Save $$ to make more QOVs

Here is my latest QOV using Nancy Millers Simple Pinwheels pattern and Judy Laquidara's Quarter Square triangles.

I alternate the QST with the pinwheels but laying them so that they made a complete frame for each block and looked as if they were set on point.

But the real star of this quilt is Linda Campbell of Galion, Ohio. She was the longarm quilter and has worked on quilts with me before.

She goes out of her way to make the QOV's special. This time she quilted the Pinwheels in red and the dark blue and red QST. She quilted all the white background with white thread. You have to turn it over to see it's real beauty.

I can't say enough about how much I appreciate the longarm quilters who volunteer their time. I have always felt when I send a quilt on to it's final destination that it is as much her project as mine.

Some of the quilters have added messages such as Thank You and Freedom or Pride in open spaces. They all look beautiful.

While we are at it quilters and longarmers. We all do this for love. But we also know this can be expensive if you do many of them. Linda taught me a lesson. When she sent the top back to me to bind she sent a yellow copy of an invoice. I'm sure she kept the other half. It details how much the batting cost, her time and how many bobbins she used. After the subtotal she wrote QOV and Free for the total amount.

So that at the end of the year when she does her taxes she can pull those receipts out and receipts for postage and have a nice credit for her taxes.

Each one of us is entitled to do the same thing. That allows you to turn around and use your savings for more Quilt of Valor fabric and backings and postage to mail them. Up to now I've been very lazy about that kind of record keeping, but I've been at this for several years. I really thought the war would be over by now. Didn't you? There is still a need though and each of us should do what we can to enable us to continue to afford to sew.



Sharon Downey
Pembroke, Ky