QOV Quilt show

Welcome to Wednesdays Quilt of Valor Quilt show!! I hope you will find some inspiration here, and find a quilt that you love. The quilters love to read the comments, and see how you liked their quilts!  All of these quilts are either already with their recipient, or are in the process of getting there.

Enjoy!!

The first six quilts are all from the Amelia Island Quilt guild.... boy have they been busy!

I particularly like the setting above! I always end up with orphan blocks while I am sewing, and thought this would be a great way to set some of those off... inspiration!

Check out some of those stars!! I love them!

This red white and blue one was pieced by Marilyn. She winters in FL and summers in MI - I think that sounds like a great plan. One of my Grandpa's sisters used to do that!!

Marilyn also pieced this one. I love the chains!!

A cool strippy quilt, check out the quilting!

The next three quilts were made by Amy . I tell you what - that girl has some energy!!!

This one is called Maltese Star - check out that border - Mmmmmm!!!!

This one is called Freedom!!

Love the setting!

And this last one is called Splendidly Marching Along

Great great job Quilters!! Thank you so much for taking the time to honor our military in this way!! You all ROCK!!!!

Firehouse Quilt Show

In the early part of August there was a great Quilt Show in CastleRock put on by Firehouse Quilts . I was asked to be a celebrity judge, but alas my son had a swim meet, and I really needed to be there. ( as he thinks he is leaving me soon *sigh*)


So I asked my Dear Pat to take my place - and here is what she said...



The Firehouse Quilt Show is one of the most enjoyable local shows around and I love to attend.  I think it's so much fun to 'share' quilts and to see the quilts that others in the community have made.  They always have a huge variety of quilts, and this year was no exception.  There were beautiful longarm quilted quilts, both computer aided and free hand, as well as those quilted on a domestic machine.  The hand pieced/hand quilted category was just awesome, and the vintage quilts were just beautiful.  One vintage quilt from1840 had been so well cared for over the years and was in near perfect condition....the only thing you could see was a slight bit of fading between some of the red blocks, which is amazing because red will often fade badly from this era.  It was discovered in an attic, was made by Claire Ludlow Arnold's grandmother, Esther Sandford Rogers, and the grandmother had a hand written note accompanying the quilt when they discovered it in the attic.  These vintage quilts were beautiful!!





I'm so glad I didn't have to do this judging for real and could kind of toss out all the 'judging rules' and just pick those I liked.....judging this show, like most shows, would have been very difficult.  As celebrity judges, we had the freedom to just walk thru all the quilts and pick the ones we liked and that spoke to us.  One of the celebrity judges was the fire chief and he was having a heck of a time!  You could tell that he hadn't been around quilts much, but the volunteers from FHQ were right there to answer all his questions and get him going....the dazed look on his face kind of told the volunteers that he might need just a little direction!!





I walked thru all of the quilts and looked at each and every one.....so hard to choose!!  I wrote notes in my program on several quilts because I knew I wouldn't be able to remember what I had seen.  It was difficult to pick 2 quilts.....one from the over-all quilts that were hung, and one from the Colorado themed category.  I finally settled on an art quilt titled 'Twilight Dance' by Petronella Turpin.  This wall quilt featured dragonflies dancing among the foliage and light.  This was an original design and Petronella had hand dyed the fabrics used in the quilt....beautiful background fabric filled with color.  It was machine appliqued and machine quilted and she did such a nice job.





Trying to decide on the Colorado themed quilt of choice was equally as difficult, but I finally decided on Maroon Bells by Genevieve Thompson.  She designed this quilt and it really made you feel like you were right there in the Maroon Bells area.  This wall quilt was raw edge machine appliqued and machine quilted and featured the mountains, the lake, the forest, cabins in the area, and some wildlife......things you see when you visit this memorable area.





Congratulations to the Firehouse Quilts organization for another wonderful show, and the Douglas County Fairgrounds was a perfect venue!!  I'm happy to see they will be there again next year and I, for one, plan to attend again!


And here is the quilt she chose to give the QOV ribbons to...

