Recap of 02/15/13 Meeting

Every meeting seems to be special, but this one really took the cake!  Check out these photos of the tops and quilts that were turned in at the meeting:

Group Photo left side

Group Photo right side



Top made by Debbie, quilted and bound by Linda



Top made by Kathy, quilted by Ron, bound by Maria

Top made by Ginger - isn't this gorgeous!

Presentation package pillowcases donated by Nancy

©©© We love all of our volunteers and could

never make this kind of progress without them.

A BIG thank-you to each and every one of you!!  ©©©

We had two Quilts of Valor awarded during our meeting.  If you missed the  blog post about that, you can read all about it [link].

"    We sewed borders to tops,

"    We sent 4 more quilt tops out to be longarm quilted,

"    We sewed lots of bindings to quilts and others sewed them down by hand,

"    We cut lots and lots of blocks and borders, and

"    We made up block kits for volunteers to check out (gotta love those volunteers that are signing these out and keeping us supplied with these blocks for quilt tops!).

Our thanks go to Maria and Linda for bringing in sweatshirts in lots of different colors with  Wartime Quilter plus an eagle or support-our-troops ribbons embroidered on them.

Besides being warm at the right time here in Florida (where’d that cold snap come from anyway?), these will advertise our quilting efforts nicely!

We welcome new members every month.  This is Suzanne being introduced to the group by Sharon:

Welcome, Suzanne (r)!

Don’t worry if you had to miss this meeting – we’ll be looking for you next month – and there is still plenty to do!  We will be having a special quilt-as-you-go technique demonstrated, in addition to some regular sewing and cutting, so you will want to plan to be there.  More info on that will be posted closer to the next meeting time.

Mark those calendars right now for Friday, March 15^th, from 10 – 2:00.

Very Special Awards

The CT Quilters Quilts of Valor Group was very privileged to welcome some special guests at our last meeting.  Bettina, her two little boys, and her grandmother – Margaret, were here to receive two Quilts of Valor.  Margaret lives in nearby St. Petersburg, FL and Bettina was visiting her from Georgia so the timing was right for them to pick up the quilts so they can personally deliver them to the recipients:  Bettina’s husband and her father (Margaret’s son).

Bettina with her boys (3 mos and 3 1/2)
Holding the quilt destined for Robert L. is
Barb  Linares, owner of Crafty Threads Quilt
Shop (our Group's sponsor).  Barb quilted the
quilt for Robert - Barb is also a Veteran.

Bettina’s husband, Robert L., is currently serving with the US Marines.  Robert is now back in the US.  His last overseas posting was in Afghanistan where he finished his fifth combat tour of duty – he will soon be back in Georgia.  Bettina and her boys will be visiting Robert soon where she will award him with his Quilt of Valor on our behalf, along with our sincere gratitude for his willingness to serve and his great personal sacrifices for our Country.

The QOV presentation package pillowcase
has motorcycles - Robert's favorites!

Bettina and Robert's son is a
pro at folding the pillowcase!

Bettina’s family certainly has a history of service!  Her father, Robert C., is now retired from the US Army.  He also served in a combat zone - Iraq in 2004.  Robert C. now resides in Arkansas and Margaret will be visiting soon to award him with his Quilt of Valor and our deepest appreciation for his service.

Margaret and great grandson with
the quilt destined for Robert C. -
The family hails from Philadelphia and
the center panel reads "Old Glory" -
how perfect is that?!

We really enjoyed meeting Bettina and Margaret and the children.  Our group recognizes that there are many families like Bettina and Margaret’s that have given much so that we can continue to live in the Land of the Free. 

Bettina, Robert L. and the Boys
[Olan Mills' Family Photo]

We are honored that in our small way, we can provide a tangible “thank you”, and let them know of our gratitude for their dedication and patriotism.

Meeting Reminder - Tomorrow!

We will be meeting Friday, Feb 15^th,

from 10:00 – 2:00

at Crafty Threads Quilt Shop!

Click on this link to learn more.

Bring your lunch or a snack

(or you can opt to go to a local restaurant)

Why Quilts of Valor?

