Wyoming Breezes

June 2022 Once more, I’m working on reducing scraps - this time the 3.5” x 6.5” bricks of patriotic fabric. I’m also using scraps of tone on tone, white fabric by adding 2 inch strips to the sides to create a 6.5” block.  The blocks practically sew themselves, and I have nearly enough made for a QOV. I’m using the Forest Bricks pattern from MaryQuilts It seems that the more I try to get the scraps under control, the more I find or create . 

It’s been over a year since this quilt ( Pinwheel Puzzle ) was finished and quilted, but sadly, it was under the pressing table in a bag and not bound. Saturday afternoon, I prepared the binding strips and label. I promised myself that I’d finish the binding this week.  The sewing room was a mess with fabric, scraps, quilt tops and patterns stacked on the cutting and pressing tables. Since I was on a roll, I also prepared backings for the six QOV folded and stacked on the cutting table. I put off that job because I knew I wouldn’t mail the quilts to longarmer until after the holidays: I didn’t want them lost in the crush of holiday mail.  With all of those tasks done, I was able to clean off the cutting and pressing tables. Hopefully, my sewing/quilting mojo will be prompted by the tidy sewing room. 

QOV bound and ready to be bound January 2021 For over a year, the Quilt of Valor queue for volunteer longarmers has been long. So long, that it was discouraging and downright frustrating to get quilts finished. In June, I sent seven unquilted QOV to a Idaho coordinator who said she had access to a local longarmer. Since then, I've been continuing to make QOV and holding my breath that the problem would be worked out.  In early January, I was finally contacted by a woman in UT that was helping with the logjam of tops to be quilted. The request I submitted in November was up for pairing. Those quilts (bound and folded on the table) were returned to me two weeks ago. The two QOV on the sofa were returned from another longarmer on Friday. I quickly trimmed them and added the label and binding.  Three additional QOV are now at a longarmer in WA. When they are returned, I will send these seven QOV to a coordinator so they can be presented to a veteran. I sincerely hope the logjam ha...

yardage donation from Jean F.  Saturday, I prepared backings for the most recent Quilt of Valor from yardage sent by Jean F. this summer. Jean sent enough of this patriotic, word fabric to back two Quilts of Valor. It's been a blessing to pull fabric from my stash closet instead of going to a quilt shop, especially during a pandemic. The remainder of the fabric will be used for the cuff of a presentation case.  Jean, thank you again for your generous donation.  backings and quilts ready to send to a longarm quilter November 2020

Patriotic Waves 57 x 70 inches Quilt of Valor #191 I used the same pattern (Orange Waves by Villa Rosa) to make Patriotic Waves . The blocks are 7 inches finished, and the quilt makes up easily and quickly. 

Double Churndash 60 x 68 inches Quilt of Valor #189 The large (20 inch) double churndash blocks were quick and easy to make. I used binding and backing strips for the main blocks and new yardage for the red and blue churn dashes. The centers of the blocks were fussy cut from a panel donated by Jean F.  The pattern for the block can be found on the Double Churndash video tutorial from Missouri Star Quilt Company. 

6.5 inch star August 2020 Among the Stars was made with a panel and pattern that Jean F. sent earlier this summer . I used several of the fabrics she donated in this quilt. I enjoyed making the small stars that bordered the panel.  Among the Stars 61 x 79 inches Quilt of Valor #188 Pattern : "Among the Stars" by Karen Schindler Bialik  Jean, thank you for making this Quilt of Valor possible.

Army Strong 60 x 78 inches Quilt of Valor #186 Army Strong was made with a panel included in the box of fabric I received last week from Jean F. in Iowa . I've never made a branch specific QOV before, so this one was fun and quick to make. The camouflage in the center panel made choosing border fabric a challenge, but I think the dark grey and gold accent the panel well.  The pattern was also in Jean's box - a Villa Rosa Designs pattern card called "Daring Spirit." Jean thank you for making this QOV possible. 

Carpenter's Star 60 x 70 inches Quilt of Valor #185 June 2020 Carpenter's Star was made with backing scraps from other Quilts of Valor. 

