Patriotic Eagle is now.... a Top!!

Happy Friday!!
I hope you all have had a wonderful week and!
maybe even had a special Christmas Dinner ( or two!)

and maybe you even have a Finish to brag about???

This is my Finish... It is just a top - but hey - that's a finish of a stage right??  I really like how this one turned out - I sorta had the vision in my head.... but the colors really make that Eagles Flag pop! 

( okay that is my opinion... ha ha ... maybe you don't agree!)

and you will note!  I have a trusty Quilt holder back in my life.... I actually have 3 of them for a short period... kinda makes me wish I had more finishes to photograph......

Alright! It is your turn - Link up your Finishes... and please provide a direct link so those slowpokes like me can go to the direct post ;-)

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Linking to:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIF Friday at Anja Quilts
From Bolt to Beauty

A Quilt of Valor Finish... for Finished (or Not) Friday!!

Happy Last Friday before Christmas!!!

This means - you are ready, you are done, you can sit back and have some fun.... or at least that is what I keep telling myself ;-)

Welcome to Finished (Or not) finished Friday!!

This is my Finish for this week!  I kinda like it! I love Eagles, and funnily enough - before I took this photo an eagle was flying overhead , but he wouldn't land for me! *sigh*

This is a Quilt of Valor

We still have snow on the ground from our Thanksgiving Blizzards

and in the afternoon when the ice on the roads ( dirt roads on the backside of the ranch)

has turned to water..... your white car gets REALLY dirty!

( just thought you would want to know)

Now it is your turn!

Link up your direct post

and it would be great if you included a link back here 

so that others can see all the good things!!

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Linking to:
Confessions of a fabric Addict
TGIF at Home Sewn by Us

WQAL Finish!!! And! it's Friday!

Happy Finished or Not Finished Friday!!

I am a little happy... I have a finish!!

Remember our little Winter Quilt a Long? Well - I just couldn't stop!!
I went ahead and found a Backing , loaded it and Quilted away.

It was kind nice to do something quick and fast in Between all the Client quilts for Christmas.

I took this photo first - and it sorta made be dizzy, between the geometric of the quilt and the shadow lines - shew.... Crazy!

It is time to link up your finishes - Remember to PLEASE use the direct link to your post, not just your blog name - some of us don't get to the post until Saturday or Monday and you have already added another post, so we don't see the Finish ( or Not) Finish ... we have to search....

PS - it'd be great if you would provide a link back here on your blog too - that way everyone can ohh and Aww!

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Linked to:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIF Friday

Winter QUILT A LONG Hour 5

Happy Wednesday!!

WINTER Quilt A long Hour 5    

Before we get into this clue – I would like to thank Liz Broussard for this pattern. She designed it for her QOV group and allowed me to use it for us. I changed the colors a bit, and tried to break it up into a fun step by step – that kept you guessing.   Thanks LIZ!!!!

So you now have 2 pieces made (Hour 3 & Hour 4) – and it is time to make Piece 3…

You will use all the rest of your pre-made blocks from Hour 1 and hour 2

And you will lay them out like this!

Stitch them all into rows – and I put a safety pin in the top left corner – and labeled it Hour 5.

I am going to assume you would like to solve the mystery?

And put the whole top together?

It goes

Hour 3 piece

Hour 5 piece

Hour 4 piece

Here is mine all finished up ( okay not quilted yet…. But it is in the cue)

Here is your WQAL 5 PDF


Hope you had fun with it!! and maybe got another Quilt finished!!

Winter QUILT A LONG Hour 4

Winter Quilt A long Hour 4

You will be building 4 more Rows –

Here is the Layout – Maybe mark this one in the top Left Corner as Hour 4 when this piece is finished?

Easy Peasy right?

Here is the PRF File

Winter QAL Step 4 PDF

If you are stitching along - feel free to leave your Blog link in the comments section so we can check it out!!

An Eagle Panel Top

I LOVE eagles... and I might have purchased a few panels with them on it....
But I am not always quick at using panels - which is kinda dumb - they make an excellent start on a Quilt of Valor.... Sigh.... I am slow to learn sometimes...

So this is where I am on this panel.... It just needs the final borders!!

I have the side borders laying next to it, and the same fabric will be the top and bottom borders too

A few of you had asked how I would make this one

So I put a 2 1/2 inch gold border

then made the piano Keys 

They were supposed to be 10 inches wide....

and then I put another 2 1/2 inch gold

and then the Navy Stars will be the last

and it will finish at 60 x 80

 This last week we had TWO major blizzards that shut our state down, this photo is not that.

but it is sorta how we felt - like wave after wave of snow coming while we were trying to out run it!

 Monday last week I moved all the Momma Cows to a close up with a barn pasture - and we were so glad we did. ( I would love to tell you I am psychic.... but that might be stretching it!)( and PS Thanks to BETH!! for telling my my physic was ummmm bad!! ha haha )  and Monday night by 7 pm all the roads were closed, and the pastures were getting snow!!

