Craftsy Quilt of Valor Mystery Quilt-a-long!
This is a guest Quilt-a-long series from Alycia of Alycia Quilts. Come back each week for the next step of the mystery quilt designed for Quilts of Valor!
Oh ya’ll, I am so excited!!! Craftsy and an upcoming instructor have paired up with me to present this Mystery Quilt of Valor. Here is the COOLEST part – after you are done making the top, you can sign up for an upcoming class on Craftsy, and the instructor shows you how to quilt it! You learn something, I learn something, and we get to make a great quilt for a great cause.
Just in case you don’t remember or haven’t heard of Quilts of Valor, you can learn more here or at my blog. At this particular moment, we are in a need for Quilts of Valor. We are still at war in Afghanistan and have record numbers of wounded being sent to Landstuhl Military Hospital.
I happen to be the coordinator here in Colorado, and seem to have many, many veterans in our state. I work in the Warriors in Transition Battalion at our local post, Fort Carson. This is an amazing battalion where many of our wounded go for rehab or to await medical decisions. I also have groups at the VA’s in the state, as well as an amazing Equine Therapy group. All of these are places our Veterans can receive the care they need, and we get to give them a Real American Hug through our Amazing Quilts of Valor.
Fabric Requirements
For this quilt I chose the Traditional Red, White, and Blue. Based on 7 years of experience with our military quilts, about 90% of veterans and soldiers seem to prefer this color scheme. So I thought I would make it easy on myself!!
My fabric for the quilt!
I chose fabrics from Sew Batik.
- Red (called Ribbon Red) – ½ yard (I actually used 17 inches to be exact, so if you like extra, adjust accordingly)
- Cream (called Cream Tan) – 2 Yards (I used exactly 72 inches)
- Blue (Nuance Gradation Nautica) – 1 ¾ yards (I used exactly 59 inches)
- Binding: I would suggest using Blue, so add an additional ½ yard for binding
- Backing: Finished size will be 56 x 80
TOOLS NEEDED:
My tools for the quilt!
- For this mystery I used my Tri Recs Ruler. All cutting instructions are based on using this ruler.
Questions? Feel free to email me at AlyciaQuilts@gmail.com, and come back next week for the next step!
Gather your fabric and come back next Wednesday to find out how to cut your fabric! Join us for the next six weeks as we create a mystery quilt together.
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63 Comments
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I have my fabrics, and have pulled out my trusty Tri Recs rulers!
Sounds like a great event!!! I’m going to go and find my rulers today so I’m ready!!
I have fabric and rulers. Ready to go.
Sounds like fun. I am just finishing two other mystery quilts and three blocks of the month, so must be time to start a new one. Your patterns are always easy to follow!
Hey Alicia,
Would you want to post this on the MysteryQuilt4Military Yahoo group? Since our summer mystery has ended, some may be looking for a mystery fix.
Thanks,
Nancy
Just finished the last mystery 4 the military so I am ready for the this one.
It will be fun. Need to pull the fabric.
Nancy L
Sounds like fun will be checking in on next Wednesday have supply list need to gather things. Need to find the ruler any suggestions?
Hi Denise!
The Tri-Recs Ruler is available in many places online, or you can check your local quilt store!
Thanks,
Katie
thank you I was able to pick one up on my lunch hour today.
Love results made using the Tri Recs tool, and of course love mysteries. Thanks, Alycia for offering us another great design for QOV.
How can I sign up ?
Hi Nella!
The quilt-a-long will happen entirely on the blog! Check back on Wednesdays to find out what the next step will be. Next week Alycia will let you know what to do with your fabric.
Thanks!
Katie
Now I have to go find my Tri recs! Got the fabrics. So I have a week to find the tools.
I will be ready. From dimensions, I bet we will use every inch of fabric. Nancy
I will likely do a stash dive and pick fabrics for the quilt!
Count me in.
Janice
Can this be scrappy? Not many different colors, but several different reds, several different blues, totaling the required amounts? I would love to do another QOV and a mystery with Tri-Recs sounds like fun!
Yes – It can be scrappy, I would suggest that the cream color stay as solid as possible in your choices though (meaning not a lot of print to it)
Thanks!
Alycia
Will the quilt be suitable for a Canadian QOV? Really don’t want to make it if it resembles stars and stripes.
“Absolutely! ~Alycia”
I’ve just offered to make a QOV for a former student of mine who’s down in San Antonio in rehab. Helicopter pilot who was shot down in Afganistan. This will be a perfect way for me to stay on task!! What a godsend for a procrastinator like me. Thank you!!
I made my first QOV when my son was deployed in 04. Never made a quilt before and found it to be very calming. I found that using increments of 5 inch to 15 inch squares and rectangles made an easy way to make the top. I also make a Texas flag for the center and even had fabric of military branches included in the design. QOVF.GOV is a wonderful group.
This is soooo cool. I am sitting here watching quilts of valor on channel 13 which is our oklahoma educational television station. Crying my eyes out and telling myself I was going to make one but didn’t know which pattern to make. Then I come on craftsy and waa laa it is all taken care of for me. lol Thank you craftsy you have made an old lady mighty happy and hope I can make a veteren just as happy.