Still Chatting 61 x 75 inches Quilt of Valor #184 June 2020 Still Chatting is a twin to FaceTime Chats  that was finished a couple of weeks ago from 2.5 inch scraps. Can you believe that I still have 5 sixteen-patch blocks remaining? They went into the orphan bin for a future project. Currently, I'm slightly ahead of my goal to make two QOV each month this year. This quilt and the American Symbols QOV have been sent to Idaho for quilting and for awarding. 

making plans January 2019 Over the weekend, I started making a list of potential projects to work on in 2019. As I looked through the bins and baskets in the sewing room, I found parts of previous projects, panels, and orphan blocks. Hopefully, I'll be able to find a use for the assorted bits and pieces.

two Blackbird Village panels by Kathy Schmitz - Moda Fabrics These two panels with coordinating fabrics were purchased at a quilt show in Lander, WY about three/four years ago. I placed this project on my UFO Challenge list, and April was the assigned month for working on this project. I initially thought the birds were crows, but they are blackbirds, and the Moda fabric line is called Blackbird Village. My thought was originally to cut the panel blocks apart, and after doing a lot of searching for ideas, I decided to come up with my own plan. rough sketch of my "plan" for the panel The panel blocks would be framed to finish at 12 inches, so I searched for some fun 12 inch block patterns to sew from the coordinating fabrics. some quarter triangle blocks ready to sew together - the black and tan fabrics were not included in the fabric bundle I purchased with the panels quilt in progress Little by little the 12 inch blocks were made and placed on the des...

Home Sweet Home 66 x 73 inches QOV #132 January UFO #1 Marilyn and I decided to work on some UFOs in 2018, so we each made a list and decided to work on a specific number each month. Number two was selected for January. Home Sweet Home  started with a panel of three houses and three barns that I purchased over five years ago in Laramie, WY. The "cheater" fabric was purchased online from the same shop a year or two later. The three additional blocks were made from my scrap bins. A length of green/red yardage in my stash will make a nice back for this quilt. Home Sweet Home can be finally be crossed off of the UFO list.

pre-loved quilt from Wedding Dress Blue August 2017 I was notified on August 6, 2017 that my name had been drawn for the Pre-loved Quilt Giveaway on the Wedding Dress Blue blog. The quilt arrived last week, and I am beyond thrilled with how it looks on my sofa. It's the perfect size for napping, reading or knitting on a chilly day. Deanna included three pillow covers (I don't have that size of pillow forms yet) that match the quilt. This and That was made by Deanna Treadway in 2012 This and That by Deanna Treadway made in 2012 Deanna, I love this quilt: thank you for allowing me to adopt it.

Clean Sweep Quilt of Valor 56 x 70 inches Clean Sweep started with one of the silent auction, eagle napkins . The stars surrounding the eagle were remnants of Liberty , a previous Quilt of Valor. The three patch units in the next segment were leftover from Stars and Stripes   and Firecrackers . The corner blocks and the blocks in the final border were leftover from Plan B . The reason this quilt was named Clean Sweep:  it emptied the orphan Quilt of Valor elements bin. Clean Sweep is QOV #116

"Plan B" 60 x 75 inches Quilt of Valor You might remember that I made a set of simple blocks for a Quilt of Valor. "Plan A" was to use the eagle napkins, purchased in a silent auction, and the simple blocks to create a Quilt of Valor with the Purple Daze pattern. Plan A didn't make the cut When the units were placed on my design floor, both Marilyn and I thought it was too busy, so I used "Plan B." I like the clean design of the pattern (Fall in the City) and will use it again. Pattern used for "Plan B" - Fall in the City  by Connecting Threads

Mom's denim cathedral window quilt circa 1970s One fabric that was plentiful on the farm was denim. Mom kept old jeans and used them to patch ripped and worn jeans or coveralls, but some of the denim was used to make durable quilts. For the cathedral window quilt, Mom cut circles of various colors of denim and then placed a square of fabric in the center. She folded the denim circle toward the fabric squares and machine zig-zagged the curved edges. The blocks were then attached to each other. I wish these old photos were a better quality, but they, too, are vintage. large (and heavy) denim cathedral window quilt

Mom's String Blocks circa 1940 - 50 I remember Mom working on these string blocks when I was probably 6 or 7 years old, maybe younger. Mom sewed the fabric strings on newspaper blocks, and to keep me out of her hair  occupied, my job was to tear the paper off of the finished blocks. After Mom died in 1989, her projects (many unfinished) were divided between my two brothers, two sisters, and me. The string quilt top became Marilyn's: she had it machine quilted and proudly displays it in her home.   Mom's string quilt tells a story of using what's available to make something useful and attractive. Mom's String Quilt April 2017 It's fair to say that my sisters and I came to love quilting through our mom's example. Did your Mom teach you how to do one of your hobbies?

vintage Double Wedding Ring quilt circa 1930s