Quilt of Valor odds and ends

With Friday being Veteran's Day, my thoughts on Monday morning turned to Quilts of Valor. I wanted to cut some binding for a couple of new quilts we just got back from a quilter.  So I emptied out the bag of "leftovers" to see if there was a good binding option, and also take stock of the QOV odds and ends collecting in that big tote bag.  

I did find binding fabric, but I also discovered the orphan blocks that have accumulated over the approximately 4 years we've been making Quilts of Valor.  Part of this stack is what is still left from a large collection of blocks donated by a former member who has since passed away.  Some are leftover from blocks collected for specific quilts done by our group - garlic knots, stars, etc.  Some are just random blocks made to test out ideas.  And there are several different sizes of blocks in this pile.

It's time to use these blocks in a crazy sampler I think.  These are too pretty to NOT use.  We should be able to combine these with some spacer fabric strips and come up with something fun and unique.  Or maybe there are enough for a couple of quilts.

And that brought me around to my own leftovers.  It's pretty much common knowledge that I tend to work on lots of different projects at once, and that I like to "stockpile" blocks until there are enough for a finish.  I also stockpile parts for possible future blocks - mainly because I can't bear to throw away some things.

Above my ironing station is a big bulletin board that is literally covered with odds and ends - pictures of ideas, a calendar, and a couple of bags holding block parts just waiting for inspiration.  This one is a gallon sized zippered bag and it was stuffed so full of QOV "parts" that I couldn't get anything more into it.  It's now under control.

Lots and lots of triangles were in that bag, mostly trimmed from the various Quilts of Valor projects that I've been working on all year.   And there were the 2 little friendship star blocks (top left), some pinwheels, some 4-patch blocks, and a bunch of hourglass blocks.  I trimmed up lots of the smaller hourglass blocks, and sewed them into 10 blocks using 2 blue and 2 red in each one.  Those blocks are still only 6.5" square, so it would take a lot of them to make anything.  But, they could be framed to enlarge them.  And they could be used along with other odds and ends in a sampler.  

And while I was organizing I also cut more red, white, blue Twinkle Star blocks to play with as I have time this week.  One of them is even partially sewn. 

And I cut the border strips for one more Quilt of Valor I've been playing with.  I hope to have that quilt top ready to share later this week.