Catching Up

I have been working on a few things, just not enough to get done and get posted.  Life and circumstances have a way of changing things a bit.

I have a few projects that I have been focusing on and off for the better part of 2019.  Mostly projects that I started and need to get finished.  I am planning on doing that for the rest of the year as I want to get all my UFO's done.  My past UFO's have included both actual projects I started and then there were programs that I purchased in the past and never started.  I am going to concentrate on working on only UFO's that I have actually started, for instance, BOM blocks are done, but need the assembly (sashing), borders, quilting, and binding, or projects that have been cut out and need assembly.

My first UFO is a Leader and Ender (by Bonnie Hunter at Quitville.com) from 2012 called Cheddar Bow Ties.  I have been working on this since 2013.  I wanted to have a total scrappy look, by not having any repeats in the blocks.  I planned on making two twin bed sized quilts, but ran out of the Cheddar I was using as the background fabric, so I found a solid cheddar fabric to continue to use, and ended up making a king size.

I ended up assembling them by alternating the printed cheddar background and the solid cheddar background.  It is now ready to head off to the long arm quilter.

The second UFO project that I have been working on this year has been the Leader and Ender from July 2018.  It was called Jewel Box Stars once again from Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville.com.  Once again, I have opted to use my abundant amount of Thimbleberries scraps to do this project.  

I still have some assembly to do, and a border to add, and this will be off to the long arm quilter.

My third, fourth and fifth project is not really a UFO,  but projects I work in while working on my main projects.  I make Quilt of Valor blocks for a FB group.   Starting last fall,  had a mystery block program, and I had been keeping up with the blocks until recently.  I have three left to do.

Each month the fabric layout changes, but the pattern is the same each month. It was quite surprising how the block looks so differently just by changing the fabric layout.   This is a sample of a couple of the blocks:

Then I did a presentation of a quilt made with donated blocks from this FB group, and one of the members quilted it and sent it to me to finish it.

As soon as I got it bound and the label put on, I was able to present it to the Veteran.

The third QOV quilt is for a friend of ours that I took his army uniforms and made two memory stuffed animals (one for his wife and one for his daughter), and then I also made a quilt for him.  More about the stuffed animals here.

My fourth UFO is completed to the quilting phase.  I still need to cut the binding, bind it and take final pictures.  This one is from a monthly program back in 2009 for the month of June.  Each month the online shop Main Street Cotton Shoppe (no longer in business) would send a complete quilt kit that matched one in Lynette Jensen's book "Celebration of Quilts".  The program was called "Anniversary Club".  This month's quilt was called "Child's Play".  I did have a start of posting about it here.

Then the last project I have been working on is the annual Quiltville Mystery Quilt, called Good Fortune for 2018.  Usually, I have this done during the time the mystery is going on, from Thanksgiving to New Year's, but I am still working on getting the piecing done. Again, I am trying to use up my Thimbleberries scraps on this mystery quilt.   I have one more border to do, and then it is off to the long arm quilter.  

As soon as these are completed, I will do an individual post with more information and pictures, because I am using the blog mostly now to document my different finished quilts.  

Quilts of Valor Stars Group

Here is a post of what I am working on, in between finishing up my 2018 finished.  

I think I mentioned before that I belong to a Facebook Group called Quilt of Valor Stars.  They have a new block program that I am following this year.  It is an interesting concept, but so simple.  There is a cutting sheet at the beginning of the program, and you cut out all the pieces for the whole 12 blocks.

The block each month is the same layout, just the fabric changers and placement of the pieces.  As you can see below, the first 5 of the blocks are so different, but they are all done from the same block pattern.

When I am done with the blocks, I send them off to the group coordinator, and then they are distributed to volunteers who put the tops and borders together, and then the tops are passed on to a volunteer who long arm quilts them.  It is a well organized group, and I really like helping getting blocks done in-between my other projects.  

You can go to their Facebook Page here.  Their Facebook cover photo is a picture of blocks I did for the first part of the year drive.  I'm honored.

Warmest...

Renee

An Unexpected Gift

I just love my sister-in-law!  I received a package from her last week and was just overwhelmed with what I found inside.

You are looking at a huge pile of patriotic fabric.  WOW, just, WOW!!

She follows me on my blog, and knows that I work with a group, Quilt of Valor Stars.  She know that I make blocks for this group, and wanted to help.  She is short on time, but had this fabric, so she sent it to me so I could incorporated them into blocks.  

This is the new block the group is doing for their next drive.  They would like 2000 blocks from all of us participants.  I have 8 done so far.

