Hugging our Veterans

I just LOVE how Quilts can give our Veterans a Tangible Hug

And they remember it ForEver

It is so fun to be able to tell each Veteran about their quilt, who made it, where it came from, How it got started - it just amazes them that each quilt has a story... and a story that finds its way to them.


Check out these lovely blocks!!
Sent in from Pride City Quilt guild in Pueblo and the Scrappy Ladies Quilt guild in Rye  ( Both in Colorado)

This is a Mystery quilt that we did here called:

Stars and Stripes

It was made by Barbara, Nancy and Sara

and Quilted by Cheri D

This beauty was made by Jackie W

in Willcox Az

( and you can see which Veteran got it in the photo above)

This beauty was made by sister Debbe and Joan

and again - check the top photo 

You can see the Veteran who received it

( and the tears in their eye BTW)

And just cuz

I mean

Look at him

We are under snow and ice and warnings to stay off the roads

and I want to be him ;-)

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

Not my Design wall

But Samantha's!!!

I have to tell you - I was to tickled to get this email - it truly MADE my day!!!

"Thank you so much for writing such a clear, detailed beautiful pattern for the Super Cool Awesome QOV. It was my first quilt top ever. I have been wanting to do it for a while, but it seemed so difficult. My top has been donated to a local group..... Thanks for giving my the courage to try my hand at making a quilt. It went so smoothly that I have actually completed my second top as well.

Samantha"

Just kind makes my little heart go pitter patter!!!

And here is her Quilt:

Samantha is a former service member - and married to an Active Duty Service Member!!!

Thank you SO much Samantha for sharing with me - you'll never know how much I happy danced!!!

For the rest of you - here is the link to the pattern:

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/stars-and-stripes/132981



Linking to:
Love Laugh Quilt
Cooking Up Quilts

Quilting the Super Cool Awesome Quilt of Valor

Oh My Gosh!!  I had SO much fun quilting this one .... I just played, I just layed the top on the ground and thought of texture.... so I loaded the quilt, turned my CD player on.  ( yes I am still a CD'er.... )  and quilted!!   Until the buzzer rang for me to go get the kid!

Are you ready for a lot of photos??? Here we go!

I quilted this little swirly star in the stars.

You kind of start in the middle, then swing out, and meet back at your start - so it looks like its one motif. 

I also used a puffy batting...

A side view

can you see the puff ;-)

A top shot

Then I feathered the Zigs ( or the Zag - your choice)

Ta-Da!!

A couple of top shots.

I couldn't find my step stool - so I had to reach 

I put pebbles - lots of varying sized pebbles in the Cream. I love them - you can't work yourself into a corner - you just backtrack along a pebble to get where you want to go - LOVE them!!

Oh!! YOu can see the feathers much better from this angle....

So.... There you go - That is the Super Cool Awesome Quilt of Valor - also known as Stars and Stripes!!  I will take mine Sunday to our sew day and bind it - and label it - and it will be complete!

The full pattern can be found at  AlyciaQuilts on Craftsy



Linking to:
TgiFriday
and
confessions

QOV 2015 -AND the final step of the Super Cool Awesome QOV

Welcome to my weekly Quilts of Valor show ! If you have just discovered it because of the Super Cool Awesome QOV - yay!! Glad to meet you!!

On Wednesday I post a QOV show of various Quilts that have been made for our Veterans here in Colorado. We do a LOT with the local Military post , and with various VA programs, as well as Combat Veterans Cowboy Up. ( hint- that is one of my favorite places - there's horses!!)

Lets show a few Quilts first - before we get to the Final Step of the Quilt of Valor Quilt a Long....

These First Three Quilts were pieced and Quilted by Judy V in Colorado - she is amazing, and one time I saw her Sewing Studio.... it was to be coveted!!

 I love the all - but this little tumbler one - with the different sizes - intrigued me!!

This is a quilt made from the blocks that were a part of a block drive - you can find that pattern - called Bulls Eye Log Cabin   I quilted it.  Of course, one of my fabulous quilting buddies will bind it!

