Quilts of Valor.... and! A new Mystery!!

Happy Wednesday Morning to you!!!

I hope you enjoyed our little linky for May!!!  Click here to see it  Our next one will be  June 28th!! So get a little progress on a QOV, or start a new one, blog about it - and come here to link it up!!!

Next order of housekeeping.....

A new Mystery is Starting!!

You can get to it through the Mystery Quilts 4 Military Yahoo group

OR!!!

The steps will be posted here on my blog each Wednesday !!

Starting on July 5th!!!!

Here is a hint - It will look ah! Mazing in Patriotics!!!  ( ha ha - you knew that tho right?)

Fabric requirements will be posted July 5th, with a clue a week  - and Voila - you will have a Quilt of Valor !  Each Clue takes approximately an hour, with no chasing of cows, herding the horses, or changing the laundry.....


and now.... On to the show:

Sharon D made these first two quilts .... and I love them!  Seeing as how I have a friend who loves to make 9 patches..... I loved her layout in the second quitl!!Thanks Sharon!!!

The next three were made by Kathy and QUilted by Connie

( aka the dynamic Duo)

I must love squares this month - cuz

this one ( below)

is going on my bucket list too!

oh and the back!!

Don't you just love pieced backs???

The next two were made by our QOV group

We had an Italian Day and used Atkison Designs Lasagna Quilt

and remember our Wonky Star Block Drive?

This one came from that

Both of these  ( above and below)

were quilted by Donna In Longmont!

The Pride City Guild is the best supplier of pillowcases

I know its not a requirement any more - but I still use them

A lot of our Veterans travel from place to place and LOVE to keep their quilts in the pillowcase

and some of them even tuck their quilts in their motorcycle carriers!

So this keeps them clean and loveable

Enjoy your week!

Pull some Patriotic Fabrics

Linking to:
Lets Be Social
MidWeek Makers

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.....

Free Quilt Patterns ( and more)

I know I usually do QOV shows on Wednesdays - but today I wanted to highlight a Tab on the top of my blog  - and lead you that way!!

I have a tab ( surprise) of all the Quilt patterns that I have on my blog - and I updated it!!!

( Round of applause please)

I planned at the beginning of the year to do a Scrappy Block pattern and post it, and I also had planned to do some quilt patterns - now they are all listed for you to be inspired and maybe use them to make a Quilt of Valor or Two??  ( or 12 if you are really ambitious!!)

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/p/free-quilt-patterns.html

That is the link - I hope you find something you like!

From So Cal QOV using the LCT Tutorial from Colorful Fabriholic

an easy strip pattern

The Betty D - the QOV mystery Quilt

Good Morning!!!

I would like to introduce you to....

The Betty D

The Betty D is the latest Mystery Quilt

that we just finished over at Mystery Quilts 4 Military

( a yahoo group)

This is the 4th Mystery that I have created for the group 

and we have a lot of fun!

Why is it called the Betty D you wonder?

Betty D is the wife of a WWII Veteran who recieved a Quilt of Valor,

and she decided to start stitching for us

She is a mass producer of 9 patches!

This quilt is now in pattern form for you!

It included full instructions for both the

Scrappy Version ( above)

and the Two Color Version

(below)

you can Find this pattern at both my 

Etsy Shop

and my 

Craftsy Store

All three of these are Quilts of Valor

The top one was pieced and quilted by me

The Green and White one Sharon Tested and I quilted

and the Tan one Marilyn Tested and I quilted

Linking to:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIFF hosted by Sparrow in Flight
Ft Worth Fabric Studio
Finished or Not Finished at Busy Hands

Quilts of Valor December.....

Happy December!!!  

I know it's holiday time and  a lot of folks are getting Christmas Gifts ready - but I hope you will still find a little inspirations, and Ideas for a Quilt of Valor!!

Below

Made by Paula D

Especially for a VietNam Veteran

Another made by Paula D

Below

Field of Stars
Made and quilted by Alycia

(pattern can be found here:

https://www.craftsy.com/profile/quiltygirl    )

I believe these were made by the Mollahan girls

 And pillowcases!!

Everything is just so beautiful

and so appreciated!

Have a Quilty Day!!

Quilts of Valor Colorado

I feel like we are still recovering from the High Of Veterans Day - so many awesome Veterans all over the US were honored. I know we do this year round - but for some reason Veterans Day felt like the Christmas of it all!!

This one was cool for me - these are the Veterans in my Church

I can not tell you how nervous I was

We laughed - as I talk to millions and do ok - but these guys -

especially since I knew them - was nerve wracking

and we kept it a surprise

I have a big mouth

It's hard to keep a secret - but they were amazed!