The following was posted on a Quilts of Valor message board by a QOV Member from Pembroke, KY:

 

Mon Nov 5, 2012

I received a thank you letter today that I would like to share.  Some words I can't make out, and yet I wanted all of you to share in his thank you to me:

I write and thank you for your wonderful quilt. As background I am an Army Surgeon assigned to [location removed] in Eastern Afghanistan. I arrived on 22 July, 2012. Our unit provides emergency surgical care to the members of [an] Airborne Brigade.

[Location] is in Eastern Afghanistan and surrounding area. It is very violent and dangerous. Our unit is the busiest surgical team in Afghanistan.

On 7 August 2012, a large truck loaded with between 3-5000/s of explosives blew up outside the walls about 20 yards from our field hospital. The hospital and one __ were destroyed and about 1/2 of the hospital personnel were injured.

Once the immediate casualties were treated and evacuated, I slept in the destroyed hospital and used your beautiful quilt of warmth. I was very blessed that day to be uninjured and have continued to use your quilt of luck. Have been here for 3 very long months and __ a lot. We have done great work and I am again blessed to have had the experience.

I have sent your quilt to my home and am busy at Walter Reed to continue to care for our injured soldiers.

As a soldier and a surgeon I thank you for your special gift that provided much comfort during trying times.

Warm Regards.

As most of us know we receive few thank you letters. Especially if we send our quilts to injured who may not be able to respond when they receive the quilts. It's not why we send them. Thankfully the surgeon who received this one wasn't injured, but I'm glad it brought comfort after seeing so many of his unit injured and hospital destroyed. I'm glad it was there at that moment. So I hope you'll take this letter and enjoy its thanks for all the times we don't receive that thank you. For me it's back to my sewing machine.

 

February Meeting Date - Friday, February 15th

This month’s meeting date is easy to remember – the day AFTER you have been wined and dined (yep, that would have been on Valentine’s Day), it will be time for our Quilts of Valor meeting!  Plan to come to the Crafty Threads Quilt Shop on Racetrack Rd on Friday, February 15^th at 10:00.  We have plenty to do!

We were extremely productive last meeting and now it’s time to reap the benefits.  Since we sent out 10 tops to be quilted (isn't that amazing?! - Yea, Team!), we expect we will have some quilts coming back in to be finished.  And we will have to keep that assembly line going so that we keep getting those quilts out to where they are needed most!

We expect we will have to:

·          Square up some quilted quilts,

·          Machine sew on bindings of quilted quilts,

·          Hand sew down bindings and hand sew labels,

·          Cut fabrics into blocks for kits,

·          Make up more block kits,

·          Sew borders (both sizes) together,

·          Iron bindings,

·          Cut and prepare more backings,

·          AND, that ever popular category – Misc!

Our meeting is planned for 10:00 to 2:00, but come if you can make it even part of that time.  We’d love to have you join us … hope to see you there!

President's Wives

President’s Day is coming up soon, so this must be the right time to talk about the president’s wives!

mamiesbirthplace.homestead.com

Did you know that Mamie Eisenhower (the wife of Dwight “Ike” D. Eisenhower, 34^th President , 1953 – 1961) was famous in her own right for her Million Dollar Fudge?! 

Thousands of housewives clipped this recipe from the newspaper when it was printed and it is still in use and raved about today.  Mamie was known to watch her pennies and even cut coupons for the White House staff to use.  Now there’s a model of we can follow in tough economic times.  Here is Mamie’s recipe:

Mamie Eisenhower’s Million Dollar Fudge

4 1/2 cups sugar

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 can evaporated milk

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bits

12 ounces German-sweet chocolate

1 pint marshmallow cream

2 cups nutmeats

Boil the sugar, salt, butter, evaporated milk together for six minutes.

Put chocolate bits and German chocolate, marshmallow cream and nutmeats in a bowl. Pour the boiling syrup over the ingredients. Beat until chocolate is all melted, then pour in pan. Let stand a few hours before cutting.

Remember it is better the second day. Store in tin box.

Doesn’t that sound great to have available after a long day of working on Quilts of Valor?  Make up some fudge in time for President’s Day and give a salute to their wives!