Tuesday everyone was at home ... our road was closed all day!
and Friday Morning another storm hit - and by Friday night.... all roads were closed again... so crazy!!

I really like days like that.... when no one needs to get anywhere! I like having PJ days ( sorta - we just layer up the coveralls over them haha)

Now the Thanksgiving holiday is over... back to work!


Linking to :
Oh! Scrap
Design Wall Monday
What I Made Monday
Mid Week Makers

Winter QUILT A LONG HOUR 3

Happy Almost Thanksgiving!!
Hope all is good - we went from sunshiny and dry to a Blizzard in a day and all the roads were closed, and it! Was! Awesome!!!

We got over 12 inches of snow at our place and we loved it!!!! 
Of course - everyone was home and safe, and the roads were closed by the state..... so we couldn't leave!!!

On to our next step!!

WQAL Hour 3

So all your pieces are now cut and stitched… It’s time to start….. Rowing!!!

I use my design wall most of the time, but sometimes I find it easy to just stack the pieces according to the photo and start stitching the rows together…. Your choice –

You will be using 2 of your Red/Light squares, 6 of your light squares and 32 of your Navy/Light squares for this step….

Here is how it lays out!

So this hours assignment it to lay out these 4 rows and stitch them together –

Then set this piece aside…. And go eat some Turkey….

WINTER QAL Hour 3 PDF file

I do not know if this video will work - but these are my kitties - and I was working in the hay shed, cleaning up the spilled hay and they were terrorizing my rake!! It cracked me up!

Winter Quilt A long HOUR TWO

Welcome to Hour TWO of the WINTER QUILT A LONG


Now... just a preface - this is an hour of My stitching... you may be ( and most likely are) faster, or you may only have 10 minutes at a time... but it will get done and you will relax.... and feel the stress of the day go away.... ( okay that works for me!)  

and ps - Please read this a few times before trying to tell me there is a mistake... Yes - I know we all make them, but I do try to read and re-read and so far.... ( knock on wood) no mistakes ... but you all did make my heart rate go up... that counts as my exercise right?

Winter Quilt a Long Hour 2

*You have a Light - 7 inch square pile and a Navy -  7 In Square pile left – there should be 32 squares in each pile…( we cut them in hour one)

*You will continue stitching Half squares –

*Pair a 7 inch light with a 7 Inch Navy

*Draw a line diagonally in the center of one of the pieces –

*Stitch ¼ inch on either side of the line

*Slice on the line

*Press – & Voila – you should have 64 more 6 ½ inch Half Square Blocks ( in addition to Hour1)

And that took me an hour…. 

Ps – someone asked the size of the quilt – 60 x 72 ish

Here is a link to the PDF file  Winter QAL hour 2 PDF

Decorating for Christmas... and Finished ( or not) Friday

Does the title scare you a little?  

Sorry - My family thinks you should not decorate or start listening to Christmas music until Thanksgiving is over... but this year... I am already starting ---- sort of!!

My friend found the cutest cactus Christmas tree.. and we all got to talking .... 

I started thinking about maybe a Blue and Silver(white) themed Christmas...

And I don't really decorate much ( mostly because I hate putting it away)

Then I thought - what if I got all of my Blue quilts out, and started throwing them on the couches? I mean it would be like the decorations are sneaking up on us right?

Would you believe..... I have exactly ONE Blue and White quilt.... THAT IS IT!! Who knew this?

So there you go! I decorated for Christmas!!!  Ha Ha!

( and now I am pulling Blues to make more Blue quilts!)

Here is what I actually got done!  Do you remember Flags for Sue? This is one of the tops I made from those blocks - and NOW!! it is Quilted!!  Ready to be bound - which is perfect - we have awarded almost all of our Quilts of Valor, and now we need to get busy finishing more!

I believe at last count we have awarded 22 of these quilts now - so cool to Honor Sue this way - and so neat to spread it out,.... makes me think of her each time I work on one!

Its your turn!!

BRAG about your Finishes or your Not Finishes....
Please make sure you use a direct link - that way... I can go directly to the post you want to brag about!

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Linking to:
Can I get a whoop whoop
TGIF Friday

Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Monday too!!

So one of the things I love the best about being a part of Quilts of Valor is that we get to show the LOVE to our Veterans any day of the week, any week of the year - but!  When it happens on Veterans Day Weekend  - its just a little extra special... and every time I see the tears of a Veteran - it makes me want to go sew some more and quilt faster!!!

The Darling on the Left - she is so sweet and such a giver - she always wants to make sure her *people* are taken care of first ( the sign of a great leader)... so we were so excited to surprise her with her QOV this time. And she is a fan of Eagles - so you know that we had to get some Eagles in this quilt!!

This one got me, we wrapped him in his quilt, and he whispered something to me, so I reached over to him, mostly to re-hear... and he reached out with tears in his eyes and gave me the hugest hug.

you ALL - I am passing that along to you - he was so emotional about finally receiving a Thank you for his service and that this was made for him - man.... he almost made me tear up ( that's all I will admit to !! ha ha)

and although my son has not had the experiences of these Veterans

 and is just starting on his journey

I have to brag on him here

Because I am his mom

and I love him

and I want him to come home now

( PS - I want the other two to come home too!! ... now!)

