Recap of Feb Meetings – Part 2

Quilter’s know the generosity of other quilters – they give of their time, expertise and materials.  But Quilts of Valor quilters are blessed to know that they are embraced by the greater community, both locally and globally!

At our meeting on Friday, we were so pleased to hear this story from Maria, one of our own CT Quilters who is also a Flight Attendant for Delta Airlines:

            I was on a flight and sharing the story of Quilts of Valor and the quilts for the soldiers with a co-worker, when she pulled out a very generous cash donation for our Group!  I was so surprised.

We were stunned and so very thankful to receive the large donation from Charly, the Purser on Maria’s flight that day.  We were able to purchase yards and yards (and did I mention more yards?) of large pieces of fabric for much-needed quilt backs and blocks for our quilts.  Just check out how fat these big bundles are.  Charly, at least 5 soldiers will be wrapped and snuggled in the quilts we make from your donation.  Thank you so much!

And now for our local contributions:

Donna, a CT Quilter, made all of these pillowcase presentation packages – a big help since our stack was running low.  Your serger must have been smokin'.  Thank you, Donna!

Another CT Quilter, Jill, was able to bring in some very excellent fabric donations (also in large pieces) just at the right time.  We had tops stacked up that needed backs and this very large donation of fabric is just what we needed – these are enough for backs and strips for blocks and will go a long way towards making comforting Quilts of Valor.  Thank you so much, Jill, for keeping the QOV Group in mind when you were foraging on-line for fabric!

And a small group of 7 ladies in a nearby community selected us to be the recipient of their patriotic quilts.  Just look at these wonderful tops that two of the ladies, Nancy and Judy, brought in for donation!  Definitely a nice design – perfect for Quilts of Valor.  Just when you think it’s business-as-usual something magical happens and you know that our local and global communities care about our service personnel.  Thank you so much, ladies!

Another donation from Jill at Monday’s meeting, was this top based on the original Waving Old Glory pattern by Toby Lishchko.  Jill put in a sprinkle of the appliqué stars in the plain blocks that make this top sparkle!

And to finish off today’s post, here are two tops that were brought in that used up a bunch of the 4-patches leftover from our old design.

 

Debbie's patches

Kathy's patches

More on the productivity of the QOV members in tomorrow’s post – watch for Part 3 of the Meeting Recap posts!  And if you missed Part 1 – it is here: http://tinyurl.com/k4kwjhs

Meeting and Group's Quilt Show

Our Quilts of Valor Group is meeting today,

 Monday Feb 24^th at Crafty Threads from 10 – 4:00. 

Please join us if you can!

Until I can fully report on the meeting's activities, here is a little quilt show of the quilts and tops returned to the Group at last Friday’s meeting for your viewing pleasure:

Top returned - our old pattern

Hand binding completed

Hand binding completed

Top Ginger made in memory of Roger (IMOR)

Top Ginger made with our leftover triangle pinwheel stars!

Blocks made by Janice for our new design - top completed by Debbie

Barb quilted Ginger's top from last month - IMOR

Top pieced by Janice and quilted by Kathy

Top pieced and bluework by Renita - quilted by Virginia - check out all of the echo quilting!

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Detail of quilting on the quilt above

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Quilted by Pat B

Detail of the quilting on the quilt above

Quilted by Pat B

Top pieced by Barbara and quilted by Pat B

Back of the quilt above - cool fabric!

A Salute to WWII Service Personnel

The US Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington VA, better known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, honors those Marines who have served and died defending the US since the  inception of the Corps in 1775.  The Memorial is modeled after the iconic photograph by Joseph Rosenthal. 

A second photo atop Mt Suribachi, Iwo Jima - Feb 1945 (AP/Joe Rosenthal)

Rosenthal took the photo after a famous battle during World War II on the tiny strategic island of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Ocean about 660 miles south of Tokyo, Japan.   

It was on this date, Feb 23, 1945, after fierce fighting that US Armed Forces endured a tortuous climb and ultimately raised a tiny American Flag at the summit of Mt Suribachi heartening men all over the island.  After the slopes were cleared of enemy resistance that afternoon, a larger flag was raised by 5 Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman and the iconic photo was taken.

Today, we remember and salute our Marine Veterans and those who fought

beside them and express our eternal gratitude for the Freedoms we hold dear.

Meeting Reminder - Fri, Feb 21st AND Monday, Feb 24th

We will be meeting Friday, Feb 21^st AND Monday, Feb 24^th

From 10:00 – 4:00

At the Crafty Threads Quilt Shop!

The agenda for both February meetings includes

making KITS for our new design for 2014, plus

laying out quilt tops, sewing blocks into rows and quilt tops,

hand sewing labels and bindings and much more!

Come join us and pick the project YOU want to work on …

Bring a lunch/snack or visit a local restaurant.

Celebrate President’s Day – Feb 17th

Since 1971, the third Monday of February has been designated as the official federal holiday whereby we commemorate and honor all past Presidents of the USA.  What a great day to sew on Quilts of Valor projects to honor today’s patriots!

