Quilts of Valor projects

I do enjoy the process of cutting the parts and pieces for a new quilting project, so kitting up blocks and whole projects is something I actually like to do. Sunday afternoon I went through our QOV bins to gather things for a couple of kits for new quilts.

First I went through the various block sets to see what we have to work with.  This year's free block for the block drive on the QOV website is Echo.  We had a good size collection of the 10" Echo blocks, and only needed 22 to frame this panel.  Voila!  Kit #1 is ready to hand over.  There are 7 left over blocks for another future quilt.  

Another stack of blocks contained a variety of 12" (finished) blocks that would work in a sampler layout with simple sashing and cornerstones.  Some of my recent test blocks are in this collection.  The bin containing lots of fabric donated to us, and lots of backing leftovers, yielded the sashing, cornerstones, and an outer border for this kit.  Kit #2 is ready to go as well - but with that light blue block swapped out for a better choice.  

And I've paired up backing for 3 additional Quilts of Valor.  Our group had 2 partial bolts of wide backing, so it was fairly quick get those ready for quilting.  I'm thinking that Churn Dash will be a block pattern that we need to use again soon as this is a really pretty quilt.

The 2 Quilts of Valor that will be awarded next weekend are both washed, and I have the labels ready to attach.   

This and that

One small finish can be checked off so far this week . . . the Hollow Stars runner.  This was the kit I purchased recently.  Yay - a kit that didn't end up languishing in a drawer. 

I'll need to clear all the Quilt of Valor stuff off my dining room table before I can actually make use of this new runner on the table.  LOL

It's possible this will be the ONLY finish this week as the sewing time is quite limited due to all the other things going on.  That's OK of course.

This week has a busy full calendar, which doesn't happen much lately.  Two evenings of baseball, one high school softball game, monthly lunch with the "retired" group of ladies, a manicure appointment, and a pedicure appointment.  Over the weekend there will be 2 Quilt of Valor awards, and plans to attend a dinner theater with one of my daughters.  And then next week there will be 3 family birthdays to celebrate!!  And more baseball. 

A niece got married last Saturday, and we had a really fun time gathering with family.  It was a small wedding, with a big reception, dance, and BBQ after.  The music was good and the food was delicious. 

Design Wall Monday - May 25

Memorial Day 2026 - a day of remembrance.

Here in the US today we're honoring those veterans who are no longer with us.  I'm not attending any Memorial Day programs this year but am taking a bit of time to reflect on my father and his 5 brothers who all served our country in uniform. Three of them, including my dad, all served during WWII. I've been researching my dad's military "history", as he rarely talked about it when he was alive. He was a 19 year old paratrooper dropped behind enemy line in Operation Varsity near the end of the war in Europe.  He passed away 36 years ago already.  Thank you for your service Dad!!

I've been in the mood this weekend for some red, white, and blue sewing.

I've said fairly often that I like to test blocks, and my "Go To" fabric choices for the blocks will usually be patriotic fabrics. That way the blocks can be used in QOV sampler quilts rather than go to waste.  This weekend I tested out 2 more star blocks.  The bottom one I'm calling Spiky Star, and is one I saw on Pinterest.  I had to figure out the math myself to make them 12" finished blocks.  But that was pretty easy.  The top one is one I've made before but adapted to the 12" size I want to use.  Again - easy math.

The Hollow Star table runner kit is now a flimsy and sandwiched with batting and backing.  And the practice block I made has borders added so it can be used as a table topper too.  Notice more of that blue star fabric from the test blocks?  Hopefully I'll get the quilting finished on these and the binding attached this week.

A couple of additional goals for this week:

** play some golf with my husband
** kit up parts for 2 Quilts of Valor for our ladies to sew
** assemble flimsy for Give It a Whirl blocks
** take Beach Bums to quilter
** choose next UFO to tackle
** pair more backings with QOV tops

I'm linking up today with:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/ 

https://songbirddesigns.blog 

RSC26 - Week #21

It's Memorial Day weekend and for us, a family wedding weekend.  One of our nieces is getting married this afternoon and I'm really looking forward to gathering with extended family to celebrate the occasion.

This was the 3rd full week of orange sewing, and there is something to show for it in spite of most of my focus this week being on other projects.

The Who Found the Catnip block was made in orange early in the week.  These whimsical blocks just make me smile every single time.

Some string blocks happened this week. 

Two orange Give It a Whirl blocks were made.  This only totaled 40 blocks, and I was aiming for 42 total.  

So, I ended up making an aqua block and a yellow block. I should have gone with green I think, but these were the scraps most handy.  

Next I played with layouts, and I think this is the plan.  I'll add a white "brick" to either the top or bottom of each column to even them out.  Once these are sewn together, then I'll decide whether or not to add borders but I'm thinking there will be borders.

Let's go check out more Rainbow fun . . .

https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Finished (or not) Friday

I'm very pleased this week to have 2 finishes - one big and one small.

A big UFO finish for this week makes me really really happy.  This photo of me holding it was taken at The Pin Cushion when I took it there to check it off the PHD (Projects Half Done) list at the shop.  This was Cactus In the Cabin, a sew along from Bear Creek Quilting in 2025.  The black background makes the orange, pink, and green batiks pop.  I don't use a dark background often enough, but I'm sure glad I did on this one.  

Isn't the quilting pretty?  It looks white here but is actually a variegated thread in the orange, pink, and green colors.  It's perfect.  

The other finish for this week was the final 14" mini quilt in the Year of Spools series from Fat Quarter Shop.  The June mini is called Sew Jammy, and the pattern also includes an apple, a pear, and a peach for that jar center.  I saw someone online ask for a grape and that would be fun too.

I have kept up with these each month, since July of 2025.  At only 14" square they were quick finishes.  Now looking at the photo I realize the Sunflowers (August) should come before the Apples (September) when I layed them on the floor in order.  The only one that I personally think still need tweaking . . . that Christmas Tree.  At the time, I added a small sparkly star button on top.  But it needs a much bigger button. 

This is probably going on my own bed.

For more finishes, please visit:  https://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/

Small project progress

The Sew Jammy mini quilt should be done today. It's quilted but needs binding. The binding is red.  I just did a simple stitch in the ditch around some components. 

I couldn't resist the kit for a new patriotic table runner at The Pin Cushion this week, and I want it to use on my table this summer.  Hollow Star is the pattern name. 

The runner is done in strips, using a 60 degree runner to cut diamond shapes.  I have a 60 degree triangle ruler that I use quite often.  But I also have a 60 degree diamond ruler that doesn't get used very often.  Time to use it. 

Beach Bums is a flimsy

Finally - I have all the little pieces ironed onto the Beach Bums wall hanging.  It's ready to be quilted, and I want it to be dense quilting to make sure all those little pieces stay put.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  Now a backing is needed.  

Next up was this month's Saturday Sampler blocks.  The May instructions called for only 6 log cabin type of blocks, finishing at 9".  They were sewn into 2 sets of 3.  These probably took me longer to choose fabrics for them than to sew them.

However - look what arrived in the mail?  This might have to come right after Saturday Sampler.  Sew Jammy is the final Year of Spools mini quilt. The spool is the jam jar, and so cute with the red/white gingham.  

All of the pieces are cut out and laying on a design board.  There were not nearly as many tiny pieces as there were for the May mini.  

Of course I had to start sewing on this mini because I had time.  It's possible that I'll get this mini quilt all finished today.