Collaborating with Alycia Quilts.....

Hey Everybody!

If you have been reading my blog any amount of time, you probably know I am "cray cray" about a gal in Colorado that lives on a big ranch, is married to Wrangler Man, is raising 3 fine upstanding young men, is wild about horses, loves hiking, is obsessed with photography, and is a HUGE supporter of Quilts of Valor!  In fact, she is the State Coordinator for Colorado Quilts of Valor!

C'mon........., you all know I am talking about my bestie bloggin' buddy ALYCIA!

Alycia and me at the International Quilt Festival in Houston circa 2013

After making quilts for all of my immediate family members and friends, I didn't want to stop making quilts.  I did some research online, and found the answer to making more quilts.....Quilts of Valor!  During my investigation, I ran across Alycia's blog:

ALYCIA QUILTS

For those of you who have never taken the time to visit her blog, please do!  I will wait......go on........

seriously click the link above......, you need to see all of the wonderful quilts that she has made, and her extreme commitment to Quilts of Valor.

I have been able to visit with Alycia and her family on various occasions, and have ALWAYS had a wonderful time.  I KNOW I have a friend in Alycia, and I really appreciate her support and friendship!

Sooooooo I thought of a way to collaborate with Alycia.  I have been working on several quilts that you can find as free patterns online, and making them in a patriotic color scheme.  I am doing this as part of my lecture and presentation for various speaking engagements I have.  These quilts will eventually be presented as a Quilt of Valor to a deserving veteran.  You KNOW I looked up Bonnie Hunter's free pattern section first!  I recently completed Bonnie Hunter's free pattern: Geese on a String .

Many happy hours of sewing in hotel rooms across the country helped to make these

stringy geese!

 I knew the exact layout I wanted, and I knew which fabrics I wanted to use.

Oh, the many variations in colors you get from these stringy geese!

Just think of  how fun it would be to use up your red, white, blue, and gold strings!

During the process of making this quilt top, that's when it dawned on me......I have never done a QOV collaboration with Alycia.  So, she and I e-mailed, texted, facebooked......is that a word???  We used any means of social media to communicate and collaborate.  Long story short, I told her to use her amazeballs quilting skills to quilt it any way she wanted to!  AND SHE DID!!!!!!  

Want to see the quilting on it??????  It is beyond awesome!!!!  I am linking up with Alycia Quilts to reveal our joint effort!  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE follow the link I have provided to see the absolutely beautiful quilting Alycia did on it.  Her photos are much better than anything I could show. Remember, she is a professional photographer! 

ALYCIA QUILTS 

Now, here is where all of you come in!  Yes, YOU ALL are going to be a part of this collaboration as well!  Do you want to know how???????  

Which binding to use??????  I am completely stumped?  I have narrowed it down to 2 choices that I love!  Alycia and I would LOVE to hear which one you all think should be used????

Here are your choices.........

CHOICE #1

or, will it be......

CHOICE #2

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR CHOICE IN THE COMMENT SECTION

Which ever binding gets the most votes will be the binding used!

Thanks to Alycia for playing along with me!  I truly admire you for all of the work you do with Quilts of Valor!  I have said it before, and I will say it again.......you are an angel on earth for all that you do!  

I have some more exciting collaborations in the works.....just wait and see!

If your guild or group is looking for someone to speak, please don't hesitate to contact me!

I would love to travel to you to share my passion with you!

Paducah is days away!

Please introduce yourself if you see me there!  

Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Kevin the Quilter

Stitch-N-Time QOV Presentations......

I was honored to be asked by the Stitch-N-Time Quilt Guild in Warrenton, Missouri to present some Quilts of Valor to some very deserving veterans this past week.  I will continue to say thank you to ALL who participated in the QOV block drive last year.  I never tire of presenting these QOVs!

All of these quilts are under the careful guidance of Quilts of Valor, Eastern Missouri, and it was great having our faithful leaders Jean and Linda there for the presentations!

Photos say so much more than I ever could, and thanks to my friend Marcia for taking some photos and video of the presentations, I can share them with you all!

A very happy WWII Veteran after receiving his QOV!

And, quite the lady's man I might add!

After the presentations, I was barely able to get to speak to him

through the mob of women around him!

Thanks Kim for quilting and binding this beautiful QOV!

A female WWII Veteran and her WWII Veteran husband.

This couple was so kind and so very thankful.

The husband had received his QOV last year, and now it was her turn!

I love her original military cap she wore!

Thanks Vernie for piecing, quilting, and binding this beautiful QOV!

A Viet Nam Veteran and his wife.

This vet spoke of how he always wanted to be a Marine and how

he would do it all over again for his country.

Thanks Kim for quilting and binding this beautiful QOV!

My friend Ann of  Attic Threads & Quilts

made these two very special quilts for two very special veterans in her life.

It was great having so many female veterans to award QOVs to this time!

Thanks Ann for taking the initiative to make QOVs for the veterans in your life!

Thanks Ann for piecing, quilting, and binding these beautiful QOVs!