This one was pieced by Kathy in Sterling - this is a pattern from Patchworktimes - I LOVE her layout! This is the pattern : Sunny Side Up  I quilted it too ;-)

The final Quilt to show you today was pieced by Deb out of blocks from the MQX Show Block Drive. They are so fantastic in their support of Quilts of Valor - Dawna ( from Dawnas Design Threads  ) I am sure she used one of her pantos on it - go check them out!

  - 

Alright - before I take all of your morning time.... let's get to the last step of the Super Cool Awesome Quilt of Valor...

Thanks again for playing along - the entire pattern is now available:

Again- if you want the pattern in one piece - you can find it here:

AlyciaQuilts Craftsy Store  

I would love to see any of yours if you did it.... you could email me a picture and I would feature it on my Wednesday QOV show. My email is over at the corner.

Super Cool Awesome QOV Step 4

You know.... I was going to tell you how I know this is a Super Cool Awesome Quilt of Valor on Sunday - and I got sidetracked ( ranch work) and I forgot!!   SO!!  Here is how I know...

Every week I get the privilege of hanging with Some Veterans, and sometimes a person needs to goof off - so I had my sketchbook and was sketching away - and they guys... they stole it!! Okay - not really, they started checking out what I was doing!  And they Liked my design.... and they said - Whoa - That is Super Cool - I would LOVE that Quilt....   So - there you go.... Its the Super Cool quilt!

Alright ... onto Step 4:

Thank you for playing along -
the entire quilt pattern can now be found here

My Craftsy Store

Super Cool Awesome QOV Step 3 ( and my design wall!)

Happy Happy March!!  I hope that you all are enjoying this Quilt of Valor pattern.... and are ready for the next step?  Well - it;s whats on my Design wall!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PLAYING ALONG
The entire quilt pattern *Stars and Stripes* can now be found here:

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/stars-and-stripes/132981

Here are mine!!

On the design wall!

Linking up with :

http://www.patchworktimes.com

The last Pink Scrappy Saturday and QOV step 2

In my continued quest to bust my 30's prints as part of my ongoing RSC challenge - I show you my RSC15 Pink 30's blocks:

Out of all my pinks and maybe a few that weren't Technically 30's prints - but were in the bin...

17 Blocks!!

Not too bad!!
Go see everyone elses Rainbow Scrap Challenges for February
http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/



ALRIGHT!!! Now it is time for Step 2 in the QOV Stars and Stripes

I know - I keep calling it the Super Cool Awesome QOV - and I will tell you why tomorrow - you will giggle...

So - here we go:


Thank you SO much for playing along -
the entire quilt can now be found at:

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/stars-and-stripes/132981

Plaid # 8 - and the first QOV step

My February Goal for ALYOF and for me (grin) was to finish Plaid #8.  And - I am glad to say that I did!!!  I quilted the heck out of it - for fun and to try a new pattern.

Here it is:

Of course I used a purple plaid backing. The fabrics in the top are shirtings - but this is a flannel-ish type fabric.  It washed up super soft.

So - are you stitching along with the Quilt of Valor?   So far the

The Fabric has been posted:    http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2015/02/quilts-of-valor-2015-and-fabric.html

The Cutting Instructions:   http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2015/02/cutting-instructions-stars-and-stripes.html

And now we will start on the stitching. In my head - each step should take about 1 hour, or less - as most of you truly sew quicker than I.

Block Number 1:

We will be making 24 Star blocks - this is the first step in getting them ready.

They will measure 9 ½ inches unfinished.

I do everything in bulk so that when I am ready to assemble to block all the pieces are ready.

Grab your 48 – 4 inch White Squares.

Thank you SO much for playing along - the entire pattern can now be found at:

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/stars-and-stripes/132981

Cutting Instructions - Stars and Stripes

Today I am going to post just the cutting instructions....   a little bit each day goes a LONG way!!

PS - this is all based on 42 inch wide fabric

Cutting Instructions

thank you so much for playing along - 
the entire pattern can now be found at:

http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/stars-and-stripes/132981