Kevin the Quilter's BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!..........

I can't believe the day is finally here so I can make my

BIG

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Insert booming voice that echoes!)

As many of my faithful blog readers know, I am gearing up for a presentation I am making for the River Heritage Quilt Guild in Cape Girardeau, Missouri this July.  I am making great progress on how I am going to share my personal quilting story, and quilts that I have made that I want to share.  But, I want this presentation to include YOU ALL!  You have provided me with constant encouragement, and have given me some great feedback in response to the questions I have posed.  However, I want to allow ALL of us to be involved in a way that will really be special!  

Can you guess what I may be proposing to you all?????

Of course this presentation will include my work with Quilts of Valor, and I am working closely with the guild so that I can make some quilt presentations to some very deserving veterans.

Any guesses as to what may be up my sleeve yet????

OK, OK, OK!!!!!!

I am hosting a block drive here on my blog!    

These blocks will be made into Quilts of Valor for presentations at my talk in July!

This is going to be SIMPLE, SIMPLE, SIMPLE!!!!!  If you can't participate by making blocks, would you mind helping me spread the word?  Pretty please with sugar and a cherry on top???  Here are a few questions you may have?

Who will be making the quilt?

-You all will be making the blocks, and me and a few of my QOV friends will be turning those blocks into quilt tops, and quilting them.  Backings, bindings, batting, and thread will be taken care of by me.

How many quilts will be made?

- This will entirely depend upon how many blocks are received.  But, I hope to get enough blocks to make at least 3 quilt presentations or more (30 blocks per quilt).  If more blocks are received (WHICH WOULD BE AWESOME!) the remaining blocks will be made into quilts and donated to Quilts of Valor Eastern Missouri and distributed by QOV Eastern Missouri.  I will keep a log on my blog of the quilts made, and show photographs of each quilt made by this block drive.

How long will the block drive run?

- The block drive starts from the posting of this blog entry 3/2/14 until 6/1/14.

Do I have to have a blog to send blocks in and win?

- Not at all.....this is open to anyone reading my blog.  Just make sure I can contact you, especially if you are a no-reply blog reader.   

Is there a prize?

- OF COURSE!!!!!!  For every 5 (quantity 5) blocks you send in, your name will be placed in a drawing for......drum-roll please..........a $100.00 gift card from the Missouri Star Quilt Company.  This will be provided by me.  I am in no way directly affiliated with the Missouri Star Quilt Company, I just love their online shop and want to be able to offer incentive to you all.  So, if you send in 10 blocks, your name will be entered twice for the drawing and so on.  The more blocks you make, the more chances you have to win!  In order to be placed in the drawing, I must have your blocks IN MY HANDS by 6/1/14.  In order to qualify for the prize, you must submit 5 blocks.

For those who are located in the greater St. Louis metro area, I am teaming up with

 O'Sewpersonal Fabric Shop in O'Fallon, Missouri for a Quilt of Valor block drive located in their store.  O'Sewpersonal Fabric Shop will be making the rules for the block drive that will be held in their store.  Please visit the shop for more details.......those of you who are local WON'T want to miss out on this fun opportunity! And, yes, you CAN enter both block drives if you are local! 

Where do I send the blocks?

- Please send completed blocks to:

Kevin the Quilter

P.O. Box 494

Winfield, Missouri 63389

(And, make SURE I have your return address......just in case you win!!!!!)

This will be open to U.S. residents only.  (Sorry to my international blogging friends!)

Let's make this as fun as possible!  I sincerely want these presentation quilts to be a group effort from all of my wonderful blogging friends, and readers!  If you would like, I will include your name on the quilt label, but, that is up to you.  Just let me know when you send your blocks in by placing a note in with the blocks.  Otherwise, the label will simply state "Made by Blog Readers of Kevin the Quilter."

Sooooooooooooooo..................................what are we making????

I decided to choose this very generic block for it's ease, and graphic quality.  A beginner can easily make it, and an experienced quilter can whip 5 of these babies out in literally an hour or less.......SERIOUSLY!

TA-DAH!!!!

Please mix and match the following colors that are solid, or read as solid:

Blues from Navy to Light Blue.....please stay away from blue greens and turquoise.

Reds from Arrest me Red to deep rich reds, try to stay away from pink reds or burgundy.

Neutrals from whites to tans, no browns please.

Golds from bright yellow gold to darker ocher gold.

Please remember to use only 100% cotton fabric and no shiny metallic fabrics so we can stay in accordance with what Quilts of Valor requests of their quilts.

Here is the color palette I used for my sample quilt.

Fabrics from O'Sewpersonal Fabric Shop.......delicious!

PLEASE follow the link to their website!

AND

"Pathway of Valor"

By

Kevin the Quilter

Here's the quilt top!

See???? EASY, EASY, EASY!

Visually interesting, graphic, and JOYFUL!

Here are the block particulars and a brief tutorial:

The block measures 12.5" unfinished, and each quilt will be set in a 5x6 block setting making the finished quilt approximately 60"x72".  This is a great size for a QOV.

To make a block you will need:

1: 2.5"x12.5" strip

and

1: 11"x12.5" piece of contrasting fabric.

next:

Find the spot where you want to place the strip.  This can be ANYWHERE!  It's up to you!  In the above photo I have the ruler placed in the center of the 11"x12.5" piece of fabric on the 11" side which is 5.5". As you could tell by looking at the sample quilt, however, I placed the strips in various locations.  I will take anything as long as it is straight, and cut vertically on that 11" side.......ask me how I know NOT to cut the 12.5" side!!!!!  Let's try to make as many variations as possible?

This is what the sample block looked like before sewing together.

Again, this strip could be placed ANYWHERE along this side!

Sew strip to one side using 1/4" seam allowance

(See the red strings...that red strip is under there somewhere!)

Set the seam.

(Yes, I use steam! LOL)

    And press away from the strip.

Sew the other piece to the other side of the strip in the same manner, and press away from the strip.

Trim to 12.5" square.  There shouldn't be much trimming needed to be honest.

And that's it!

Make 5, send them to me, we will put them in our group Quilt of Valor effort

and, you COULD win a $100.00 gift card to the Missouri Star Quilt Company!

And, just to cover another potential question, contrasting fabrics in the same color family may be used.  See the gold block in the middle on the bottom row above?

Are you all willing to help me out, and donate about an hour of your time to a really great cause?  If you all have ANY questions about anything at all, don't hesitate to contact me in the comment section or by e-mail in the upper right portion of the blog.  Again, I will be accepting blocks from now 3/2/14 until 6/1/14.  I will keep you all posted on everything.  Hopefully, I can let you all know how many blocks are coming in......and not how many crickets I am listening to? LOL

I can't thank you all enough for all of the encouragement you have provided!

Let's do this together!

Who would have thought I am having a block drive on my blog???? COOL!

Kevin the Quilter