Wyoming Breezes

If life was easy, we wouldn't enjoy it as much.

Star Power  65 x 78 inches Quilt of Valor #205 Star Power was created with a variety of leftovers from other Quilts of Valor. The star centers were pulled out of the 6.5 inch square bin, and most of the star points were bonus HSTs from a recently finished QOV . The sashing was cut from backing trimmings of another QOV.  Very little fabric goes to waste in my sewing room, and what scraps I cannot use, I give to others. Typically, I don't sew with anything smaller than 2.5 inches. This quilt was an exception to that as the blue sashing is 1.5 inches cut and 1 inch finished.  The star blocks are 12 inches finished.  

mural on the south side of the NAPA Auto Parts store on south 2nd Street, Laramie, WY The mural on the NAPA Auto Parts Store has both a vintage and a modern look. Auto parts are sold for all makes of vehicles, so the mural is a good representation of the business. 

American Liberty 62 x 80 inches Quilt of Valor Recently, I was contacted by Louise H. in Florida. Louise's friend Sandy M. made this quilt for a donation, but it was too large for Louise to quilt on her domestic machine. She asked if I could use it for a Quilt of Valor.  Once I received the quilt, I gave it a good press, reinforced a few seams, and prepared a backing. It will be sent to a volunteer longarmer as soon as I am paired with someone.  Thank you Sandy for making this beautiful quilt and to Louise for making another Quilt of Valor possible. 

stained glass window in  Saint Matthew's Cathedral  Laramie, WY close up of the words on the window This stained glass window is in Saint Matthew's Cathedral in Laramie, WY to honor Father Luke Yokota, a Japanese Episcopal priest who was incarcerated at Heart Mountain during World War II and then stayed on to continue to serve in the Wyoming diocese on the Wind River Indian Reservation.  His story can be read here .  An earlier post written about the Heart Mountain camp in northwestern Wyoming can be found here . 

sneak peek at bonus stars July 2021 I finally finished sewing all the bonus HST stars. Last week, I added a thin sashing to create the center of the quilt. I still need to add a frame and an outer border to meet the size requirements of a QOV.  I've auditioned several fabrics for an outer border, but I haven't settled on one.  Two items of good news:     • My sewing machine is still humming along, so I'm confident that the adjustment the technician made solved the problem I was having with it.     • On Sunday, I hosted an afternoon of Mexican Train Dominos with five friends. It's the second gathering I've had at my house since being vaccinated. Slowly, life seems to be returning to normal.

QOV donation from Karen M. in IL July 2021 A couple of weeks ago, Karen M. contacted me about donating red, white, and blue fabric to make Quilts of Valor. I gladly accepted her offer, and her donation arrived last week. I was surprised to find the star medallion packed in the box with the fabric, a patriotic panel, and a pattern to use the panel. My photo does not do Karen's pieced star justice because it is gorgeous in person. I'm mulling some ideas to turn Karen's work into a Quilt of Valor.  Karen, thank you for your generous donation.

from Google Images

bamboo mural in the alley between University, Ivinson and  First and Second Streets Laramie, WY Check out the detail on this mural. I love how the metal pipe and the electrical meter are incorporated into the design. 

preparing to make  HSTs for star points July 2021 Last week, I showed you the stars made with bonus HSTs . Since I needed more stars, I used the eight at a time method to make more HSTs for star points.  A week ago, I took my sewing machine to the Bernina dealer in Fort Collins, CO where it was serviced in May. Luckily, three technicians were in the shop, and simply by hearing the machine run at high speed, one of techs was able to diagnose the problem. She did some adjustments, and the machine ran smoothly without any problem. I was not charged for the adjustments, and it's been running great. I always oil the machine (usually after five bobbin changes), but the technicians agreed that machines should be oiled after four hours of sewing. 

Laramie, WY July 4, 2021 I sat in my driveway last night and watched the community fireworks display. The show was beautiful and the night delightful with hardly a cloud in the sky. Did you celebrate the holiday by seeing a fireworks display?

Have a Safe and  Happy Independence Day!