Wyoming Breezes

Chain of Command 57 x 73 inches Quilt of Valor #262 These blocks were made with 2.5 inch strips from a scrap bin. Normally, I cut leftovers into various sizes for the scrap bins - 2.5” strips, 3.5”, 4.5,” 5”, and 6.5” squares. It saves a lot of time and space in my small sewing room.  I saw this block on KatyQuilts and knew it was perfect to reduce the piles of precut scraps. She called it Jelly Roll Chain: it’s a quick and easy block to make and can be made with any width of fabric strips. 

American Collage 60 x 74 inches  Quilt of Valor #259 Pattern: Town Square by Fabric Cafe Border adjusted to meet QOV size requirements 

Jewel Box 64 x 74 inches Quilt of Valor #258 Jewel Box used 480 HSTs made with scraps from previous Quilts of Valor. The various fabrics create the facets on the jewels and add sparkle to the blocks. 

Starry Delight 60 x 74 inches Quilt of Valor #257 Starry Delight was made using five different star studded fabrics. The various fabrics complement each other well. The pattern Town Square by Fabric Cafe is a good one to feature focus fabrics.  Update :  July 2025 - Starry Delight was awarded to a veteran in Idaho. 

blocks made from scrap HSTs You might not remember my quest to use the squares in my 3.5 inch bin, but I don’t blame you: that sewing blitz occurred in September . I finally got tired of moving the baskets of HSTs from one place to another and started sewing them into blocks. I have fifteen blocks completely finished and another five on a tray ready to sew. The block resembles the Economy Block and uses 16 HSTs. Doing a bit of math, you’ll discover that the 20 blocks I’ve made so far used 320 HSTs from my baskets. The blocks will finish at 10 inches. Can you believe I can still make more blocks! I’m hoping to have enough for least 30 blocks. Do you think there are 160 HSTs in this basket? I haven’t counted, but I hope it’s close.  I have another QOV on the design wall to finish (this squirrel project lead me down a rabbit hole the last few days) before I can start thinking about making these blocks into a quilt. 

stack of “Stealth” blocks will finish @ 6 inches I think these blocks look like colorful Stealth bombers, so I’m going to name the finished quilt “Stealthy.” The blocks are on the design wall but are not sewn together because I want to play with them for a bit to find a pleasing layout. I may or may not use sashing between the larger blocks.  Not much has been happening here recently because I was sidelined by a virus of some sort. It wasn’t COVID, but it left me with a hacking and lingering cough. I’m glad I got the latest vaccinations in September because I think this could have been much worse without them. 

Scrappy Stars 58 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #255 Update :  July 2025 - Scrappy Stars was awarded in Idaho

This pile of 3.5 inch fabric scraps may not look like much, but it took me two days to sew the neutral squares to the red and blue squares. The more I sewed, the more the piles didn't seem to shrink.  I chain pieced the squares together and when the last squares were used, I cut them apart into half-square triangles.  Inside the basket are 130 HSTs and in the foreground are another 130 HSTs ready to be trimmed and pressed. Look to the right of the basket in the top corner, and you'll see the piles of red HSTs ready to be trimmed, pressed and counted.  I'm unsure what I'm going to make with these HSTs, but I have some ideas for blocks. The HST are 3 inches unfinished, so will finish at 2.5 inches in a block.  So, you might be asking, "Is the 3.5 inch scrap bin empty?" Well, not exactly. I used all the cut 3.5 inch squares, but the bin still contains 3.5 inch strips. Those will likely be used for borders.  I'm also tackling the 4.5 inch square bin, so I'...

flying geese units ready for another quilt Another scrappy Quilt of Valor is in the works: this quilt uses two colors of flying geese. The top should be finished by the end of the week unless life gets in the way. 

Let's Be Neighbors 60 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #254 Let's Be Neighbors  was made using the Briar Rose pattern by England Street Quilts. I eliminated a lot of 2.5 inch scraps making this quilt.  I made the sixteen patches before I selected this pattern. If I were to use the pattern again, I would not use white fabric in the sixteen patches because some of the corners of the design melt into the background fabric; thus, distorting the design. Despite that error on my part, I like the pattern and this quilt. 

My next project uses four-patches - lots and lots of four-patches!  I’m still trying to bring the scrap bins under control. I managed to use some larger scraps to make a couple of quilts, but now I’m focused on the smaller ones -- 2.5” squares.  I made piles of four-patch units and then sewed them into eight-patches, and finally sixteen-patch blocks. I think I have enough for two, possibly even three quilts. Stay tuned . . .

Base Housing 60 x 84 inches Quilt of Valor #252 This quilt used a lot of scraps from my 2.5 inch bin. The rectangular shapes remind me of the barracks and BOQs on Edgren AFB, so I named this one Base Housing.  Pattern used: Rectangle Dancing with Stars by Lisa Sutherland

Independence Day 59 x 73 inches Quilt of Valor #248 This quilt was finished on the Fourth of July, using the Town Square pattern by Donna Robertson (Fabric Cafe). I like this pattern as it allows the focus fabric to become the star. The flags and red fabrics are backing scraps from previous QOV.

Star Roundup 56 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #247 The first of the four QOV kits I prepared earlier is now a flimsy and is already at the longarmer. It uses a variety of blue scraps from previous QOV.  Pattern used: Ring Bearer by Edyta Sitar and Laundry Basket Quilts. 

Flags on the Square 58 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #246 Flags on the Square was made using the Town Square pattern by Fabric Cafe. All the fabric (except the blue) is backing scraps from previous Quilts of Valor. The pattern uses 3 yards of fabric (approx. one yard of each fabric) and is a good one to feature focus fabrics. 

Stacks of cut scraps Last Friday and Saturday, I cut and cut and cut all the fabric pieces smaller than a Fat Quarter into sizes I frequently use - 6.5, 5, 4.5, 3.5, and 2.5 inches. The stacks grew as I worked on neutrals, reds, and finally blues.  I have plans for some of these scraps, but others will marinate for a bit until I decide how to use them. I REALLY need to do this after every project, but it’s more convenient to just fold and put the fabrics in baskets and out of sight. 

Grand Prize 57 x 75 inches Quilt of Valor # 245 All of the colored fabrics surrounding the printed pane are scraps from previous Quilts of Valor.  This is the first time I've used the Villa Rosa Design pattern, Grand Prize . It was easy to assemble and makes an attractive quilt. I'll be using this pattern again for a different panel. 

Fireworks 63 x 75 inches Quilt of Valor #244 This quilt was made using a Villa Rosa Design called " Staccato " by Molly Cook. Like the Stepping Stones pattern, Staccato used several scraps from previous quilts and backings.  I thought it looked like strings of fireworks; thus, the name.

. . . four quilt kits in baskets. In an effort to bring the scrap bins under control. I’ve been preparing kits for Quilts of Valor. Now, when the urge to sew hits me, I can sit down and get busy. The larger pieces are scraps from backings of previous QOV. 

Stepping Stones 63 x 80 inches Quilt of Valor #243 Stepping Stones  put a dent in my 2.5 inch scrap bin, scraps from many previous Quilts of Valor. This quilt was finished in May and sent to a volunteer longarmer in Texas to be quilted. I received it back from the longarmer last week, and it will soon be on its way to a QOV leader for distribution.  I used Melissa Corry's free pattern, Stepping Stones , that is on her website Happy Quilting .