This Quilt was made by Barbara - Quilted by Connie

The block pattern can be found here

https://www.craftsy.com/profile/quiltygirl

Below

Made by Marilyn V a

I believe it is a Bonnie Hunter pattern

Below

Left made by Leann quilted by Ann R

Right - made with MQX block drive blocks Quilted by Connie

Below

Left and Right

Made by Hands all Around

Below

Left Made by Hands all Around

Right made by Marilyn with Wonky Star Blocks Quilted by Connie

Wonky Star Pattern can be found here

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

Below

Left - made by Margie

Right - made by Lynette

Both Quilted by Connie

Pattern found here:

https://www.craftsy.com/profile/quiltygirl

Hope you are inspired to quilt a little bit now? 

Haha!!!

PS - I have updated my Pattern Links to all sorts of patterns on this blog

Free Pattern Tab

QOV CO Block Drive Finale!!

Whoot Whoot - Lots of Block have arrived - and I am so tickled!!! You never know how these things will go - and I know everyone is already so busy - its just the way life goes! But I get so excited when everyone takes a moment to make a block.

And this last weekend a LOT of Quilts of Valor were presented - it's always so cool to say - and 42 people made your quilt..... freaks them out ( ha ha ha)

These 12 blocks came from Carol H of our QOV group ( here in Kersey)

And the 6 below came from Maureen H in NY!!

And Now.....

Drum Roll Please.....

We had 

649 BLOCKS

arrive at my doorstep 

and another

103 Blocks

From the Softball team at University of Northern Colorado

For a total of

752

Blocks!!!

That will make at least 17 Quilts of Valor

and maybe 18 - because I have a lot of them in process

They are just so much fun to make!!

A huge shout out to Jan of

http://thecolorfulfabriholic.blogspot.com/

for designing the pattern and so graciously Sharing it!

If you still have blocks in progress that you want to add to ours

feel free to send them in 

Stitching in Earnest will begin in January!

Pattern can be found here:

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2016/08/quilts-of-valor-block-drive-time.html

AND NOW!!!!

For the Winners of the Waterpik Showerheads

The one on the Left   :      Christy M of Galena KS  

The one on the Right  :   Jeanne Ann A of Orlando FL     

And the Winners of the Stash Packs

From http://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/

are

1. Holly M in Brazil IN

2. Julie S in TN

3. Laura R in Weed CA

4. C  Delostrinos in WA

5. Deb M in Denver CO

So All of these lovely Gifts will be shipping out of Friday and Saturday to all of you!

Thank you SO much for playing along and being a part of Honoring 

our Veterans Touched by War!!

Quilts of Valor - November

So... Confession time.... I dropped the ball yesterday at getting to the po and taking Block photos.... I did...

In my other job we run a little Farm to Freezer business - and we had a lot of hogs needing to get to peoples Freezers ..... so I was a delivery driver.... and then I ran out of time.  I am usually better than that - I will blame my customers - they are so much fun to talk to!!

Instead of Blocks - I will Woo you with Quilts!!  How is that?

These are all Quilts of Valor - they are either already being awarded , will be awarded this week ( Friday is a BIG QOV day) !!

This was pretty cool to me - the Vet on the Right received his QOV in Wyoming

he asked about us presenting his Grandfather is a Korean War Vet

So we did - isn't that cool?

On to some yummy quilts

We covered a Womens PTSD retreat - so we make a few extra feminine quilts

Normally this is not a big need - but we wanted these women to feel extra loved ;-)

Left is from the Mollahan Girls - Right is from Rosalie

Left was made by R

Right was made by Doris

Both were quited by Ann W in Colorado Springs

Left was made by Mary

Pattern can be found here : Craftsy

Right is a String quilt from the Girls in Yuma ;-)

And this last one - 

Made by the Mollahan Girls!

Have an awesome day! And make it Quilty!!!

QOV Block Drive Progress

Happy November - and Good Morning Quilters!!!

QOV Presentation
Connie was the "QOV Wrapper!!" ;-)

I went to the Post Office and the Postmaster said - It is about time you are here! Ha!! I had a few packages and boxes to pick up - YAY!!!

Thanks to Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic  for Designing this years block

and a Special shout out to WaterPik  for these Prizes:

and to ColorWays by Vicki  for these awesome Stash Packs of her Hand dyes!!

And now for the Blocks

(Below)

From Melody in IA!

(Below)

From Amanda in LA

(below)

From Holly in IN

 She even sent a back and binding fabric - nice!!

(below)

From Bonnie in VA

(below)

From Christy in KS

(Below)

From Cynthia in NC

(below)

From Ann in MN

(below)

From Cathy in IA

(below)

From Verna in CO

( she lives in a Beautiful part of CO!!!)

and From Erin in VA

You will see some of the Name are Links -

I tried to link to their blogs - so go check them out - 

we have a ton of great fun bloggers!!

So!!! Remember the Block Drive Ends on Veterans Day

which in NEXT Friday on the 11th - 

so get all your blocks in before then to be eligible for the prizes

I will start kitting them and our group will start making tops in January - 

so you are welcome to send more in if you like ;-)

Send them to

Alycia Quilts

PO Box 233

Kersey CO 80644

Block Instructions are here:

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2016/08/quilts-of-valor-block-drive-time.html

Linking to:
Mid Week Makers
Let's Be Social