A simple QOV to inspire you!

A Tribute to the Navajo Code Talkers

Have you heard about the Navajo Code Talkers?



These wonderful young men from the Navajo Nation were serving in the US Marine Corp during WWII when they were able to devise an ingenious code using words and the alphabet of their native language.  They served bravely in every major engagement in the Pacific where their unbreakable code saved countless lives and, according to military commanders, undoubtably hastened the end of the war.

Made by Donna, Wilton, CA

Made by the Contra Costa Quilt Guild

A Valley Springs, CA group awarded 20 Quilts of Valor, including the above, to the surviving members of the Navajo Code Talkers in Oct, 2010.   Often called “silent heroes”, the Code Talkers efforts went unrecognized for decades as their exploits were kept secret in case this unique code was needed again.  The Navajo Code was finally declassified in 1968 and these true heroes could be publicly recognized and receive awards and accolades long overdue.

This beautiful quilt was created by Johnny and Flo Brooks of Stockton, CA, and quilted by Gail Belmont, of Valley Springs, CA.

Flo had learned of Quilts of Valor awarding quilts to the Navajo Code Talkers.  Her quilt includes symbols and traditions important to the Navajo People; including the circle of life with four cardinal directions, the Tree of Life and four colors – red, white, yellow and black.  Her quilt now hangs in the Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock, AZ.

To learn more about Johnny and Flo’s story, read this entry on the Quilts of Valor Blog.  Be sure to click on the link to the Additional Photos of Quilts on that same blog site for some more fabulous photos of the quilts awarded to the Navajo Code Talkers.

Learn more at this site:

http://quiltsofhonor.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/navajo-code-talkers-monument/

It’s Quilt Show Season in Florida!

Some of the best things about our area are the quilt shows put on by the various guilds.  You’ll find creative quilters everywhere, of course, but if you haven’t been to some of the following quilt shows, then you’ve missed a real treat.  Plan to put one or more of these dates on your busy calendars!

The Quilter’s Crossing Quilt Guild of Palm Harbor is presenting their show today and tomorrow (Jan 25 and 26) at the Countryside Recreation Center.  The show is called "Quilting Under the Palms" and has more than 200 quilts from Traditional to Contemporary.  Learn more at:  http://www.quilterscrossing.net/Pages/qpalms.html

One section of this show had various Americana quilts – very inspirational for making Quilts of Valor!

God Bless America – Sue Walworth – quilted by MK Quilts

America the Beautiful – Sophie Messinger

American Heritage – Nancy Morrison – quilted by Quilting Ladies of

N Halifax Fire Dept, Nathalie, VA – Eight wall hangings

pieced together – Very Clever!

Lone Star – Chris Peckham – from a Jinny Beyer Kit - 

Design shown in McCall’s Magazine

Special Event with Quilts:

Check out the Kumquat Festival – tomorrow, Jan 26 – a special Quilt Challenge is part of the many, many Festival activities – take the whole family to this one!  Historic Downtown Dade City.
Website:  http://www.dadecitychamber.org/?page=KumquatFestival

These are some of the other upcoming shows with their dates and locations.  In addition to fabulous quilts, most will have vendors, auctions, boutiques, basket walks or raffles, opportunity quilts, demonstrations, and much more:

Quilter’s Workshop of Tampa Bay - February 15 and 16

“Quilts From the Heart” - Salvation Army’s Community Worship  Center on W. Sligh Ave, Tampa.  See their guild website at:  http://www.quiltersworkshop.org

Peace River Quilters’ Guild – Feb 22 and 23

“Quilts on the Riverfront” – Charlotte Harbor Event Center, Punta  Gorda

See their guild website at:   http://www.peaceriverquilters.org/new_page_2.htm

Largo Cracker Quilters - February 22 and 23

“Celebrate the Quilt – Explore the Art VII” - Christ Presbyterian Church, Dryer Ave, Largo.  See their guild website at:   http://www.largocrackerquilters.org/

The Feather Princesses – Mar 1 and 2

“Applique in Tampa Bay III - Reflections” – St Lawrence Catholic Church – No. Himes Ave, Tampa.  See their guild website at: http://www.featherprincesses.org/Quiltshow2013.htm

Kings Point Quilters – Mar 8 – Free Admission!

