We Quilt: July QOV Sew Day

Don't know about your area but here in VaBch/Norfolk Friday was July Sew Day. It wasn't just another sew day this one had a little spice. Our local PBS Station, WHRO, was filming and interviewing for a piece they are doing on the work Elaine and I do for and about QOV. It is apparently a new segment on events and people around our area that support our active military and veterans. To be chosen as the first story is quite an honor. We will post and link what we can when it becomes available. They will be making another trip to the home/studio for some more footage and interviewing this coming week. Are we excited...ask your 7 year old on Christmas Morning before you hand him/her their first present. Duh!!!

To say we are lucky when it comes to space would be very true. The Ocean View Senior Center Norfolk allows us access to the gym area. Our guild also holds our Day Chapter meeting s here. They have been very generous and gracious hosts.

Above, the WHRO camera operator, Shannon, takes some shots as Laurie explains the photos of her family she has on her cup. Elaine and I had the honor of awarding QOV's to her parents. WWII Veterans who meet when her dad was wounded and the treating nurse was...you guessed it...her mom.

Above, left to right Nancy B. Nancy Z. and Anne H. share stories and experiences with the WHRO Reporter, Michelle B. (standing) Michelle is a 26 year veteran from the U.S. Air Force. She was also one very surprised recipient of a Quilt of Valor that we presented. We will post some photos at first opportunity. Shannon videoed and took some stills of the Award Presentation. Nancy Z's name will come up again here in a few minutes.

Above Susan P. and Nancy F. (I know a lot of Nancy's) were working on bindings. While Davis M. (below) was doing some cutting. He was working on some blocks for future QOV's. Davis has been quilting since February 2013 and has already ribboned. A former engineer he took to quilting and sewing like, as they say, a fish to water. I think I've seen at least a dozen of his finished projects...at least...oh did I say finished. One month he brings a couple of tops to Show and Tell and next month he brings the completed quilts. My guess is the life expectancy of a UFO is very short around Davis.

We displayed a couple of finished quilts and there was an area where we had quilts to be bound, bordered, and labeled. Everyone had plenty to do.

There was one quilt that wasn't there. It was in the Longarm Room attached to the machine waiting for someone to get home and apply some thread. You'll recall I mentioned Nancy Z. would be heard from again. Well here she is. Elaine and I were graciously invited to attend this years Region 8 Retreat. While there it was announced by Betsy that a company that makes the blue star fields for flags has a very strict and rigid quality control system. If there is a flaw, any flaw, the smallest of flaws detected as the field comes off the machine the field is removed from further production and prior to Betsy, discarded. The fields are never part of an American Flag. Well long story short Betsy took delivery of apparently a pallet full of blue fields of different sized stars that didn't get past quality control. So of the 90 individuals that attended the retreat we all got some blue fields. You may have seen some postings of what others have done with those blue fields. Well here is Nancy Z's. I got to quilt it and more than likely will get to award it down the road.

This truly is one of those times when the picture doesn't do justice. This is one fabulous quilt.

My goal as a longarmer, whether a QOV, a Project Linus, someone's baby quilt or one of Elaine's custom T Shirt quilts, regardless, is to compliment the quilter's work. I haven't seen Nancy yet so I'm kind of on pins and needles but I hope I was successful. Her work is always beautiful and meticulous. Picking the pattern and putting down the first few stitches was more nerve racking than flying into a combat zone under fire. At the time I was used to that, it was the routine. Complimenting the work of quilters is a tad bit more challenging. If I get it wrong a lot more dangerous.

I'll leave you with this...by the time I get the quilt all of this has been figured out...thank goodness!