Quilts.... Quilts..... and more Quilts..... for our Veterans

 We have had some Great QOV awards here lately!!

They are all out of date order - but you really don't care right?

This was my Black Friday event - I did not shop - I awarded! It was awesome - his who family was able to be there since it was the holidays and the smiles on all their faces - Priceless!!

This was a cool group

I had such fun with them - and!

they had a campfire so we got to make s'mores!

We had a little female Veterans Presnetations!

they were so very cute

Both ladies were Air Force and served in Afghanistan

Just a super fun group!

one of these gentleman wanted to read us a poem

and there was not a dry eye in the house!

Just a little inspiration - just in case you are thinking you should make a patriotic quilt - I know there is a Veteran or a QOV group near you that would love to award it!!

A Quilt of Valor and!!! Finished ( Or not) Friday

Happy Friday!!!

We got a tiny little bit of rain this week - so we are all happy dancing around here and pretty much praying for more.  People tell us Colorado is not in a drought - but they sorta forget our county when they say that - and we are!!! So any little bit of rain is good.... except... with that and the smoke - my poor little rural internet just doesn't know what to do !!

I had Two Finishes this week!

This one : I finished quilting. My Friend Ethel made the top - and I quilted it all up for our next QOV sewing meeting. She will take it back and Bind it.. oh ya!! Easy on me!

I had fun!! I quilted Eagles in the triangles and eagle heads in the corners... 

and for my Second Finish!! I participated in the Orange You Glad Blog hop by Creatin in the Sticks - and Wednesday was my day.... So I showed off my Orange you glad - and!!! I did a little block tutorial ( go me!!)

You can read that full story on this post:

 https://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2021/08/orange-you-glad-and-block-tutorial.html

You know the drill:

Link up your DIRECT post to your Finished ( or not) post

Link back to this post 

and Visit the blogs - I do all of them .. but commit to at least three! Share the love

And have fun!

*******************Link up here***************************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

******************************************************

Flock of Geese - and Dakota Inspired

 I have such fun going to the Post Office now - there is more than Just Bills!!! Yay!!

These two awesome blocks came from Amanda!!! Thank you!!!

And QuiltDiva Julie sent in 15 and... some yummy cream fabrics!!!

And then - check this out - the WHOLE finished quilt came From 

BellCreek Pat!!!

I Love Her Dakota Inspired!!!

AND!!! We got to award a Few QOV's this weekend!!  That was HOT and Fun all at the same time. That they agreed to let us wrap them up - in that heat - shows how much they love their quilts!!!

Find me at all these places:

    

Etsy           Instagram           Facebook

Flock of Geese

Our Quilts of Valor Colorado group is doing a quarterly block again - and I think its a pretty easy one!

Of course - I am a fan of Half Square Triangles - so you know I would love this one!

Its called Flock Of Geese!!

We are doing it in this colorway ( exactly as shown)

and the block is 8 1/2 inch ( unfinished)

I played around with some settings

and if you see mistakes....

Well - its cuz Its not on the actual design wall!

I kinda like this one point one!

I think it looks aztecky!

And of course - with sashing.

Flock of Geese Block Pattern

I wrote up a Block Pattern for this - 

I did it two ways - the Traditional way using squares

as well as the Easy Angle way using strips 

So no matter what kind of quilter you are.... there is a method haha!

If you would like to make a block or two - we would not be opposed to adding them to our quilts.  (that's a nice way to say - send them in haha)

If you want to make a whole top for your Quilt of Valor group - I would absolutely love that - spread the love and lets get all those Veterans Touched by War Covered with a healing quilt!

Find me at all these places:

    

Etsy           Instagram           Facebook

Linking to:

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Love Alugh Quilt

Mid Week Makers

Back in my Happy Place

 

See that snow?

Well - I am missing that right now!! I have never been a fan of heat - I mean I am good up to 75 - but then... I am out!!! and the last two days we have hit 100!!!

I didn't have my Air Conditioner uncovered and cleaned yet - but you can bet that I do now - Holee Buckets!!

With as hot as it is - I was glad to be able to go into an Air Conditioned room and be with these Amazing People!!  my Heroes ..... Getting their QOV Hugs - 

Doesn't get any better!