I am sorry to have missed the show - but utterly tickled that Pat did such a wonderful job!!

Another Fair

Yesterday we attended the Larimer County fair.... in a total different way! We were asked to set up a booth for Quilts of Valor and do an action! So... lucky me, all the ladies that came to man the booth were prolific hand binders.... so they bound quilts and we talked to everyone that came by,


We also had signature blocks for them to sign, and lots and lots and lots of pictures of military receiving their quilts.!!

Here is our table - and the ladies planning all the decorations.

Our sign

And a signer!! It was fun to gather signatures.

My favorite was a 4 year old little girl. 

She made symbols instead of letters - so cute!!

Now I think that is some of the last of the *big* places I need to be for a while. So I can really get back to my list of things this week. My design wall is completely empty, and is so lonely with nothing on it..... so back to work

To get inspired - go see some other design walls at Patchwork Times

2012 Goals Revisited

While we were on the road - I tried to read blogs from my phone. I still have no clue how to comment off of the phone, but at least I didn't feel completely away from my Quilt world. I saw that Judy ( Patchworktimes.com) was reviewing her goals. So today - I sat down and looked at mine... oh boy... do I have a lot of work to di!!


On my UFO list - of the 12 I chose, only 4 are done... most need to be quilted... I had better get busy!!


On my QOV list - I need to make 5 more tops.... and Quilt 8 more Quilts of Valor - to make my 12 for the year.


I thought I was getting more done.. apparently I have been goofing off too much ;-)


I think that was a good exercise though, to go back a review what I thought I could do for the year. It helped me reset my focus.  Judy is hosting a Quilting maration for August 9th to the 12th ( I think) and I may just have to join in.... QOV colors of course!!

A Cross Country Trip

Sunday my son was at the State Swim meet, and we decided to leave right after it, and go on a little cross country trip. It was a college expedition. I struggle with this.... it means he is leaving me.... and that I will be perpetually broke.... forever.... *sigh*

They did very well - the relay places 4th in the medley, and 2nd in the free relay. The guys were just stoked!!! And they ate... a lot!!

It was a great trip - we traveled over 1400 miles in 5 days, and we saw a LOT of our country. Some places I had never been, and I think I fell even more in love with our country!

We headed west to Grand Junction CO,

Then headed south into Arizona.

The road we took was a small two lane road... we had no clue!!

We even came across our first *Cash only* McDonalds... I did not know those existed.

The weather was incredible, you could see forever... and see the storms come in.

See that little speck in the sky? That is my son, in a plane, having a blast!!

After checking out on college, we headed east to Albuquerque. What a great place. We came face to face with a semi on fire... not cool. But I have to hand it to those semi-drivers. They are some cool cats, and can handle pretty much everything.

Plus - they know the best rest stops ;-)

I kind of forgot to take a lot of pictures. I think it was road weariness... but this college was gorgeous. I was glad I got my camera out for it. 

He had a great time checking out colleges, I had a great time hanging with my kids. We were a LOT tired when we got back. But a LOT smarter!!

And know - I think I want to be in college again!!

Wed's Quilt show

I have had such a blast taking pictures of these quilts!! I hope you enjoy seeing them!! I love to be able to examine the quilt, and then when it is presented, watch the reciepient do the same thing!!!

These first two are still tops - made by Lori M and her mom Dona.  Both are great!! But I love the one with the white blocks - it made me think of all sorts of great quilting that could be done in them!!

This quilt was made by Betty F in Denver, and Quilted by Kathy F also of Denver. Lovely!!

The next three quilts were made by Paula

All three of them were quilted by Judith in UT

I believe these ladies make a great team!!

And check out this border - LOVE!!   Paula thanks for meeting up with me to get these to our veterans!!! 

The next four quilts are from the Amelia Island Quilt Guild. They are a quite prolific quilt guild!

These 4 quilts are not all - this was just one of the boxes... You'll have to come back to see more!!

Thank you all for sending these Quilts of Valor this way! 

They are sure appreciated and loved by our Veterans!!