Celebrating Memorial Day making my Quilts of Valor blocks

I got in a little sewing time over the Memorial Day weekend and was able to piece my Quilts of Valor (QOV) 10th anniversary blocks that my guild, the Choo Choo Quilters, are helping to make. With the fabric pieces pre-cut, the assembly line piecing goes quickly. Nine blocks are complete!

Quilts of Valor 10th anniversary quilt block.
8.5" unfinished size.

The QOV project is a wonderful way for all quilters to honor our American service men and women. If anyone would like to contribute a block or two to this project, visit the Quilts of Valor web site, and find an Under Our Wings Quilt Shop at which you can drop them off. There are several great quilt shops in Tennessee that are participating. Quilt blocks made with the 10th Anniversary block design can be submitted through November 2013. The Choo Choo Quilters will be accepting completed quilt blocks at the June 17 guild meeting. 

Free block and quilt patterns and other information is on the QOV web site. 

Quilts of Valor 10th Anniversary quilt block

My wonderful friends in the Choo Choo Quilters Guild (my local quilt guild) have offered to help me make quilt blocks for the Quilts of Valor project. We'll be using the 10th anniversary block pattern (shown here) with the assembly instructions below. 

The Choo Choo Quilters will collect completed blocks at the June 17 guild meeting so they can be sent to Dennis Taylor, Region 8 Tennessee Coordinator, who will be attending the Leadership Conference in Nebraska in July. 

Quilts of Valor 10th anniversary quilt block
8.5" square (unfinished size), 8" square (finished size)

Fabrics: Red, white or cream, blue
Cutting: four 2.5" squares BLUE, two 3" squares ALTERNATE BLUE, two 3" squares WHITE, four 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles RED.

Assembly: Use scant 1/4" seam allowance. Place white and blue 3" squares together right sides facing. Draw a diagonal line from corner to comer on the back of the two white squares. Stitch 1/4" seam on either side of the line. Cut the squares on the diagonal line and press open. Repeat for second set of squares. Square up to 2.5". (You have made two 2.5" half square triangles.)

Refer to the photo for color and unit placement. Sew the half square triangle units to the blue squares. Sew this unit to the red rectangle. Make 4 of these units. Assemble four units as shown in photo. The unfinished block (raw edge to raw edge) should be 8.5" square.

Guidelines:

• All blocks MUST be red, white or cream, and blue. You may mix these colors in any position. 
• Sign each block with your first name and state.
• Do not trim the blocks.
• Unfinished blocks (raw edge to raw edge) should be no smaller than 8.5" square. Adjust your seam allowances as necessary.

If you'd like to contribute a block or more, e-mail me and I will send you my address or Dennis' address. Blocks can also be made through November 2013 in honor of the 10th Anniversary and given to a local Quilts of Valor Group Leader or an Official Under Our Wings quilt shop. A downloadable PDF pattern of the 10th Anniversary block is available on the QOV web site here if you'd like to share it with your guild and quilting friends. Thanks for your assistance!