and granddaughter come to QOV and work together on these quilts.


Outside of quilting we were friends as well. She was at just about every track meet, to watch her grand-kids - which made her watch my kids as well. That was always a fun way to see her. I will tell you - she is a little competitive ;-)

She and her husband were a part of a  Military Camping group, and she invited me to come talk to them about our QOV work. This group just loved her and her husband so much. It was encouraging to see that people from all walks of life, yet served in the military, could become as close as family. And because I was Harriet's friend I was welcomed right in.  They will miss them too.

This is still my favorite part of Harriets Spirit though - see that smile. She LOVED hugging our Veterans, and LOVED making the Quilts for them.  She just always had a smile for everyone!

You will be missed my dear.....