servicemen and women, using donated pieced star blocks. Moda planned to present the quilts, all based on a quilt flag pattern by designers Minick and Simpson on Flag Day, June 14th. They needed 1800 star blocks to make 100 quilts. So out went the call for volunteers.Twenty-eight Quiltsy members joined in and sent their blocks. Most had so much fun creating, they made and sent multiple blocks. Each block was signed with the creator's na
me and town so the recipients would feel the love from all over.
Participating Quiltsy Team members in the block donation project were: stashthis, rooee, Pamelaquilts, PeppersAttic, Springwaterdesigns, NannyGrans, handmadebyGiovanna, UniquelyNancy, Serenstitches, crazywickedstitch, ClubAloha, SallyManke, HeatherLairDesign, brenniequilts, DebiDesigns, KelSay, MoranartandQuilts, MooseCarolQuilts, fabricartist21, ladylikedesigns, anotherghostquilts, SuzyQquilts, susiquilts, atthebrightspot, ThreeCat, MurphysHouse, onesheeptw
osheep, and whimbrella.
Quiltsy Team member Ebony of LovebugStudios wrote about her experience quilting one of the 100 quilts. Read about it in her blog.
We all know quilters are generous. Moda knew this, though they might not have realized HOW generous. Instead of 1800 star blocks, they received over 12,000 star blocks -- instead of 100 quilts, they have enough stars for 1,000 quilts. Isn't that awesome? 
Quiltsy is starting a list of member quilters who are willing to help Moda finish up some of the remaining 900 quilts.
Dawn, of SpringWaterDesigns took her enthusiasm from this experience and designed a new patriotic quilt pattern that meets the specifications for Quilt of Valor donation quilts. See it and download her free pattern here.
For more information about the fabric industry's support of the QOV project, with links to the 9 specially designed fabric lines and many free patterns, click here.
7 comments:
Thank you so much for featuring this worthwhile project. Great listing.
A WTC Memorial Quilt project that started in Prescott Valley, AZ. in 2001.
Does anyone know where these quilts ended up? They need to re-surface now and be viewed during this 10th anniversary of this tragic event. What can we do to get these quilts into public view?
read below:
Immediately after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Amy Sue Leasure, an avid quilter, mother and police dispatcher from Prescott Valley, AZ., decided to create quilts dedicated to those who lost their lives in the attacks.
She set up a Web site and asked for donations of 12-inch, red, white and blue quilt squares in a star pattern with the intention that there would be a star for every victim. The squares were to be sewn into panels consisting of 25 squares, and 300 panels would be constructed to build the quilt. This meant that she would need 7,500 squares.
Amy received almost 20,000 squares from more than 30 countries!
Amy Sue Leasure died of cancer in 2002, and the project was put on hold. In January 2004, her family asked Brian Kohler to take over the project. Mr. Kohler said, “Amy’s husband delivered the quilt to Seattle, and I am now working with the help of volunteers on the many tasks necessary to complete the project.” Brian began his work with the quilt by assembling and quilting several of the main quilt panels, and now heads up the national project. “I didn’t lose anyone in the attacks,” he says, “but I needed a tangible way to process my feelings and emotions. The quilt has helped me and many others do that.” This project has become a symbol of peace, healing and remembrance.
Amy’s vision was for the quilt to go on a national tour and become part of a permanent exhibit in a museum, hopefully in New York City.
It's great to see what the final product looked like. Glad I could be a part of such a SUCCESSFUL project! Just goes to show how thoughtful and effective the quilting world is.
I'm sorry that your anonymous commenter has no contact info (unless you have an email for her/him). The quilt in question went to Seattle a couple of years after Amy died and a man named Brian Kohler worked on getting it a permanent home for a long time. It was displayed in Seattle a few years ago. I believe some people are working to get it into the permanent collection of a museum in NYC. They have a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/9-11-WTCPentagonPA-Memorial-Quilt/133717216674000?sk=wall). I was a friend of Amy's for 14 years until her death but had no involvement with the quilt other than to help pack up blocks for its transfer to Seattle in 2004. Now that the 10th anniversary of 9/11 is almost upon us, I would like to know more about its whereabouts, too.
That is just amazing! Quilts of Valor is a brilliant example of community support. Thanks for the posting.
Thank you for the update on this project. I found out about the project from my sister and sent in two blocks. Have been wondering how many they received and how many quilts they were able to assemble. That was amazing!
That is so cool. Quilters are the most generous people. I'm proud to be a quilter. I love to do quilting volunteer project to give back to the community. I didn't participate in this one, but I have down other things.
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