On our final day as Quilts of Valor “coaches and rookies”, we met with Island QoV coordinator, Ellen Graf, to measure and sew the binding on our quilts. In the time since the quilt tops were finished in March, they have travelled to a number of volunteer longarm quilters in Wisconsin where the top, batting and backing were stitched together with various quilting designs (stars, flags, curved lines and more) then returned for the last steps. Today the binding was sewn on by machine and the final hand stitching will be done at home.
There were a lot of busy hands in the Sophie Studio today!
Ellen Graf, center, demonstrates how to measure before trimming the quilt.
L to R – Pat Clarke (Rookie) and Kathleen Morris (Coach) working with the binding on their quilt.
Quilt by Jennifer Munao
Deb Anderson sewing a presentation case.
Dianna Young (Rookie) finishes the binding on her quilt.
Just a few of the quilts ready for the final hand stitching. Note the smiling faces!
L to R-Peg Nikolai (Rookie), QoV, Anne Delwiche (Coach)
L to R – Linda Henkel (Coach), QoV, Carolyn Foss (Rookie)
L to R -Connie Westbrook (Rookie), QoV, Ann Young (Coach)
Each team also made a presentation case (similar to a pillow case) for their quilt with guidance from one of the coaches, Nancy Thiele. Within the next several weeks, teams will be visiting the organizations that sponsored this year’s event, sharing more about their experience and showing their finished quilts. After that, each quilt will be distributed. Some are planned to be given locally, some regionally and some sent to the national Quilts of Valor organization.
It doesn’t end there…with the fabric remaining from our sewing days in March, the Trinity Quilters have made two quilt tops and are working on more Quilts of Valor. In addition, there is already discussion about and some funds raised for next year’s event, planned for approximately the same time and held again in the Sievers Studio.
