Challenge Quilt and the Quilters

My sister, Janet G, and I (Sue)attend a quilting retreat with friends each year in  NY. Each year someone's name is picked to create a challenge for the group to work on.  Janet's name was picked.  She is a new quilter and asked me to work on it with her.  We decided it would be a quilt made for a wounded soldier.  We made this decision because Janet's son-in-law was injured in Afghanistan and received several quilts.  He was moved by receiving the quilts.  

I found the pattern in my stash of patterns.  It was in a calendar.  The pattern is called Hearts United by Nancy Bordeaux.  We decided this would be a great pattern for making Quilts of Valor quilts.  There were 26 of us at the retreat.  We asked each person to bring some red, white and blue fabric that was patriotic.  We showed each person how to make a block and the results were 26 beautiful heart blocks.  Janet and I used all the blocks to put together 2 quilts. (The two extra quilts were used for the labels on the back of each quilt.)  Some of the sashing, border, and backing fabrics were donated by Bits and Pieces quilt shop in Pelham, NH.  Janet and I donated some of the sashing, border and backing fabrics as well.  Janet and I completed the tops and I machine quilted them.

We hope the soldiers who receive these quilts feel the comfort we have sewn into each one.

submitted by Sue O.