QOV 2014

Good Tuesday Evening! Wednesday is Christmas Eve Day.... and  my boys are just so excited!  I always think the Christmas Break goes WAY to fast!! and this one is no different!!

I hope you will get a chance to sit back and relax, enjoy the day - whatever you are doing. We have a rather small Christmas planned...

Enjoy This weeks Quilt of Valor show!!  I hope you enjoy the smiles and that they brighten your week!

PS - if you want to see all of this years shows - here is the link
http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/search/label/QOV%202014

Bingham Ladies Fellowship
Quilts of Valor

Bingham Ladies Fellowship

Bingham Ladies Fellowship

Bingham Ladies Fellowship

I think the Two above are Called Boxy Stars from Quiltville.com

These are what I want you to see!!! The smiles.  Please know how much they love being wrapped in all of our hugs!! You know I can't show each one.... but I sure hope you see the happiness!  Our quilts are so loved!!  That just makes my heart so happy.

This one was fun - he had such a smile on his face when he recieved this quilt. He just couldn't wait to tell his wife how important it was!  A lovely Couple!

This is a big event - we get a lot of soldiers stopping by to visit and compliment the quilts ( the guys in the background)

This quilt was made By Diana B in Colorado - and I quilted it. She did a fabulous job!! It will get bound and out to be loved soon!!

And then we have three more quilts by the Bingham Ladies Fellowship. You have no idea how much I appreciate their support and their yummy quilts.... well... truth be told - I haven't met a quilt I don't like yet ;-)

I wish I knew what this pattern was - Jody.... if you or the ladies remember - would you let me know?

Columbine Quilt Bee

Columbine Quilt Bee

Rocky Mtn Quilt Museum

Did you get inspired by any of those quilts?

Well - here are some more smiles!!!  I hope they lift your spirits!

This is such a sweet picture for me. Harriett ( left) is one of my quilting angels.  She has always been there for me - when I needed to learn to bind, cut fabric, get a hug - she is always there. I loved that she and this soldier were is such conversation about the military and the quilts - that they didn't even notice I was there.

I am not sure how many of you have been watching our Quilt of Valor progress though the years.... so a quick story:

I learned to quilt by teaching 100 5th grade kids to quilt.

Yep - not always the best way to learn - but we did well, and we had fun, and we made 10 Quilts of Valor in a year. 

Now - I DID have a longarm - I knew the quilting part....

So.... I worked with these kiddos - we got the quilts all the way to the binding stage - and I panicked!

Harriett..... she said - bring them to me, I'll show you what to do... and she did.

and She enlisted Lori and Ethel and Mary - and they were so wonderful!

Merry Christmas!!!

See you soon.....

Orca Bay

My Orca Bay has spoken - and she has taken over the design wall.... stubborn little whale is she...

I am getting closer.... our weekend was a little crazy and by Sunday Night - I was plumb worn out... so not much more got done. The couch beckoned and we obeyed!

We were doing another friends chores, and they have chickens. SO! I got their eggs ( the chicken eggs)  - I think I might miss that.......  We also stacked 2 cords of firewood and got the last 200 bales of hay stacked.... I am ready for lazy!


I did get another Block Drive Quilt quilted ... here is a close up

And the full quilt !

I had a goal this year to quilt 12 Quilts of Valor

and with this one ( and the one below)

The Back

 I made it to #28!!!!  

This one was pieced by Diana B.

I didn't want to brag - but I wanted to brag... you know.... some people tell me they can only quilt one Quilt of Valor - and I always tell them - THAT!!! is one more Veteran knowing he or she is appreciated !

Often - I am that quilter that says - well I can only do one.... but it added up this year ( YAY!!)

Enjoy your Monday!

Plaid #4 - Finished!!

Whoot Whoot - Doing a little happy dance around here!!

I joined in with the Finish A long over at the Littlest Thistle - and I tell you what - it has helped me stay focused this time!!  This quilt was one of them I wanted finished this month for the QAL4FAL and for A Lovely Year of Finishes at SewBitterSweet designs.

Ready....

This one will be going as a Quilt of Valor. It was designed by Judy at patchworktimes.com called Sunny Side up ( I think) it is under her free patterns.  I , of course, just had to try plaids ;-)

Because it is almost Christmas - you wanted a snowy bird right?  They land outside my sewing room window - constantly distracting me .... it's a rough life I tell ya!!

