Making Backings for Quilts of Valor

There was a national sewing day for Quilts of Valor a couple of weeks ago. I didn't have a current QOV project going, and I didn't want to start a new one (very unusual for me!) Instead, I decided to focus on making backings for some Quilts of Valor tops and other red, white & blue quilt tops.

When I checked the quilt closet, I found six different RWB tops. There are three definite QOVs, and the other three I might keep for now. They are all throw-sized tops, around 60" x 80". My goal was to come up with backings for every top. I had a bin of larger yardages of RWB fabrics which had been set aside to become quilt backs. I started with single fabric backs, then combined the leftovers to make pieced backs. 

The first one was the easiest. It is a wide backing fabric from the line "Saltbox Village" by Country Essentials for Connecting Threads, and I bought it in 2013. It will be the back for my version of Allietare, Bonnie Hunter's 2015 mystery, now available as a digital pattern.

Allietare, top finished 2/3/2016
67" x 81"

Up next is my Woven Squares quilt top, made in May/June 2019. This quilt is my version of a pattern from Fons and Porter's Easy Quilts magazine, Winter 2016

Woven Squares, top finished 6/6/2019
59.25" x 75.25"

I used another fabric from Connecting Threads for the back. It is "Patriotic Patchwork" from the "Liberty for All" line, made in 2015.

The last of the single-fabric backs was for my Musical Stars quilt. I made this top in 2018, using a block pattern called "Double Delight Star" by Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles Quilters. Her pattern was originally shared as part of the 2017 Moda Blockheads QAL.

Musical Stars, top finished 8/15/2018
59.5" x 76.5"

For the back, I used yet another Connecting Threads fabric. This one is "Cartouche" from the line "Symphony in Blues" by Jenni Calo, 2014. There is one long vertical seam running through my quilt back, but I got the pattern to match up so well that it is practically invisible!

At that point I had run out of big enough pieces to make whole backs. It was time to start piecing together the leftovers. First up was my Meadow Mystery quilt. This is my variation of the mystery pattern designed by Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs.

Meadow Mystery, top finished 3/12/2017
60" x 84"

The back for this quilt was made from pieces of the leftover "Patriotic Patchwork" print plus two other Connecting Threads fabrics. The light blue is "Bunting" from the "Liberty for All" line, 2015, and the red/white print is from the "Rhapsody of Reds" line, 2014. The quilt back is more symmetrical than what you see here--the left side is cut off by a doorway.

The final quilt back to be made is for one of the mysteries by Alycia of Alycia Quilts. This was Mystery #A-11, later named "Under the Starry Sky." If you aren't familiar with Alycia's QOV mysteries, you should definitely check them out. She just listed the fabric requirements for #A-12 "Dakota Inspired" a couple days ago. Get more info HERE.

Alycia's Mystery A-11, top finished 11/22/2020
60.75" x 81.75"

Like the last back, this one was pieced from multiple fabrics. The flag print was given to me; it is by Fabri-Quilt. Again, the left side is cut off by the doorway. The flag fabric is actually the same width on both sides of this back.

I have only one more RWB quilt top that needs a back. It is another of Alycia's mysteries, this was her Winter Quilt-Along from November and December of 2019.

Alycia's Winter QAL, top finished 12/24/2019
60.5" x 72.5"

My leftover pieces are running low. I might have to go back to the stash for some more options, or else do more piecing in the back for this quilt. That's feeling like a project for another time. I think five finished quilt backs is very good for this week!

Linking up with:
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Happy quilting everyone!

Julie in GA  

Musical Stars QOV--a finished top!

My latest finished quilt top was begun on the 4th of July, which seems very appropriate for this red, white & blue quilt. My inspiration was the pattern "Double Delight Star" by Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles Quilters. Her pattern was originally shared as part of the 2017 Moda Blockheads QAL. I made one block in the original 6" size, followed soon after by a 12" version.

My musician husband was especially taken with the white music print fabric, and he was the one who came up with the idea of using it for a Quilt of Valor that could hopefully go to a veteran who was also a musician. 

Musical Stars QOV
59.5" x 76.5"

I spent most of July making blocks, then decided to set them on point. That led to making half and quarter blocks for the setting triangles and corners. Everything was joined together in early August, followed by the addition of the striped border. The top has been done for a couple weeks, but I didn't have a good opportunity for photos until more recently.

Here are a couple of closer looks.

I am linking up with Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts, Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, and at Oh Scrap! over at Quilting is more fun than Housework on Sunday. Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Getting Closer!

I didn't quite reach my goal of having this quilt top finished by Monday, but I did get very close. All of the full, half, and quarter blocks were made last week, and over the weekend they all got joined together. All that's left is the border!

