UFO Monday

Oh my gosh - I do NOT know what got into me.... but.... I was watching others finish up past Bonnie Hunter Mysteries .....  and I started to remember that one of my 2014 goals was to finish the UFO's under my ironing board..... ( DO NOT ASK IF THAT IS ALL OF MY UFOS... just sayin')

So while watching some superheros with my sick kiddo I started staring at my under cubbies....

I determined that I have finished EVERY UFO under there except one.... and it was calling.... as crazy song .... and I pulled out the bucket.... and.... well.....

Look what I started to finish!

Any one remember this BH mystery?

Yep... it's Orca bay !!

I did make some progress  on it - at least getting the parts in to pieces.  I even got TWO whole rows put together - Yay me!

Of course - no progress was made on Sunday - we had our QOV sew day and a special presentation!! I need to download photos and finish paperwork and I will be ready to share that on Wednesday!!

Plaid #4 - I think

I started this one as a Quilt a long on Patchworktimes.com - and then I am not sure where I stalled out... but I did...  My goal for November's 'A Lovely Year of Finishes'  was to get the borders on it.

It has gone from here ( the rows, with a boo boo)

To the design wall with two borders on it...

To QUILTED!!!  Yay!! I got the final plaid border on it and I just didn't stop!!

Yay!!! I wanted to try lines in the borders and a new panto in the quilt. 

 Now all it needs is to be bound!

Ta Da!!!

Goal #2 for A Lovely Year of Finishes,
http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-lovely-year-of-finishes-november-goal.html

AND!! It is almost a Finish for FAL 2014
http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2014/10/progress-on-plaid.html

QOV 2014 - Enjoy!!

Here is the deal.... I can't just choose one or two photographs to show you today. I thought I would choose the final photo of all the recipients together, and then I realized you would miss the smiles, and the happiness... and then I decided - this photographer took a lot of photos - so why not share them all.

So!! How much time do you have? Do you have a cup of tea sitting next to you? Good - let's go!

Quilts of Valor was invited to a Community College ( Red Rocks) - they have a huge group of Veteran Students. We asked if we could maybe make a presentation of a Quilt of Valor to a veteran, and as I was working with the coordinator - we couldn't choose just one.  So knowing that we have AMAZING quilters here - we asked to do 10!!!!

It! Was! Awesome!

Eleven of our Quilt of Valor - ers came to help - each one had a quilt to present.

I spoke ( I am such a sucker lol)  I told them what a QOV was, and how they were made.

Seriously - check out those smiles ;-)  

I explained that each one had many hands that go into getting it to them - from the choosing of the fabrics.

The piecing of the blocks - sometimes through block drives, sometimes through Children, through sports teams and through amazing quilters over the internet , as well as our local quilters

I explain that there are piecers, and then machine quilters that contribute

I Love the Hugs!!! Don't you? This is  MJR H (ret. air force) presenting this quilt -  So awesome!

I tell them that each quilt is bound tight to secure all the love and the hugs and the gratefulness inside.

And then I do remind them that they have been washed and pillowcased so they should feel free to use them immediately.

So - here is the majority of them - The podium was blocking the rest . It was a great experience - and so cool to watch our quilters interact - seeing the final result of all that hard work.



We left the stage and the President of the University got back up and said - other that watching his kids be born  that was the coolest thing he had ever seen.... I guess we did alright?

Enjoy your day!!!

Archives- Jelly Roll Quilts

Over at Val's Quilting Studio - she hosts an archive post on Tuesdays - this weeks is Jelly Roll Quilts.

Back in 2011 we did a Jelly Roll Race for a QOV sew day... but for some reason I am not finding the original Post...  But here is a link to one that was quilted...http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2011/10/another-jelly-roll-qov.html


And then I remembered that I made a Halloween Jelly Roll quilt, I think It might not even be bound yet!!  Sheesh

Link to an original post

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2012/06/another-ufo-bites-dust.html

The fabric was purchased in 2011 - and I know it was on the couch this Halloween.  And I am pretty sure we used it without it being bound.... sigh

Check out the others at Val's Linky Party

Wintery Weekend

I think that Winter is officially here! We celebrated by heading to the Dinner Theater with my parents - and we saw Miracle on 34th Street.  It was so great - the Candlelight Dinner Theater in Johnstown did a great production. And I was glad that Wrangler Man heated up the car before he made us get in it!!