Wow – Sandra – I love this story – you will defineatly make a veteran happy!!
New to quilting, so I hope I can do this. Going to get my tri recs ruler tomorrow..This sounds like so much fun.
I’m guessing stars!!! I love stars, Bring it on!!
I think this is wonderful. I always feel like I am not doing enough for all our wonderful vets. Pam
I didn’t find the tri rex ruler I bought clearview triangle ruler hope this will work for this quilt, got my fabric am ready to go
Sounds like it will be fun.
Going today to look for my fabric.
I do not have the rulers but this is a good reason to get them
will be checking in Wed
so ready to get started on my second QOV
Already doing the BOM and love a mystery … it will be a scrappy quilt if I have anything left from the BOM as my scrap pile is just a carrier bag … I don’t have the rulers but will see how we go …. looking forward, just need to remember to have a look on Wednesdays
This sounds like a worthy project. The local quilt guild collects for QOV and I will donate this quilt and have some fun along the way. Thank your for the mystery.
I will pick up my tools and batiks and will see you on Wednesday.
I’m in Australia, and wondering what a Tri Recs ruler is. So I can look for one.
thanks Pat
“Here is one: http://www.joann.com/wrights-ez-tri-recs-tools-quilt-ruler/prd1080/
Search Tri-Recs Ruler in google and there are a few more places that carry it.
~Alycia”
Looking forward to joining the group. I’ll gather my things tomorrow .
I’m going to the fabric store tomorrow! Will you have a place to send this quilt?
“Absolutely!!! This month we were over 108 quilts short to send to the front line hospitals and Landstuhl hospital – where many of our wounded are treated. When it is done you can go to QOVF.org and request a destination.
~Alycia”
I would like to try this, but I don’t have a Tri Recs ruler, can I make it without the ruler? I do have a Lazy Angle ruler which I think does the same thing. Would it look OK if some of the colors were switched, say use red as background color and cream in place of the red, or some other combo?
“The hardest part about switching the background colors, is if you are going to take the upcoming quilting class you will have a harder time marking things, and being able to see your marks. I think a dark color in place of the background might overwhelm the design. But I am not the quilt police….
Looking at the Lazy Angle ruler I am going to venture a guess that yes it will work for the Tri Recs part of the mystery.
~Alycia”
Got the rulers yesterday. My son is in the Army, and he doesn’t like anyone making a fuss over him. (He’s an officer, and he says that stuff should go to the enlisted guys, as they deserve it more.) This is a way for me to honor him, without embarrassing him.
God bless him and please thank him for his service to our country!
I bought the tri rec tool. I find that in my stash, I have a big piece of red, and only smaller pieces of blue. Is it ok to switch the colors?
“I think this will be fine.. it will be fun to see how yours turns out!!! -Alycia”
Fabulous! I’m just finishing a QOV top and I love mysteries. Can’t wait to get started.
I live out in the country and don’t have easy access to quilt supplies. Can you do this quilt with the special rulers?
I have the material. Still looking for the ruler. Joann’s locally was out of them.
I have the tools. Shopping for the fabric!
Like Robin Maguire in one of the previous comments I’m switching red and blue due to my stash limitations. I was wondering if there is a Flickr group to follow along with what others are doing?
Hi Candace,
We don’t have a Flickr group to follow along, but please feel free to upload what you’ve been working on as a Craftsy project!
Thanks,
Katie
Have I missed the second part of the mystery quilt?
Hi Missie!
You can find the second part here. Check the Craftsy blog every Wednesday for the next step!
Thanks!
Katie
Just bought my tri-rec rulers. I’ve never done a mystery quilt before but I need a new adventure. Can’t wait.
I have my fabric ordered and also just ordered the rulers. I can’t wait to join in on the fun. Of course I’m running a little late. That does seem to be the way I work right now.
Just found you via Kimmy email. As a former military office I am very excited to do this. I have done some quilts of valor (QOV) and look forward to the challange. Thank you for all you do.
I have taken several Cratsy classes and am looking forward to doing this mystery quilt and taking the longarm quilting class to get it quilted as well. This will be my 2nd QOV quilt, and, since I am a veteran from the Viet Nam era, I hope to make at least one a year for our wounded military. It is important to make them feel their sacrifices are appreciated.
Can the red and blue be transposed? Our small quilt shop was limited in their choices and short on the blue.
Since I am behind, I see the pattern and will go ahead and transpose the colors. Ready to get started!
Hi,
Yes! You can use any colors you would like. The red white and blue colors were chosen by the instructor because of the popularity of the colors with soldiers.
How do you sign up for the quilting classes by Kim Brunner, and how much will they cost?
Hi! I’m not sure which quilting classes you are looking for, but you can find all of the Quilt classes on Craftsy.com by visiting this link: http://www.craftsy.com/classes/quilting
Just starting. I have signed up for Kimmys class and want to do the quilt as well.
Thanks for sharing
I just received the QoV kit. I am curious if anyone washed the fabric before quilting due to the rich, hand-dyed colors. I don’t want to finish the quilt and have the colors run! Just curious if anyone had an issue. Thanks.