“Color Our World With Quilts” – Kings Point Clubhouse, Sun City Center

For more information see:  http://www.zvents.com/sun_city_center_fl/events/show/169198505-quilt-show

Friendship Knot Quilter’s Guild – Mar 8 and 9

“Quilts in Paradise” – Robarts Arena, Sarasota.  See their guild website at:   http://www.friendshipknotquiltersguild.com/quilt12/

Recap of 01/18/13 Meeting

If you couldn’t make it to the meeting last Friday, we missed you!  And what a hustling, bustling meeting it was – we got so much accomplished.  We thank everyone that was able to be with us and help with our Quilts of Valor assembly line.  We had a great time.

¤  We were especially grateful for the fabulous response to our plea for fabric and batting donations.  We received lots of partial bolts of the perfect red, white and blue fabrics.  We also received lots of big fabric pieces that we can put to good use.  And last, but not at all least, we received a GIANT roll of batting!  Thank you each and every one for your very generous contributions - we really needed them and rest assured, our veterans will cherish what we make of them!

Debbie cutting off a quilt's worth of the batting
that Diana brought in - Thank you so much, Diana!

¤  We sent 10 quilt tops out to be longarm quilted.  Here is an amazing quilt show of some tops that came in on Friday for your viewing pleasure:

Jadeen's top

Debbie with Top #1

Debbie with Top #2

Debbie's Top #2 Detail

Debbie with Top #3

Debbie with Top #4

Debbie's Top #4 Detail (round flags - very cool!)

Debbie shared that some of her quilt
tops this month  (including the round flag idea)
came from this book

¤  We sewed borders to tops and we sewed blocks in rows for tops,

¤  We sewed lots of bindings to quilts and others sewed them down by hand,

¤  We cut lots and lots of blocks and borders,

¤  We made up block kits for volunteers to check out (volunteers are snapping these up – thank you very much!),

¤  We cut fabric and made up backings for the quilts going out to be longarmed,

¤  We ate up the goodies that Pat and Patricia brought in [editorial: who sneaked this bullet point in here?!]; apparently, we’ve never met a brownie, cookie or quick bread that we didn’t like - LOL.

¤  Some of our members took home QOV projects like blocks for tops and borders and/or bindings to sew together along with block kits, so we will already have out work cut out for us next meeting!  [editorial:  who wrote that bad pun anyway?! – quality control ladies, quality control…]

Our Show-and-Tell included an embroidered sweatshirt and purse – these items were made by a friend of Maria’s in North Carolina.  Don’t they represent the work of the Quilts of Valor Foundation well?

Maria also showed us an item that her NC guild has designed to hold quilting and other pins.  Maria fashioned hers into a necklace that includes pins from her travels for QOVF and from her husband’s service career.  Thanks, Maria, for the unique Show-and-Tell.

So if you had to miss this meeting, be sure to mark your calendar and join us next month.  It will be Feb 15^th, from 10 – 2:00.  We’ll be looking for you!

Reminder - Meeting Tomorrow - Jan 18th!

We will be meeting Friday, Jan 18^th,

from 10:00 – 2:00

at Crafty Threads Quilt Shop!

Click on this link to learn more.

Remember to bring your lunch or a snack

unless you want to go to a local restaurant

  

A Message From Our QOV Group Leader:

Are you ready to stitch, cut package and enjoy some camaraderie?!!

Well then, be at the Crafty Threads Quilt Shop on the 18^th at 10 o’clock or be square (our little quilty joke…).  We will plot our course for the next couple of meetings and discuss some other awards of our quilts besides the VA Hospital.

Those of us that attend these Quilts of Valor meetings come from all walks of life and experiences - just as the men and women who serve our Country with honor. When in Crisis we hope that the Quilts we make with loving hands reinforce our honor to make them and reward the sacrifice they have made for us and our Nation.

Please join us or contribute fabrics and battings. Thank you.

Pat - CT Quilter