Double Delight Stars, pattern by Lynne Hagmeier
(I changed her block size from 6" to 12")

The striped fabric on the left side in the photo will become the border for this quilt. The center measures approximately 51" x 68", and I am planning to add a 3.5 - 4" border.

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag.  Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Setting the QOV Stars

After the positive responses to last week's post about the idea of setting my QOV blocks on point, I searched my stash for a fabric to use for the setting and corner triangles around the outside. There wasn't anything that was working for me, so I decided to finish it off with half blocks along the sides and quarter blocks for the corners. I have been working on making all of those parts. You can see some of the partial blocks along the top of the first photo and the left side and bottom of the second shot.

Double Delight Stars, pattern by Lynne Hagmeier
(I changed her block size from 6" to 12")

Once I finish making all of the half and quarter blocks, it will be time to play with the arrangement of colors on the design wall. After that they can all get joined together. I hope to have a finished quilt top in time for the next Design Wall Monday post!

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag.  Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Even More QOV Stars

The number of QOV Stars blocks has increased from 11 to 17 in the past week. Yesterday I decided to see what they might look like set on point. I haven't decided if I like this or not. I also haven't looked through the stash to see if I have enough of anything that would work for the setting triangles and/or a border. 

Double Delight Stars, pattern by Lynne Hagmeier 
(I changed her block size from 6" to 12")

I will need to figure out a plan before I make any more blocks for this quilt. The on-point setting would change the number of blocks needed. This is the point when I tend to get stuck on some projects--unable to make a decision, so the whole thing just gets stashed away. Hopefully that won't happen this time around! 

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag.  Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Stash Report and 15 Minutes to Stitch 7/22/18

This is a two-week report because I missed posting anything last Sunday. I keep on cutting and stitching, but finally took the time to calculate some of the usage numbers. One of my primary projects over the past few weeks has been a new QOV quilt that I am calling Musical Stars because of the music designs in the white fabric. I have completed 15 blocks, which is probably half of the total to be made for this quilt. Here are the most recent blocks, and you can see the rest in Monday's post.

Double Delight Stars, pattern by Lynne Hagmeier
(I changed her pattern size from 6" to 12" blocks)

I have used 2.5 yards for the 15 star blocks made, plus 1/2 yard on my Scraptastic Stars (see them in yesterday's post) for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. No new fabric added in the last two weeks!

2018 STASH TOTALS

Used last two weeks:             3.0 yards

Used year to date:               45.0 yards

Added last two weeks:            0.0 yards
Added year to date:              24.5 yards
Net used year to date:      20.5 yards

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces has us tracking how many days each week we get in at least 15 minutes of quilting time. I keep stitching away every single day on a variety of projects!

15 Minute Challenge:  
7/8 - 7/21         14 of 14 days
2018 Total      196 of 202 days

Check out more stash reports at quiltpaintcreate, and join the 15 Minutes to Stitch challenge at Life in Pieces.

Julie in GA

More QOV Stars

The newest QOV blocks from the past week have been added to the design wall. There are eleven finished blocks, and there are at least nine, but probably 19, still to be made. I have the pieces for several more blocks cut and waiting to be stitched up.

Double Delight Stars, pattern by Lynne Hagmeier

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag.  Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA

Moda Blockheads and a QOV Project

The recent July 4th holiday inspired me to pull out my red, white & blue Moda Blockheads blocks. I began making these blocks over a year ago, but they get pulled out only occasionally. Last week I was able to piece five new blocks, bringing my total to about 30. These blocks will finish at 6".

Moda Blockheads blocks, patterns available at the Moda blog

This was the most challenging block of the group. Keep in mind that the block finishes at 6"--that light blue star at the center measures only 2" square, and the points of the star are 1/2" triangles. The block is called Winged Star, and it was designed by Lisa Bongean. 

One design that I especially liked from the new batch was the block at the center in the first photo. It is called Double Delight Star, designed by Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles Quilters. I liked it so much that I decided to make a larger version, scaling the block up to 12" finished. Here you can see how the two different sizes look together.

I love the double star block, and my musician husband liked the white fabric with red and blue music designs. He suggested that this fabric would make a perfect Quilt of Valor for a veteran who is also a musician. That was all the push I needed to get started on a new project!

Eight blocks have been completed so far. My plan is to make blocks with red stars and blue around the outside, and an equal number of blue stars with red frames. I will alternate the two different color versions of the blocks. 30 blocks should be enough for a good size QOV, even without sashing or borders.

I'm linking up to Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts, Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt, and Moving It Forward at Em's Scrapbag.  Be sure to check out all of the wonderful projects that everyone is sharing! 

Julie in GA