While most Quilts of Valor recipients prefer a patriotic theme color scheme, there are some that would rather have one that is more suited to their decor. Some also have issues with post traumatic stress where a patriotic theme would be too painful to see everyday. With that in mind, we like to have a few Quilts of Valor in the closet to award that are more everyday in colors. This particular quilt top was made by a lady in Oklahoma, specifically for a veteran who lives here. The top is all batik fabrics. The backing is a thin polyester fabric she sent with the top to be quilted.
I loaded it on the longarm, using the Warm and White batting sent with it.
I thought the best pantograph to use was one that suggested a patriotic feel, with stars. I often use this one on Quilts of Valor.
I used navy blue Glide in the top with navy Bottom Line in the bobbin. With a solid navy backing, it was really the only choice.
It was a good thing the navy looked nice on the lighter prints too.
It wasn’t until I began quilting it that I realized the thin black lines were actually grosgrain ribbon.
I worked on it around the many other things going on right now, but it only took a few days to finish.
I delivered it back to the committee last week for binding. The group leader said the lady that made it will be coming to the ceremony where it will be awarded to the veteran she knows. That ceremony will be an emotional one, I am sure. They all are to some degree, and the ceremony words bring tears to my eyes every time.
If you are not a part of this organization to honor our veterans with quilts, you can find out about chapters in your area at qovf.org. I know there are other organizations for this as well, and we have more veterans than we can honor, so any and all help is appreciated. If you know of a veteran you’d like to nominate, all nominations go through the national website, and then are given to the chapter where the veteran lives.
Are you sewing this week?
From My Carolina Home 
Our guild is very involved with QOV. We had a special section for QOV quilts at our last QuiltFest and are also involved in the ceremonies for our local vets. We support a lot of organizations, but I am very partial to this one as I have three veteran brothers!!
After being away for a week, I was glad to do a little stitching on my UFO projects yesterday after church. I hope to get a few of those completed this week!
It’s an interesting pattern. I don’t understand the ribbon. Is it top stitched on the block by the quilt maker? It makes a visual divide for sure. Our guild has a “patriotic quilts” group, and a former guild president and another member head up QOV-Delaware. I love seeing their smiling faces in the news when they do presentations. 53 members of the Delaware Guard are redeploying this month and there is going to be a huge presentation. In my sewing room there is thread bits everywhere as I finish up “unstitching” the quilting on the last 3 blocks of my SDP. Then I will “requilt”. This last bit is going much faster, which is a good sign that I am doing it. Tension be darned! Oh well, I knew I couldn’t live with it “as is’.
What a perfect quilt motif!!!
Good Morning, Carole! Thank you for sharing a look at this beautiful QOV. I stay in touch with Didi and will attend your Sew Day in September and October and hopefully your award ceremony in September, too. I am a group leader for QOVF in the Central Florida area. We will award 6 QOVs in 2 ceremonies next Saturday. The second ceremony is for a 97-years-young WWII veteran. Those are my passion as their numbers are dwindling daily. Thank you for all that you do for your group. I know they appreciate your longarm skills.
Carole: What a beautiful job on the quilt of valor! The QOV program is a fabulous program. My husband and I first learned of this program a few years ago while visiting Winterset, Iowa and touring the quilt museum show at the time. What talented ladies and gentlemen there are in the quilt world. Blessings to all!
That’s a beautiful quilt! I’m glad to know that some QOVs are made in other color combinations besides r, w, and b. It’s so kind of you to finish it like you are!
Our guild supplies quilts for our local Honor Flight program where they bring vets for a tour of Washington DC. When the vets return, we give them all quilts and it is very touching to participate in giving these quilts.
I applaud you for your work on behalf of Quilts of Valor and all the veterans that receive one. The person who quilted the top undoubtedly put much heart into the top and it is awesome that she is coming from so far away for the ceremony.
Good morning Carole, Love the batik quilt of valor. Have always loved the batik material and the marbled material, have about decided to use the marbled on the kitten squares I made several years ago and finish up that quilt. The star quilting is so approperate for a valor quilt, great thinking on that. Have a terrific day, Phyllis
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Good job on the quilting for QOV. I am piecing blocks for a quilt this week. I wanted to work with tana lawn cotton for this particular quilt, so it has been interesting learning the ins and outs of using such fine, lightweight cotton for a quilt.
Thanks Carole! The Quilt is being bound now. Our Blue Ridge Quilts of Valor members are awesome! It is a terrific organization and so rewarding!
Nice to see this quilt in different colors. I too am not overly enthusiastic about RWB and this is very masculine almost an argyle feel to it. The ribbon is a nice touch – would have been a lot of work to put in a 1/4 inch strip of black . And the Star pantograph is really nice too. You are so generous to do all this. Thanks for doing this and all the other projects you support.
That will be very powerful to have the quilt maker there for the ceremony for sure. Your quilting looks perfect and I’m thankful you donate your time and skills to them.
A great finish for this beautiful quilt! This week is going to be garden stuff, but ai’m hoping to sneak in some sewing on a blazer for Girl #2 and maybe cut a couple of quilt blocks for The Magic of Christmas wall hanging I am slowly piecing.
What a beautiful quilt! I have been making QOV for about 10 years on my own. It’s a wonderful organization! I hope to become a volunteer long armer once I purchase a machine and master it!
It looks beautiful, a welcome quilt to the veteran, I know.
What beautiful fabrics in that quilt. Someone will be very grateful to be the recipient of such a beautiful piece.
Thank you, Carole for such a wonderful quilting on this special QOV. I was happy to attend the ceremony on 9/11/2021. The recipient was honored to receive the quilt. The original design was made especially for him. If you look at the ribbon embellishment as a hat band, the design will reveal itself. Many Vietnam veterans wore similarly shaped hats during their service. The hat band was made to hold items they may need. Thanks again.