Is it Christmas?
Not quite yet I suppose?
However, it has been a season of giving and receiving for me lately!
More importantly, it is a season to be thankful!
I was recently able to award my cousin, David,
his very own Quilt of Valor, courtesy of
Quilts of Valor, Eastern Missouri at my annual family reunion.
David is a Vietnam Veteran and he was
very surprised and appreciative.
I NEVER tire of giving Quilts of Valor!
This QOV was made by the Missouri State Quilter's Guild
using a string basket weave design.
My mom's immediate family is growing smaller and smaller.
It's always nice to be with family.
Pictured from left to right are my mom's brother Tommy,
her sister Flossie Sue, mom's twin brother Bobby, and his wife Doris.
And, of course my parents are on the far right.
Cousin Phyllis was able to make it in from Kentucky!
She brought me this beautiful cross stitch work of art
in honor of my Gracie Lu.
"Dogs leave paw prints on your heart!"
I! LOVE! IT!
Thanks so much Phyllis......you know it has
already found it's place of honor in my home!
"Funky Chicken"
I recently participated in a Mug Rug swap
hosted by
Randy of Barrister's Block.
Randy paired me up with
Claire of Cspoonquilt.
We both are rather fond of chickens!
This is the one I sent to her,.........and.........
I received not one, but TWO bright and colorful
mug rugs from her!
Not to mention that beautiful rooster fabric!
These already have designated places of honor in my
These already have designated places of honor in my
office and by my piecing machine!
These are really a wonderful size.......and.......
they are both reversible!
Wow Claire!
You REALLY outdid yourself here!
I look forward to remaining in contact with you!
Thanks for the great mug rugs and fabric!
Speaking of chickens.........and ducks.........
there was a recent hatching here at the Quilt Cave!
13 chicks and 2 ducklings!
This is the best hatch yet using an incubator.
I will show some better photos of the babies soon.
They are growing so fast already!
If you are close by, I do have chicken and duck eggs for sell!
I have been kitting up some projects to work on
while flying.
I have to admit, cutting is one of my least favorite things to do.
I prefer sitting behind my machine chain piecing the day away.
But, I love having projects to work on in my room.
Do any of you kit your projects up?
If so, how do you go about it?
I'd love to know?
Look who can't reproduce!
LOL
What a little booger Lilly Mae is!
Fortunately, she did amazingly well from
her Spay surgery, and didn't have to wear the cone
long. Check out that fancy glitter bandage
she received at the vet!
She is growing up too quickly!
6 months old already!
6 months old already!
And, I received this postcard from Lesley in the UK
when she went on a trip with her daughter.
There is a ton of photo inspiration from the pics
on the postcard! Thanks for thinking of me Lesley!
And, Angelia of The Eclectic Abuela
sent me these beautiful fat quarters and
a nice little thank you message about
the "Sapphire Stars" mystery quilt.
How thoughtful of you Angelia! Thanks so much!
I also have to shout out to Laura who sent
me another huge box of scraps!
You know, I dove into that box so quickly
I forgot to take a photo! LOLOLOL
I'd also like to thank all of you who have sent me
photos of your version of the "Sapphire Stars" mystery quilt!
I have seen so many beautiful versions and am in awe
of all of your talents!
It is quite humbling to see so many beautiful
works of art stemming from one of my designs.
Keep those photos coming!
I truly am blessed!
Thanks for all of your encouragement!
Keep on Quilting!
Kevin the Quilter
How wonderful that you got to present a QOV to your own cousin! I'm afraid my Sapphire Stars units are still... well, they are still "units". Hope to remedy that next week. I love your mug rugs. I especially love the Funky Chicken! Happy to hear Lilly Mae is "off the cone". Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThat is special to be able to present your cousin with a QOV.
ReplyDeleteYou had a great swap results. That is quite the funky chicken you made! Takes "Funky" to new heights!! :)
I don't love cutting, either. Sometimes I cut everything and kit it up, and other times I am absolutely too lazy. I just cut enough to keep me busy for a bit and then I have to come back and cut more.
Glad Lilly Mae came through her life altering surgery well. And that is some stylish bandage!!
I like kitting projects. The two Bonnie Hunter workshops a week ago used precut sizes and it was fun to just sew. It is good to have some projects just waiting for piecing, all cut and organized.