Linking up with:
http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/
and
crazymomquilts.blogspot.com
and
blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com   ( when the links come out)

Pineapple Plaid Quilt

This - I believe is Number 5 .... 5 plaid quilts and I still have stash to sew with -

I should not be surprised!!

Here it is - in all of it's unbound glory.

I quilted each block with Circles and spikes and gave it a fun look - that of course, is totally hidden in the plaids - But I sure had fun quilting it - so it's all good!

I had it all laid out in the front room with the idea of getting it bound right then, and then.... I started to wonder what would bring the colors of the plaid out?  It is a little Muddied - with browns and plaids..... so maybe Black?  Or Maroon?  

So I have been contemplating this all week....I believe this might be another reason the binding always slows me down..... Sigh.....

QOV 2014

Happy Wednesday Morning!!

Hope you are ready for some GREAT eye Candy today!!

This is what our house looks like when I get back from the Laundromat.... All the Quilts that have not been washed get a cold wash, and an air dry - then they come home and stretch out for a minute - before we match them with their pillowcases and add journals..

 Need a little smile to start your morning?  This soldier chose his quilt and was so tickled - he just couldn't stop smiling - makes you happy right?

Need a Smile??

Columbine Quilt Bee has been so amazingly busy!! They just do a fabulous job!! These two are from Columbine,

The next three are also made by Columbine Quilt guild.

This one is from the Block Drive.  Our Greeley Group finished putting them into tops -
I quilted this one - I used a wave pattern - fun!!

This one - I apologize - I didn't take a far away photo.... or if I did - the Camera Ate it!  It was pieced by Judy P and quilted by me.

This is the back - isn't that a crazy fun pantograph?

This quilt was made by the High Country Kids 4H in Colorado.  They did a fabulous job!

The next two were made by the Red Hat Crafty Quilters and quilted by Kathy and Sue in Northglenn

I like this pattern - it is pretty graphi!

Here's a photo of the quilting - I really liked it!

Let me leave you this week with a few more smiles!  I love that this is just not a seasonal thing - that we can honor and comfort and hug on our Veterans Year Round...

PS - I love that I move to much to ever be in focus .... good for the ego ( giggle)

Surprise!!

I just had to go to a quilt shop to meet two of my friends ( they really had to twist my arm, and bribe me to go in... it was tough - Right Cheryl and Judy)  I really was screaming as I went in.... yep - that's not the truth.... but I'm going with it!

I found this little package of 1/2 squares - I think They called it a Turnover.... but truly - I can't remember. It just looked cute and I am a sucker for pre-cuts.....

I also told myself I had better get busy - this had to be made into something before 2015.....  and

Surprise!!! Not only did I make the top - I quilted it. Yep.... just the binding awaits....  ( after I figure out how I want to bind it)

I had such a fun time quilting it... I had no plans so I combined a pantograph and bubbles and lines and just had a good time.

I used Quilters Dream - Dream Puff batting - I LOVE that batting. It is puffy ( duh) and light weight - but so warm..... and if you live in my house in the winter - you want warm .   Someone might not like to turn the heater up.....

I am thinking that I will bind it in Dark Blue

Or maybe Lime Green..... Ideas?

This is the back - I zig zag print.  There is a quilt shop in Fort Morgan - Inspirations- the boys had a Cross Country meet there - so I went a tad early and checked out the shop - and found this zig zag -

And now I have a puffy perfect yummy warm quilt... that needs binding.... But I am happy!

Log Cabin Challenges

Last week I told you about our Log Cabin Challenge at our guild. The cool part was I got to quilt a few of the quilts in the challenge.

So I thought I would Show you a few of them.  Now mind you - in all of my thinking and postulating about why I didn't care for mine so much, comes this theory.  I loved everyone else's and wish I had made that!!!  Too funny!

Isn't this one cool? With all the batiks and them running up and down?  I quilted feathers all over it in lines. It turned out pretty neat! And it softened the effect of the zig zag. Perfect for one of her Granddaughters!

Then there was this Wonky Log Cabin. This client pieced it SO beautifully!! She said it was out of her color and style range, but wanted to challenge herself - and I believe she rose to the challenge!

 Oh yes - the back....

This client did another amazing job!  She wanted a 3d Circly effect.  I had fun drawing up images to see what would look the best.

And of course - the back.

Those are my three finishes to show off this week. I didn't piece a one of them - but I sure enjoyed quilting them! And I was glad they liked them too!