I don't have much on my design wall today - as I might have finished what was up there and forgot to take a photo.... but I did get a lot done....I have officially passed my goal... I wanted to quilt 24 Quilts of Valor - and I am up to 26 now.  I might have another - but I am not sure where the photo disappeared to:


You will see them again in a Wednesday Show- but I wanted to brag now ;-)

This one was made from Orphan Blocks by Cowboy Bob .. I quilted it with a Baptist Fan

This one I pieced - it was the sample for last years block drive. I should be embarrassed that I didn't get it quilted earlier - but it sure brightened my weekend!

This strippy was made by Judy and I quilted water droplets on it - It is cool and fun and way busy!!

And this Beauty was pieced by Diana and I quilted stars on it.

And then I had a few Family sessions - can you believe there are crazy people who like to smile in the snow?  But check out what I saw while photographing people:

Staring us down

I think he wanted my snacks

An Eagle 

Plaid String Quilt - with a Twist!

I finished!! Finished!! Whoot Whoot - as in it is Quilted, Bound and ALL DONE!!

 While I was waiting for kids somewhere I made a list - this is the 3rd of 6 plaid quilt projects I have started this year.  The very first one was a Quilt of Valor ....  And I actually know where each of the others are in their progress!!

I quilted it with spiral Squares -  I thought that would be fun do due it's geometry ish ness ( new word! I just invented it!)

And the back - it is a lot of plaid with little Looney Tune Characters dancing across the top!!

Here is a close up - they make me laugh!!

This quilt is for sale:

Quiltygirl.Com Etsy Store

This is one of my alyof goals for November - so yay!

And it is a part of my QAL quarter 4
http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/2014/10/progress-on-plaid.html

I will also be linking up with Confessions of a fabric addict and Crazy Mom Quilts

Quilts of Valor 2014 -

It is Happy Day After Veterans Day - I hope your Veterans Day was filled with lots of Thank you's.  We had quite a few presentations going on here through our state, and one was supposed to be today. Today's is cancelled due to weather. and boy - is it COLD!!  I am always the first to admit that I am a wimp - so to others it may not be.... but the temps dropped so low - my tank heaters are only defrosting a quarter of the livestock water tanks. To me... that means its cold ;-)

On to the block drive blocks received

Sheree in Colorado

Nann H in Illinios
http://withstringsattached,blogspot.com

Diann K in Denver

Aren't those great? a Few more packages came in - but , well, I didn't get home till really late last night and I left them on my sewing table.... but that's good - more inspirations for next week!

The first inspiration - a presentation. I am wandering around there some where - but I am hoping I got cut out ( tee hee)  . We invited some recipients to one of our sew ins and it was awesome!!

Everyone got to be involved - and there was a standing ovation.

One of the coolest parts to me - was watching these veterans interact after the presentation.

So  Quilt!! Inspirations!!   The lovely quilt was made by Vicki Welsh

This is another one by Vicki!

Two things - this is a free pattern - it is called allegiance - the link is in my header.

Secondly - this is the back - 

Vicki HAND DYED it!!  

Here is her store:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/vickiwelsh

This summer I was invited to speak at the Araphoe County Quilters in Denver - they are SO awesome.   They were a great guild and so fun - BUT!!! Then they decided to get involved!

Spinning Stars
Made by Linda S -
Arapahoe County Quilters

What an amazing guild!! Kathy - their guild president called and said - we had a sew day - we have a few things for you. And I met her, and tied my kids to the top of the car!

HOLEE COW - did they get to quilting!!

Made by Arapahoe County Quilters

I decided to take it one bag at a time - so you may have seen some of the quilts they already contributed !

The one above is called Uncle Sam ( appropriate!!)

It was made by Kay - but Kay didn't stop there!

She also made the one below.

It is called Patriotic Patchwork

I believe this one was also made by Kay - I made a note, I just can't read it!

I love this setting!!

The next quilt was made by Kay and it is called Stars and Bars

A long time ago I designed one and made a pdf copy of my pattern

It is not pretty - but here it is

 http://quiltygirl.com/QuiltPatterns/stars%20and%20bars.pdf

And then we come to Ms Carolyn!!

She is in PA - and she works very hard on a farm with her kids

Yet she still found some time to make some Quilts of Valor

 All Three of these ( the one above and the two below)

Came from Carolyn

So beautiful!

Let's have one more smile to cap off today's show shall we?

I LOVE it when the families get involved !

Thank you again for all your support and your encouragements.

PS - you have asked where the pattern for a whole quilt out of the blocks is?
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/other/zig-zag-rails-quilt/119559