ReplyDeleteI think I will sew Sapphire Stars together during next month's quilt retreat. I never ate a duck egg. I buy my eggs from my massage therapist who has chickens. They are great!
Glad you got to hang out with family and give a QOV too. I rarely sew when I'm away from home, so I've never kitted anything. It would be hard for me to do, like you, I don't really like cutting the fabric. I'm a "cut it as I need it" kind of gal. Happy stitching and safe travels.
ReplyDeleteWow!! SEW many wonderful gifts. Both given AND received!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special GOV presentation!
ReplyDeletecongrats on the chicks and ducklings :)
You have so many awesome things going on... and we need eggs.... and butter, and bread, and.... heck fire - now I may have to go grocery shopping. Hug that little Booger for me - she is just too cute!!!
ReplyDeleteCute cute, love the chicken projects and the cute baby birds. Lily Mae is such a charmer.
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin, You've been busy!! How nice that your family got together and you could present a QOV to your cousin in person! I'm glad you like the mug rugs. That was a fun swap! I'm very impressed with your hatchlings, I've only ever inherited adult birds from other coops. Baby sitting an incubator is beyond me! cheers, CW
ReplyDeletePS- I for got to say Thanks! I love my chicken mug rug! cheers!
ReplyDeleteI love this photo filled blog. So glad for all of you, Kevin.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing your family pictures. And your aunt's name?? Flossie Sue?? That's so cool! My husband's sister has always been known as Candy Jean! Is it a midwestern thing to use first and middle names?? VBG
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you liked what Claire sent you. She's very artsy so her mug rugs reflect that as well.
Glad your little puppy is recovering from her surgery!! Too adorable!
Do I kit things up? Not so much. When I'm going to Oregon, for instance, I'll pack projects.
When I used to go to Wisconsin or to retreats, I'd make sure I had all the pieces necessary for a particular project so maybe that's just like kitting up. But I don't pre-cut. I'd guess you'd need to do that since you have limited room in your luggage.
Kind of a pain to have to be so organized. But you obviously do it well.
Oh the quilt for your cousin is fabulous as well!
thank you for a beautiful mystery. I'm not as fast as some so I'm still working on putting it together. I just got the center together. Have my navy cut and ready. my next border is waiting and ready then my finally one can go on. May have it done by next week, if things go as planned.I just love everything about it.thank you again, your quilting friend Diane
ReplyDeleteYou have inspired me to check into QOV for a family member and two friends who were in the Vietnam conflict. Maybe I could piece the tops and someone else could quilt them....hmmm. I do like to have things kitted up so I can have something with me to work on when I have some "waiting" time. I don't enjoy the cutting but do it anyway. I have discovered the pleasures of precuts! I love my fabrics that I have cut, but it's fun and sort of uplifting to have some new precut fabrics to mix in with my cut fabrics. I have found that green fairy quilts often has excellent prices on precuts. I have bought charms (5" squares), mini charms (2 1/2" squares) and jelly rolls (2 1/2" strips) only when they are on sale. (I have NO connection with their company! They have no idea who I am!! Lol).
ReplyDeleteFamily reunions are my favorite vacations. The next one will include my new grandbaby (due in Feb). I'm way behind with the Sapphire Stars, but, my excuse is family quilts that need to be finished quickly. Don't worry, they will all get done (one will be a belated wedding present, presented at my next family reunion).
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin, Both mug rugs, the one you made and the one you rec'd are awesome!!
ReplyDeleteSo fantastic to present your cuz with a QOV quilt!! They deserve our thanks and recognition too.
So much fun stuff going on at your place. See you next week!!
Darling little Emmie Lou, what a precious little girl she is. She will forever be a spinster! ♥ You really do live a blessed and colourful like. Enjoy every moment you get with your family...and keep on quilting.
ReplyDeleteLilly Mae has a look on her face that says "just wait until I get this blasted cone off."
ReplyDeleteSuper love your cousin getting an official QOV. I've done many projects for that cause, from blocks to full tops to doing the binding, and just yesterday it occurred to me that my own father-in-law is a Veteran (of Vietnam, even), and has never got one of his own! I need to take care of that!
ReplyDeleteNothing better than QOV and how special to wrap your cousin in that love and appreciation!
ReplyDelete