Thanks to Joanie for sewing all of the labels down!

Thanks Stitch-N-Time Quilt Guild for this wonderful opportunity!

It was a wonderful QOV presentation, and I don't think I could sum things up any better than our WWII "Lady's Man" Veteran did...........

Press the "play" icon to hear his speech.

I was also able to give my quilt lecture about my quilting story as a guy that gives scrappy quilts.  It is always a pleasure to share my passion with others.  I was also able to see a wonderful array of miniature quilts at the Stitch-N-Time quilt guild.  The president's challenge was to make miniature quilts.

Many of the quilters participated.

These were ALL wonderful!!!!

Congrats to my friend Lou (on left) for winning first prize with her tiny miniature!

Ann took second, and I apologize for not knowing the name of the 3rd place quilter's name.

In other news......

Lil' Bubs hunted Easter eggs all day after church last Sunday.

We gathered at my sister's home where she hosted Easter dinner.

Dad on left, Uncle Royce on right.

My dad's brother was able to join us this year.

Sis prepared a great dinner of Mostaccioli and Lasagna.

I prepared a layer salad, and Momma made her Cherry Streudle at my request! 

Spring is alive and well in Missouri!

Here is God's promise to never flood the entire earth again.

We have had severe thunderstorms move through the past 3 days.

It's a part of life around these parts.

Prayers for those who have suffered damage or loss.

Thankfully, we escaped the worst of the weather thus far.

Paducah is 2 weeks away!

Hope to see you there!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter

Easter Blessings............

Easter Blessings to all of you!

Not much to report this week.

I was able to get "Apple Crisp" quilted!

Thanks Bev for letting me use Miss Thang!

I LOVE the way this one turned out!

I do have a question for you all.......How many of you machine bind your quilts?  Which technique(s) do you use when machine binding your quilts?  I would love to hear some responses on this please?

"Amelia's Stars" looks right at home!

Samantha sent this photo to me!

Little Amelia was born on April 2nd!

Congrats to my friends Matt and Samantha!

And here is my latest purchase........

Hmmmmm.........Friendship Triangles..........Triangle Exchange Ideas.....

HMMMMMMMMMMM????????

I am gearing up for some QOV presentations and a lecture this coming week for the Stitch-N-Time Guild in Warrenton, Missouri.  I hope to have several photos from it and share them with you all next week!

I am heading home to spend Easter with my family.  I hope each of you have a wonderful Easter as I plan to do with my family!

See you next week!
Keep on Quilting!
Kevin the Quilter

In the press........

Hey everybody!

April is almost here, and I have been doing a lot of work in my Daylily garden as well as my vegetable and herb gardens.  Spring is definitely on it's way.....when you live in Missouri, you just have to take the weather one day at a time.......and NOT complain! (It doesn't do any good anyway!)

Please understand my intentions of this blog is not to stay on one note and blare it until no one can stand it anymore.......but.........I am very proud of the accomplishments "Radar" has made thus far.  In the press.....he made a 4 page spread into an international quilting magazine!  WAHOOOOO!

On Track! magazine is published by the

International Machine Quilters Association.

The article is very nice, and focuses on "Radar's" conception and creation by me and my friend Ann. It goes into nice detail about Ann's quilting and has some really great photos.  I am completely honored and beyond blessed to have been able to be a part of this creative work.  Thanks Ann!

And...........

Something new has been added to my quilting resume'.........

I SOLD THIS QUILT!!!!!

The selling of my RSC14 quilt happened very much by accident.  I was flying with a long time flight attendant friend and while chatting in the galley he asked me about my quilting.  I shared with him several photos of various works, and when he saw this photo he immediately asked "HOW MUCH???"  I was like......"huh?????"  He was extremely persistent and wanted to buy this quilt top and have it quilted.  After much deliberation on my part, I decided that I would sell it to him, quoted him a price, and he said, "SOLD!"  Sooooo.........this one will be going to my friend.  I never EVER thought I would sell a quilt!

And lastly in this post,.......free tickets led me and my friend Ann to the International Quilt Festival Chicago 2015.  We had a great time making the one day road trip there and back.  Enjoy photos of some of my personal favorites from the show........

I hope you enjoyed the photos!

Meet me in Paducah!!!!! (Sang to the tune of "Meet Me In St. Louis.")

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter

Sentimentality......among other things........

Greetings and Salutations Quilters!

I have been waxing sentimental this past week.

Why you may ask?

For a great many reasons I suppose?

Remember this time last year?  We were in our first month of the QOV block drive I hosted on this blog.  I remember how overjoyed I was, and still am, simply realizing how generous quilters are in so many respects.  Little did I know in that first month the outpouring of support I would receive from you all would produce enough blocks to make 189 QOVs for veterans.

The QOV block drive quilts continue to be quilted by

QOV, Eastern Missouri, and by extremely generous long arm quilters.

Here is a sampling of some quilts that I have recently received.

