PLEASE NO MORE!

No more pink, big floral quilts.  I have several female quilts here waiting for a female vet.  Can't tell you how long they have been here.  We need NO more please.  Thank you.  Rita

Tentative Date for Winfield QOV Sew-In

There is a tentative date for the Annual Winfield QOV Sew-in.  It is now scheduled for November 10th.  More details to follow.  So, pencil that date in.

Rita

Date for next Evening Sew-in

We will continue our evening sew-ins starting September 20th.  We begin at 5:30.  Right now, we're thinking every other month.

Good showing

The day at the show yesterday was quite productive.  It's really a nice little show.  It's being held all weekend, so come on out and see us.  I love the answer from one lady when we were asking people to sign a block for a donation.  She said, "How can anyone say no!".   Yeah, my sentiments exactly :)

Batavia Quilt Show

We are set up for the show this weekend.  It is located at:  Batavia Quilt & Textile Show 14 N. Van Buren, Batavia, IL.  Today, it is open from 1-6 PM.  Saturday and Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM.   Come on out!

Thoughts from Susie

Hey Rita,

  Am finally getting around to collecting my thoughts and impressions from Saturday.

  What a blessing to know that by participating in my favorite activity...making quilts...can bring some measure of peace and comfort to one who may bestruggling with the complexities of re-entry.  Like you said, to see the looks and smiles on their faces was just priceless.  I am so glad that I can use my time and talemtsin retirement for such a worthy cause.

  Attached are some of the better pictures I took.  I hope they are useful.

Susie

and from Dorothy: 
 This is my first time at the RWW Banquet.  To see all our men getting a quilt.  All the thanks we got.  I am so glad I am doing quilts for QOV.  They do so much for us and giving them a quilt is wonderful how they appreciate  them. Dorothy

More pics from RWW...
 Dessert, yum!

 This captain is retiring...

 Quilts bring a smile to everyones face...

 Here the facilitators are ready to give out the quilts...

 Here is Rita, out of her comfort zone. Good job, Rita!

 Then we signed labels...

 Proud to be an American...

Banquet of Honor

Last night I attended my fourth RWW Banquet of Honor. It thrilled me that I was able to bring along a handful of you. I've asked these ladies to share their thoughts. It is definitely a night of gratitude. Wish you could all have been there! Each Banquet has it's own "atmosphere", but what stands out at each one is their gratitude for their quilt. We are definitely doing the right thing. Rita PS...ladies, please email me your pictures and I will post them.

Jane writes: I am so glad I had the opportunity to attend the RWW Banquet of Honor last night. All of the "warriors" who came to have their name put on the quilts were so grateful to us. I feel we have a lot more to thank them for - putting their lives in danger for our freedom. This is a very worthwhile project. I am attaching some of the pictures I took last night. Hope they come through OK. Jane

Really, REALLY could use some help!

If you are able to help cover the QOV booth at the Batavia Quilt Show next weekend, please let me know. Saturday, if we could get enough people to cover the hours from 10 AM - 5 PM, that would be great. My granddaughter is getting baptized that day and I just can't miss it. Shoot me an email or a phone call. It's an easy sell. We have the signature squares that people sign and donate money, and as you know, the squares are put into a quilt that is presented to local veterans. The paperpieced log cabin pins we made---we've got those for sale. Not to mention being at the quilt show itself! So, please come out and help us raise some money for a very worthy cause?? Rita

Batavia Quilt Show - July 20 - 22

Those that offered to volunteer at the Batavia Quilt Show this year, check in with me to tell me what hours you are planning to work. The show dates and times are: Friday, July 20, from 1:00 - 6:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday, July 21-22, 10 AM - 5:00 PM. This is one of our two fundraiser events, so, help us make it a good show. I could also use some help in setting up on Thursday night...shouldn't take too long. Give me a call. Rita

Labels!

So, reading thru the discussion of the new policy, what it means to us is: If you bring a top that was completely made by you (cut (even if you use the donated fabric--remember, you are welcome to come by and get and cut up some of this donated fabric) by you, pieced completely by you) your first name and last initial, city and state go on the label. All kits cut by one of our members, pieced by anyone, will have made by LOLQOV--I need it this way cause I've tried those pieces of paper and they get lost and it isn't fun guessing. The labels are made and donated by Cindi, to whom I am MOST grateful. Machine quilters, just insert your first name last initial, city and state on the label. The VA Hospitals are insisting we put NO personal information on the labels or they will, with a black marker, cover it up. This really is not a new rule...when I started with QOV in 2004, that was the way it was. Of course at that time most of the quilts were being shipped overseas and we were told no full names or addresses. So, in thinking about it, it's not about us, it's about saying thank you to the troops. So, we continue on and do what we do best! Rita

QOV Policy Change

The following policy change has been sent to us: There has been a policy change at VA Hospitals that say there cannot be any personally identifiable information on any quilts. The labels on the quilts and, if included, journals cannot have last names, cities or email addresses. This also includes signature blocks in the quilts themselves. This is what was sent to us from the VA Hospitals: “PLEASE DO NOT put any personal information on the label or in the journals. Voluntary Services will cross out any last names, phone numbers, and addresses with a LARGE THICK BLACK MARKER.” In light of this policy change at the VA Hospitals, QOVF will make this change for all quilts being donated in the name of Quilts of Valor so that we can be consistent wherever the quilts will be sent. Please understand that the QOVF has no control over the policies put in place by the VA system. We can only abide by them so we can continue to provide honor and comfort to our service members and veterans. The information contained on qovf.org will be updated as soon as possible to reflect these changes.

Quilters, Quilters!!

Well, I've been sorting and assessing what we have here since Dorothy dropped off what was left at the Quilt Store last week. She brought over about 10 completed quilts---yeah!! a couple needing binding. We have 39 tops needing quilting!! We also got some more donated fabric and I've been thinking... How I sort the fabric is, when we get nice size yardage, I save for backings. Then we strip cut 3 1/2", 2 1/2" on down to 2 1/2" squares and the 1/2 square triangles. So, if you could help in cutting these scraps, let me know. Rita

Presentation last night

I had the honor of presenting a QOV to my dental hygienist's son last night. Jordan is in the Navy and served in Afghanistan from May - December, 2011. He's going to be in the states a bit and is returning there next year. Didn't want any fuss, but the look on his face after he received one of our signature quilts, just warms your heart! Oh, how I wish this was over and families didn't have to go thru the agonizing worry! Rita

Happy 4th of July!

Again, as we put out our flags today, we are so thankful! We just returned from a great vacation. Spent a week at the Ozarks with our family the first week. Then we headed out to Fort Collins, Colorado for more family to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Aunt Pat and Uncle Sarge. Of course the fires in Colorado were all you heard about and saw first hand. It was a "war" being fought with Mother Nature--it was lightening that started the first fire there near Fort Collins. On our way back home we came across the fire burning in South Dakota and very sad to hear of the loss of the 4 Air Force Men who were battling that fire. But, there is no place like home! Just more thankful for what we have. Can't wait to hear how the sew-in went. Gotta say I did miss my sewing machine! Rita PS. I do need to share this with you: http://qovf.blogspot.com/2012/07/summer-update-from-kandahar.html