Carpenter Star - Quilts of Valor Blog Hop

Welcome to Creatin' in the Sticks

and 

my day in the 

Quilts of Valor Blog Hop.

Jennifer over at Dizzy Quilter is hosting this blog hop

and

Island Batik has been super generous and provided the fabrics

from the new

Freedom fabrics collection designed by Kathy Engle.

I've always wanted to participate in the 

Quilts of Valor Foundation.

The mission is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing 

Quilts of Valor.

My first step after joining the 13 other fellow 

Island Batik Ambassadors

to make quilts for our local

Quilts of Valor groups

was to check out the QOV Foundation website

for quilt requirements and ideas.

The first free pattern listed is a Carpenter Star quilt

which became the inspiration for my own design.

With this beautiful package of fabrics by

Island Batik

I decided to take advantage of the 10" x 10" precut squares

and

made 9 1/2" half square triangles.

I also used 2 yards of White Basic for either 9 1/2" squares or a few extra squares to make the half square triangles.

My Carpenter Star is 72" x 72"

and

is a great size for wrapping around the shoulders of a service member.

Hobbs provided the Ambassadors with batting

and I chose to use the Heirloom Natural Cotton Batting.

I quilted it on the Handiquilter with Glide thread in stars and loops with the pro stitcher.

It was moving to take pictures of the quilt

at the 

Veteran's Memorial here in Dodge City.

Be sure to visit the other

Island Batik Ambassadors

making quilts for the

Quilts of Valor Foundation.

July 1

Becca Fenstermaker — Pretty Piney

Denise Looney — For the Love of Geese

Gail Sheppard — Quilting Gail

July 2

Pamela Boatright — Pamela Quilts

Anne Wiens — Sweetgrass Designs

July 3

Bea Lee —Bea Quilter

Carla Henton — Creatin’ In the Sticks

July 4

Emily Leachman — The Darling Dogwood

Joan Kawano — MooseStash Quilting

Jen Strauser – Dizzy Quilter

July 5

Steph Jacobson — Steph Jacobsen Designs

Leah Malasky — Quilted Delights

Anja Clyke — Anja Quilts

Maryellen McAuliffe — Mary Mack Made Mine

As I was finishing the quilt, I reached out to my friend Joyce.

She just opened a quilt shop here and just became a Quilts of Valor shop.

Her shop, Birds of a Feather Quilt Shop, also has Island Batik fabric.

She provided the label pictured above and also wants to display the quilt

until the shop has it's first presentation ceremony and Carpenter Star will be given to a Veteran.

I snuck down and took a picture through the window of my quilt on display.

What an honor and I hope the quilt will encourage other quilters

to jump on board with more donations.

This has been such a great experience and I am so happy that someone touched by war will receive this quilt as a comfort. 

Thank you, Jen and Island Batik, for putting this blog hop together and including me.

 I hope to do more in the future.

I just love the Island Batik Freedom collection

and

there's just something about red, white, and blue.

Be sure and visit Jennifer Jennifer over at the Dizzy Quilter for an awesome giveaway!

Have a safe and happy 4th!