Happy Veterans Day

And thank you all

for helping us Love on our Veterans

linking to :
Design Wall Monday
Monday Making

Hugging our Veterans

I just LOVE how Quilts can give our Veterans a Tangible Hug

And they remember it ForEver

It is so fun to be able to tell each Veteran about their quilt, who made it, where it came from, How it got started - it just amazes them that each quilt has a story... and a story that finds its way to them.


Check out these lovely blocks!!
Sent in from Pride City Quilt guild in Pueblo and the Scrappy Ladies Quilt guild in Rye  ( Both in Colorado)

This is a Mystery quilt that we did here called:

Stars and Stripes

It was made by Barbara, Nancy and Sara

and Quilted by Cheri D

This beauty was made by Jackie W

in Willcox Az

( and you can see which Veteran got it in the photo above)

This beauty was made by sister Debbe and Joan

and again - check the top photo 

You can see the Veteran who received it

( and the tears in their eye BTW)

And just cuz

I mean

Look at him

We are under snow and ice and warnings to stay off the roads

and I want to be him ;-)

Quilts of Valor being awarded

I LOVE to Make Quilts of Valor - but I LOVE seeing them awarded even more!!!
I LOVE the stories that come out, the smiles that emerge, and the little ( or big) hug you get for thinking of them.....

So....
Here you go:

I love how the right quilts make their way to the Right Veterans

This one below - he was beyond happy with his 

He told us afterwards how they had just redecorated and this was the whole theme

( Diamonds and Patriotic)

This one was in the army and told be he bleeds army green

He quilt had Army Green as the background - 

Too cool!

This one was in Vietnam and he was super quiet about his service

After Receiving his quilt he came up and told me some crazy stories

He was stationed near the DMZ 

This one

Oh this one - what a sweet heart

He is a lot sicker than he looks, but he was just happy to be there.

he could not believe us quilters would make something so beautiful for him

The above photos were all one award ceremony

Below

Another group

I went to their meeting and they were Just Amazing!!

They were just so tickled to  be recognized for their service.

The one sorta Kneeling is a Marine ( on the right)

and when he learned I was a new Marine Mom - he gave me all sorts of tips!

It was cute

This group - What a group - I tell you each group has a different feel - but this one was true brotherhood - and not only Military but in  LIFE!   The 5 on the left and the one below - all went to the same high school .

 They all were in different Branches of the military during Vietnam - and they all went on Honor Flight together.  Isn't that cool - and the one on the far right? He is the younger brother of one of the *group* and he served during desert Storm ...

The man on the far left was the high school quarterback - and the man next to him was the center on their HS football team, and each one of them had the best stories - they were all such Great friends 

We didn't want the Ceremony to end - I loved them all.

So now... go sew 

Make a QOV - I know you want to!

Ha ha!

Blocks Blocks Blocks and More Blocks ( all for Quilts of Valor!!!)

Back in August I posted a new QOV block that my group was making - and thought maybe a few of you might like to join in... just in case you had a few scraps lying around - and Oh! My! Stars!!

The response was awesome!!

I always believe we have made Quilts of Valor Great ONE QUILT and ONE VETERAN at a time.... and I think this love proves it....

So far - we have a total of 113 of these blocks and I know one amazing quilter is making the blocks assembling the top AND quilting it for us - so that would be 125 blocks!!!

That's at least 10 Quilts of Valor worth to get working on - So THANK YOU ALL!!

Some from Carlie in North Carolina!

Some from the Murphy Family in 

North Carolina

Some from Laura in California

A BUNCH from our Windsor Gardens Group in Aurora

(25 I think!)

Some from Denise in Centennial CO

and Genie in Colorado Springs

and Vicki in AZ

And some from 

Darlene in IL and Carolyn in PA

And from Amarillo TX!!!

And from Sue in TX

And Jocelyn Donated some great fabrics 

for us to make the next month block

We are testing a fun block for November to December 

It takes squares - so When It is all tested

I'll post it!

I love having a block prepped for Leader/Enders at my sewing machine

Have a Happy Wednesday!!

Oh PS - if you want the pattern to make your own QOV out of this block:

There you go!!

LONE RIDER Finish!!! and Finished or Not Finished Friday!!

Welcome back!!
This week has just flown by to me...

On Wednesday I posted the last clue in the Mystery called LONE RIDER - and I had a top done...

Today... it is QUILTED!! Whoop Whoop

and that is a far as I will get it done, as I will take it to my QOV sew day and one of the most amazing quilters will bind it - and it will be awesome!!!  ( I Love my Sew group!!)

 



It was fun to make!!! Go get your clues now and make one! I think a Veteran will like it!

and NOW!!

Finished or Not Finished Friday....

Link them up - brag away... get a little quilty love.

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Click here to enter

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Linking to:
Can I get a Whoop Whoop
TGIF Friday
Peacock Party
From Bolt to Beauty