The labels are being sewn down by my friend Joanie.  Thank you SO much Joanie!

These quilts have been quilted by my friends Dar, Vernie, Kim and Candy!

I can't thank you all enough for your support!

The quilting is so beautiful!

I was honored to be able to meet a young quilter along with his grandmother this past weekend at the 

Thimble and Thread Quilt Guild of Greater St. Louis quilt show at Queeny Park.

Meet Graham and his Grandma Gerry!

And Graham's AMAZEBALLS quilt!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE meeting young quilters, especially boys that are learning to quilt from their 

grandma........JUST LIKE I DID!  It truly takes me back in time.  From Gerry's smile, I think you can tell she is a little bit proud of her grandson Graham.....can't you? LOL  And Graham is certainly beaming with pride over his accomplishment.  We all were able to visit at the quilt show, and Gerry told me it is almost impossible to explain the pride she feels when Graham sews with her. I think my grandma probably felt the same way!

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GRAHAM!

  "Radar" was also in this show warming up for Paducah!

Ann and I can't wait to see him hanging there!

"Autumn Dresden" also hung in the show.

This is the quilt I made for my best friends Jamie and Ted.  You can read about the making of "Autumn Dresden" HERE.

It was really great being able to share this experience with Jamie, and she was very delighted being able to see the quilt I made for her and quilted by my friend Ann hanging in the show.

Another reason I felt sentimental......I used my grandma's cardboard dresden template to make this quilt.

And how could you not smile seeing this?

It cracks me up!  What a sense of accomplishment!  Just like a little kid!

It only took him a year, but, my buddy Mike finished his first quilt top!

He says he was inspired by me, that's cool.....and sentimental.

But, moreover, I love being able to share this art we call quilting with other guys!

Here is Mike's top not completely sewn together, but, I think it is a very good looking quilt!

Many things were learned in the process of him making this, and what's great is.....

he is already talking about making a second quilt!

Meet "Sugar!"

On St. Patrick's Day, this little Pug (mix) came running up to me when I got out of my truck.

You all KNOW how much I adore my Boston Terriers, and I knew whoever this little girl belonged to must be frantic!  Through the wonders of social media, I was able to reunite her with her owner in the matter of a few hours.  She sure was a sweety!

And here is the "Americana Bear Paw" quilt I HAD to get out of my system!

Yes, it struck again, that overwhelming creative feeling to just sew what is racing through my mind!

No pattern, just playing, and challenging myself to use fabrics I wouldn't normally use.

Calicoes, batiks, florals....these are items I rarely if ever use.  But, they are in my scraps and need to be used!  I don't think this quilt looks "feminine" even though I used these fabrics?

Very poor quality photo, and I am sorry about that.....you know....a windstorm blew up so inside I went!  The neutrals really read well together, and those bear paw blocks POP!

As most of you know I love it when a quilt top sparkles, and the various shades of blues and reds really make this quilt do just that!  The saw tooth border was made from bonus triangles from this past year's "Grand Illusion" mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter.

LOVE IT!

Thanks for letting me get some sentimental journeys out of my system!

I hope you take the time to reflect back on some great days in your quilting life!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter

Congratulations...........

Today was the day to congratulate my friends Samantha and Matt on the upcoming arrival of their daughter, Amelia.  A wonderful time was had by all.  I was asked to cater the brunch, and of course I said yes!  I think a lot of us quilters enjoy cooking also, don't you?

Here are few photos from today's Baby Shower.

Samantha was thrilled to see this banner I had made for the shower, and for her nursery.

Here is the spread, the cookies are by "Sweet Treats -STL".

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

The mommy to be requested my artichoke dip at the top with pita chips.

Another friend brought the veggie tray.

The main dish was this Roasted Salmon Nicoise Platter.

This is an Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa) recipe you can find HERE.

Omit the lemon juice as Ina does not use it in her video, and it makes it too thin for marinating the salmon.  This is always a real crowd pleaser.

Bow tie Pasta Salad

Waldorf Chicken Salad

And my Aunt Mae's Popular Punch.

Thanks for indulging me with a little non-quilty items.

So, Samantha is making a face here because her gift was double wrapped......

you can't get to your gift that easily! LOL

Reading the label.....

Always label, and always give credit where credit is due!

Mom and Auntie had to sneak a peek too........hey......turn it around!!!!! LOL

I believe the mom and dad to be are very happy with their baby girl's quilt.

I loved being able to make and give this to them.

Congratulations Matt and Samantha!

In other news........

I was able to see "The Phantom of the Opera" with my sister and niece at 

The Fabulous Fox Theatre.

This is a St. Louis landmark, and it was about my 4th or 5th time to see this musical.

Sets and staging were beyond incredible for this tour!

And, this is about all of the sewing that got done this week 

between all of the other business!

I am excited to be able to share this extremely scrappy quilt during my presentations this year.

Spring is here!

Happy Quilting!

Happy Cooking!

Happy to be alive!

Thanks for all of the encouragement!

Kevin the Quilter