Recap of 08-16-13 Meeting

We had a great group able to attend this month’s Quilts of Valor meeting – and we all participated and watched our Many Trips Around the World quilt grow into a full blown top! 

The first pic shows Linda in the design stage, making sure the blocks are put up on the design wall properly (not always an easy task – this quilt has only one block turned every which way):

Then, as the line grows at the ironing board, the MTATW rows grow on the wall behind Dawn and Irene:

And it gets bigger and bigger:

 

Diana holds up the rows that she and Judi have sewn

And is finally a completed top!  What a beauty … even without its final borders (to be the correct QOV size) … a member took it home for that so watch for the totally finished quilt next meeting.

And this month we had some fabulous quilts, tops and pillowcases brought in for donation:

 

Yvonne's pillowcase presentation pkg

This was Yvonne’s first attempt at making a pillowcase – she did a great job!

And Debbie brought in this beautiful Stars and Bars quilt that Jadeen and Yvonne finished with a hand-sewn binding and label:

Another beauty from Debbie:

 

(the photo distorts the stripes - sorry)

The gorgeous American Flag Quilt above is a free pattern offered by Fons and Porter.  The download is available at this link:

http://www.fonsandporter.com/articles/American_Flag_Quilt

Since so many of our members like to take home projects in between meetings, Debbie and Linda worked very hard to create some special kits for members-only:

These kits are made up from two different designs – the first is the American Flag pattern shown above - the second is the Warm Wishes pattern from Quiltmaker Magazine and available for download at this link:

http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/details.html?idx=5185_

These kits include fabric and pattern instructions and are available only to members at meetings.  They are not available to pick up at the shop – come join us on Fri, Sep 13^th, if you’d like to try one!

So, I can hear you asking yourself “what is the significance of the seemingly ‘backwards’ flags on the quilt above?  Isn’t that wrong?” .  Well, No!  Check this out:

Question: Why is the U.S. flag worn "backwards" on the uniform?

Answer:  …. The flag is worn on the right shoulder, because, in the military, the "place of honor" is to a military member's right.

The full-color U.S. flag cloth replica is worn so that the star field faces forward, or to the flag’s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer’s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward.
The rule dates back to the Army's early history, when both mounted cavalry and infantry units would designate a standard bearer, who carried the Colors into battle. As he charged, his forward momentum caused the flag to stream back. Since the Stars and Stripes are mounted with the canton closest to the pole, that section stayed to the right, while the stripes flew to the left. .…

The take-away is that you should never miss a QOV meeting … you learn something new every time!  Please join us next month:

September’s meeting will be on Friday the 13^th,

from 10 – 2:00 at the Crafty Threads Quilt Shop.

More meeting times will be published next week, please watch the sidebar for those dates …

Quilting Inspiration Day

From the American Valor Fabric
Collection by Andover Fabrics

I know you’ve been wanting to make one of the Quilts of Valor at home to donate and just didn’t know where to start.  Well, today is the little known Quilting Inspiration Day where we bring you a fabulous idea to jump start those old sewing cravings!  You’ll want to make this one, for sure.

There is a pattern offered free on the Web by Andover Fabrics that is called “American Valor” and it even has the pillowcase presentation package instructions included. 

 

It is featured on the Andover site using the American Valor fabric collection by Jo Morton, but it would also look great in planned scrappy fabrics.  The quilt was designed by Gail Kessler.  Here is a link to the pattern:

 http://www.andoverfabrics.com/Quilts/American%20Valor%20Fabrics.pdf

Happy Quilting!

National Quilting Day

Today has been designated as National Quilting Day!

Have you been considering making a Quilt of Valor to celebrate quilting?

We have found two wonderful free patterns for you to consider.  The first is A Nine-Patch Stars and Stripes quilt that was designed by Kathy Lichtendahl especially for National Quilting Day:

You can find the free pattern (and another colorway) on the National Quilting Association’s website at: http://nqaquilts.org/free-projects/

And if you like stars, you’re going to love this design that uses 10 inch blocks, goes together quickly and finishes at 80x80:

This quilt called “Cayuga” was designed by Michele Scott and the pattern can be found on the Fons & Porter website:

http://www.fonsandporter.com/articles/Cayuga_sixteen_point_star_block_free_quilt_pattern?bc=c

It looks great in the muted neutral colors as shown, or would look fabulously patriotic in red, white and blues.  Hope you enjoy these and add these patterns to your collection today!

National Anthem Day

Original Ft McHenry flag - now housed
at the Smithsonian Institution

It was on this date, March 3^rd, in 1931 that

Congress proclaimed “The Star Spangled Banner”

the US National Anthem.

The Dept of Veteran’s Affairs has an excellent article about the origin of the National Anthem at:  http://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/ssbanner.pdf

Here are all of the verses as composed by Francis Scott Key in September 1814,

♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪   

"In Defense of Fort McHenry"

Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Have you considered making a flag Quilt of Valor?  Of course, there are many, but here is one good pattern, Flag of Valor by Moda Fabrics:

http://tinyurl.com/au7uq7d

And this site has lots of patriotic quilt patterns (may take awhile to load – photo heavy):  http://quiltinspiration.blogspot.com/2012/05/free-pattern-day-patriotic-quilts.html

Check them out for inspiration and enjoy your National Anthem Day!

The Whole Kit and Caboodle

Now that’s a phrase that makes you wonder – what in the world is a caboodle? 

And, when was the last time you used the word “caboodle” in everyday conversation?!  Well, it turns out that “kit” and “caboodle” have the same basic meanings:

                  A kit – a set of objects (like a toolkit) or what a soldier would put in his kit bag

                  A caboodle – an archaic term meaning a group or collection, mainly of  people

 

Today, we are showing a few Quilts of Valor that can help you use up the whole kit and caboodle of your red, white and blue scraps from your sewing rooms.

The wonderful framed 6-patch quilt above was donated by the Trinity Lutheran Quilters of Greely, Colorado.  Our thanks go out today to Alycia of Alycia Quilts for the inspiration of these great quilts on her frequent blog posts with Quilts of Valor Shows.  Alycia works with No Soldier Forgotten, a Quilts of Valor group in Colorado.  The majority of their quilts go to the Wounded Warriors unit at Ft Carson, the Mountain Post, in Colorado Springs, but they also support VA Centers in Denver, Ft  Collins, Greely and Cheyenne, WY.

This Scrappy Rail Fence is featured in the Free Patterns section of Alycia’s blog.  Check it out at:  http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/p/free-quilt-patterns.html

By the way, the saying “the whole kit and caboodle” first appeared in print in 1884, but parts of the saying go back much farther.  So, go search your scraps for R/W/B and come up with your own kit and caboodle Quilt of Valor!