Stillwater Veterans Ranch

 A few weeks ago - I was able to head out to the Stillwater Ranch - A Ranch that focuses on Veterans - and you all!!! I was in Love!!

One of My Veterans ( you know every Vet I award a Quilt of Valor to becomes mine - right?) told me about it - and I had to check it out - not only to learn more but to see how we can incorporate QOV with it!!

And me - the Guru of remembering to take all sorts of Photos.... FORGOT!!! I was just drawn in by the place!

BUT!!! Never Fear - they have a website with all sorts of Photos!

https://www.stillwaterranch.org/

We did remember to get a photo of the two of us though - this is me ( left) and Wendy ( right) the Director. We had such fun touring the place

The facility is not a new state of the art building - but one that is just perfect - it is homey, it has something for everyone - If Veterans come out with their families - there is something for the kids, the spouse - it is just a wonderful way to help our Heroes Heal - Go check it out - right now... as you all can imagine - the biggest expense is HAY - for the big ol HAY burners - Of course, the Horses are so amazing, and provide so much for the Veteran. 

The therapy these animals provide is amazing - Horses are Fight or Flight animals, and given the reactions of Veterans to different situations they can mimic their emotions and help them learn to deal with them.

( on a side note - a lot of people ask how I stay sorta not crazy... My Horses... Oh if they could talk... It'd be bad... just sayin') 

As our restrictions are dropping - I am so excited - we got to do a small Group Presentation - and yes- I realize I am in the way of the shot - but we were just so excited to get to our Veterans... 

And last but not least - let me show you a few QOV"s 

A cool sampler - Kathy B Quilted it

and below -

Donna Mae taught a quilt class - and the class was about how to use a panel

This is one from her class ( I picked up three!) Yay Quilters!!

Alright - your homework - Go check out Stillwater Ranch and just tell me how cool it is!!

Mystery A 12 - Dakota Inspired - Announcement

 Mystery A12

 is in the finishing stages.....

originally I was going to post Fabric requirements in January and start mid February - but since National Sew Day is February 6th....

And a TON of us are stitching someplace, or virtually..... 

I am now thinking that I will post Fabric requirements on Wednesday February 17th 
The first Clue will be March 3rd - so that gives you two weeks to get your fabrics together!!

I'll give you a few hints:

• It will be a 4 color quilt....
• It will finish in the 60 ish x 80ish range 
• The clues will be manageable for a max sewing time of 2 hours each week.  ( And that is MAX - none of them actually take that long)
• You do not need any specialty rulers - a straight edge is enough.

I design these quilts to be used as Quilts of Valor .  I know that not all of you do QOV, and donate them to another Military outreach. That is awesome. But if you are making them for your own personal use - would you consider making two and giving one as a Quilt of Valor? 

Now!! If you don't have all the clues to A11 downloaded - please do - I will be removing that tab at the top of the blog and replacing it with A12....   Gotta stay organized you know?

( I know - who am I kidding - I am creative not organized... haha)

Queen of Diamonds.... and! Finished ( or not) Friday!!

Happy Happy Friday!!!

I sure hope your week was spectacular!!! I am sure mine was... It just went kinda fast on me! The wind has been howling and I am not a fan of that - so it makes us want to stay inside a bit more, which should be good for getting quilting done right?

This is my finish for this week!  It is called

Queen of Diamonds - 

the pattern is by Atkinson Designs and its awesomely fun to make!! 

and of course, this is a Quilt of Valor!

(pieced Quilted and going to a friend to bind! yay!)

We were going to go outside and take a really pretty Ranch shot - but I am pretty sure our Ranch has blown south - to New Mexico!  That wind - its been gusting at up to 75mph!!!

This is Puppy - he would like you to know - that he is not an outside dog when the wind blows - he kinda flies like a kite!

So now!!

it is your turn - Show me your Finishes!! ( or your not finishes)

* please directly link to the Finished Friday post

* visit some others

* share the link

* Make me Brownies

* and Have fun!!!

************************************************************************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

** ******************************************************************************

Linking to:

Can I get a Whoop Whoop