Presidents with actual February birthdays:

George Washington was born on Feb 22^nd in 1732.  He was the first president of the US  and he served from 1789 to 1797 (two terms).  Did you know that he was the only President to have been elected unanimously?  Or that he was the only President that did not live in the White House?  I was completed one year after his death during the term of John Adams.  There were 13 stars on the flag when Washington took office, but 5 stars were added during his terms (North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Kentucky and Tennessee).

Quote:

I shall make it the most agreeable part of my duty to study merit, and reward the brave and deserving.  GEORGE WASHINGTON, Address to the Officers of the Virginia Regiment, Jan. 8, 1756

Abraham Lincoln was the 16^th President, serving from 1861 to 1865.  He was assassinated during his second term of office, just 5 days after Robert E. Lee surrendered the South to the Union ending the War Between the States.  He was born on February 12^th in 1809.   Well known for his stovepipe hat, did you know that he hid his mail, bankbook and important papers in that hat?!   Lincoln’s profile can be found on the penny and on the $5 bill.   

Quote:

Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we understand it.   ABRAHAM LINCOLN, speech, Feb. 27, 1860

February Meeting Notice

February Meeting Dates –

Friday, Feb 21^st and Monday, Feb 24^th

Don’t forget that we now have TWO Quilts of Valor meetings a month. 

You are welcome to attend one or both meetings and stay the entire time

or join us for as long as you can between 10 – 4:00 on meeting days.

We meet at the Crafty Threads Quilt Shop

12330 Racetrack Rd, Tampa

From 10:00 – 4:00

You do not need to sign up to attend!

The agenda for both February meetings includes

making KITS for our new design for 2014!

 No sewing skills are required –

You may choose to bring your sewing machine, rotary cutter/mat,

or hand sewing needles and thread (red/white/blue).

 We will also need ironers at these meetings. 

Mark Your Calendar

February Meeting Dates –

Friday, Feb 21^st and Monday, Feb 24^th

An Award Presentation

One of the newest members of the CT Quilters Quilts of Valor Group made a very special presentation recently per a request received by the QOVF’s Region 8 Florida Coordinator, Linda Fentriss.  Here, in her own words, is a record of Janice V's presentation as it appeared on the QOVF’s Facebook page and its Blog:

Monday, January 27, 2014

My First QOV Presentation 

Patrick with his QOV from the CT Quilters

Another US Veteran was awarded his quilt today, with his girlfriend looking on with tears and pride. This was a special award time for myself as well as the veteran. This was my first presentation on behalf of QOVF, and I hope that I am given the privilege of additional ones in the future.

It was an emotional experience for everyone there. I did not realize the impact that these quilts have on the veterans and their family once you start your presentation.

Patrick, served three tours in Vietnam with the United States Air Force along with his stateside assignments. He was in Da Nang for at least one of three tours, as a fuel specialist. He supervised and worked with a group of men refueling just about any aircraft that was flown in Vietnam.

After he was awarded his quilt I had the privilege of him sharing pictures and stories of his life in a  war torn region. I am proud to have met and shared an afternoon with a true American Hero. I was able to see his ribbon bar from his uniform and he was a decorated American hero. I noticed, but not limited to, a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and his Vietnam Campaign ribbons. On the wall of his living room are several awards he earned and was awarded during his time of service.

Thank you Patrick for your service on behalf of our great nation, and the sacrifices you made for me and everyone else. 

We are so proud of you, Janice, for taking the time to make this special presentation and so pleased that you shared your story with us.

Lisa Byers’ QOV Sew-In

The Quilts of Valor Foundation’s Sew-In Day was a great success today up in Trinity, FL!  The facility where we met was great and we had lots of room – a special Thank-You to the Champion’s Club for allowing us to use their meeting room for this event.

Lisa supplied great fabrics and had many pre-cut and pre-marked for 1/2 square triangle sewing right off the bat.  She did a great job preparing - lots of work involved there!  The pattern was a Carpenter's Star design that Lisa modified to use center panels that she had gotten from Northcott and an on-line source (flags, eagles, etc). 

Unfortunately, your webmaster fell down on the job taking pictures, because she was having fun sewing, but here are two of the finished tops (before ironing):

The group actually finished 4 complete tops and a 1/2 top that Lisa will finish - Lisa intends to quilt them.  This link might work to take you to the QOVF Facebook page for the first one that Marilyn posted:  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=802493583098734&set=gm.10151938503968716&type=1

The ladies attending came from various locales and with varied backgrounds – some QOV related, some not.  Several of the attendees had sons/relatives in Afghanistan.   Mary S., Jadene and I were there from the CT Quilters (Mary is a good friend of Lisa's and helped her prepare – thank you, too, Mary!).  Several said they heard about it from the Feather Princess’ Guild (they allowed Lisa to use their email list).  Several heard from the post Lisa made to the QOVF Facebook page.  Marilyn came all of the way from Clermont since she couldn't find anything going on in the Orlando area.  She is active in a QOV group in Connecticut and was a big help to Lisa during the Sew-In in keeping people productive (thank you, too, Marilyn!).


We expect that this is now going to be an annual event for the Quilts of Valor Foundation, so go ahead and Save the Date for the first Saturday in February in 2015!