The gift wrapping that goes around your Quilt of Valor

You create a Quilt of Valor with Love to provide Comfort to wounded troops.

Wouldn't you want to wrap that gift for presentation?

Of Course!

First of all, thanks to all who participate in our “Block of the Month”. Your efforts really pay off. I’m nearly done with the instructions for our March block and it’s a good one. We’re doing a maple leaf block. It’s quick, easy and looks fantastic so I sure hope you enjoy it. In the mean-time I thought I would talk about our presentation bags.

Each Quilt of Valor we send out is lovingly placed in a bag with a “Quilt of Valor” letter to the recipient. We provide our warriors with drawstring bags as many of them like to hang the bag on their wheel chairs. This is a great use for some of the jean, corduroy, drapery or upholstery fabric that many of us have lying around from home projects. If you are local and do not have any of these materials, you can stop by and pick some up. We recently received a donation of fabric from a furniture shop so we have it on hand.

The instructions are quite simple. Each bag has a pocket included on the outside. Generally it’s about a 5” square pocket but whatever you want to make is fine. The bag itself is made from a 22” by 44” piece of fabric. You can serge or sew the sides up. Then turn down about a 2 – 2 ½” casing. Make sure that you left an opening on both sides for a drawstring.

Cut two pieces of drawstring approximately 55” in length. Start on one end of the bag and thread the drawstring through the casing all the way around. Tie it off. Then start on the other opening and thread it through. When you pull on both drawstrings it should cinch up.

If you want to make the bags but don’t have the drawstrings, just go ahead and send them, we’ll string them. Don’t worry if the bag is a little smaller or larger based on the size of the fabric you have. We do have some quilts that might be a little smaller or larger and we’ll match the bag with the quilt. This does not have to be exact. But we do need one for each soldier quilt. If you could even make one a month it would be fantastic. It takes only about 20 minutes to make one.

Thank you for all you do for our soldiers and our kids with pediatric illnesses. We also make pillow cases for the children. If you are interested in making those, let me know and I will post the instructions for the pillow cases.

Your efforts provide a great deal of joy and comfort to the people we serve.

Quilt on! And Sew On!

Kathy