I'll be working on some more throughout the month.  It will be a big help now having more fabric to choose from to make these blocks.  Shout out thanks to my Sister-in-Law, Ginger!!

She also included a couple of decorations. Which I put into my sewing room.  She knows my sewing room is pink, and pink is my favorite color, and my name is pronounced like the bird Wren.  So, she found this beautiful ceramic pink bird cage.  It's just too cute!

I have wall space above my sewing area, where I have a collection of crosses.  of the four on my wall, my sister-in-law has given me three.  Maybe even the big one??  Anyway, she knows I have this collection and she added another one.

The silver one is the newest addition that I hung on the wall.  It reminds me of Who I really have in my life and how important He is to me.  

Again, Ginger, if you are reading this, thank you so much.  You know me so well.  Love you and hope you are doing good with the Chemo.

Warmest...

2017 Quilt of Valor Stars - April Block -Brasstown Star

I am working on getting caught up on my Quilt of Valor Star Blocks.  They have posted the block patterns through July, so I am going to get them done so I don't get behind.  I much rather be ahead then behind.

April's block is called Brasstown Star.  I am doing two blocks with each block have the colors in opposite placement.  Here is the one color way that I got done this evening.  I will try to come back to this post with the other color placement when I get it done. I came back and posted the opposite placement of color block.

Warmest...

Quilt of Valor Stars 2017 Project - March Blocks - Army Block

I am a little behind the eight ball in getting blocks done timely.  But last night I finished the blocks for March.  This is called the "Army Block".  I struggled with making it because I cut out the fabric a couple of days after my eye surgery.  Bad idea.  I believe in brain fog from the anesthesia was the cause, because either didn't cut enough of one piece or other pieces were not the right size.  Note to self, wait a week to do any cutting, figuring, or stitching after any anesthesia.  Hopefully it will be a long time before I will need one again.

Anyways, here are my block for March.  What is interesting is they are the same pattern, but different use of color.

Warmest...

Quilts of Valor Stars 2017 Project - February Block - Heart

I said I would be back to show you the February block for the Quilt of Valor Stars project.  This block is easier than it looks, and went together faster than I realized.  Actually the cutting out the block pieces took longer than sewing it together!

This is the pattern, if you are interested in making a block for our group.  You can find the information and all about the project here.

This is my first attempt at this block, using the scraps from January.  I need to make at least another one, as the group would really like blocks to come in pairs.  

I have been very busy working on a full complete quilt for this group, so I haven't gotten to getting this other block done.  I will be posting more about the full quilt in a few days.

I have been out of town every weekend since the new year, doing trade shows with my husband.  When possible, I visit a local quilt shop, and I have been able to pick up some appropriate fabric for future blocks and quilts for the QOV Stars project.

I am hoping to get to making some blocks this week and next week, as the weather will keep me inside.  It is and supposed to be raining here for the next two weeks.  Sigh.  I guess that's better than snow, right?

I also have been up to my eyeballs in that four five letter word - TAXES.  Our tax return has 17 schedules and forms.  SEVENTEEN.  I can remember it being only two.  But, that is behind us now and I can get back to quilting, gardening, and anything else that might be fun.

Warmest...

Quilt of Valor Stars 2017 Project - January Block - Friendship

Since last year was the year of getting UFO's done (25 total), I wanted to do something that would give back to the community.  One day I was pursuing FaceBook, and came across a group that makes blocks for quilts that get given to Veterans.  

The FB group is called Quilts of Valor Stars.  They are not the QOV.org group, but follow their guidelines for making quilts for veterans.  

Each month, members are asked to make a block or several blocks with a chosen block pattern, and then asked to mail them to the organizers who then will assemble the blocks, add borders, donate batting, add backing and then they have long arm quilters who donate their time to quilt the finished product, and then finally they have someone do the binding.  

For each block made, you can donate a name of a veteran you would like to receive a quilt.  When they have a completed quilt, they draw a name out of a hat and make arrangements to present the quilt to the veteran.

You can find out more about this group here, and you can join up as well and start making blocks.

January there was a call put out for the group to make 600 blocks.  The need it greater than the supply.  So they asked that the members make the Friendship block for January's goal.

I was able to pull from my scrap buckets and found some red, blue and white.  I made these blocks, mixing it up a little bit and ended up making 24 blocks.  The blocks are 12.5" square, and it only takes 12 blocks to make a quilt (adding sashing and borders).  

Next week I will be working on the February block and give you a look at it in my next QOV post.

Warmest...