AHQ Fabric!

American Hero Quilt fabric will be available through Clothworks!! Below is a message from the fabric designer, Karen Roti:

We are pleased to announce that AMERICAN HERO QUILTS is producing a new line of fabrics in honor of our American Military and the work of American Hero Quilts.

The new line was just presented at the International Quilt Exposition in Houston, Texas over last weekend and was a big hit!

The secret to the fabric is that it is being produced in 108" width so that it will speed the completion of the backs on all those lovely quilts. The patterns are appropriate for all American Heros, including all branches of the military, firemen, policemen, medic, or any type of service personnel.

Two patterns in different colors are being produced. (See picture above.) You can call Clothworks in Seattle to pre-order and fabric will be delivered to retailers in April 2011. Please call Clothworks to order as the fabric is so new, it isn't even up on the website yet. 1-800-874-0541

A special thanks to Clothworks for their commitment to American Hero Quilts. Samples of the fabric design are attached.

We are so excited to have fabric designed specially for our quilts and are looking forward to having another way of spreading the message about the American Hero Quilt Project. Encourage your quilt shop to order some today!

AHQ at Innovations Tacoma

It was a good outing at Innovations, A MachineQuilting Cconference in Tacoma. Almost 100 quilts were turned in and labels sewn on them so they are ready for delivery to the injured service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Thanks to everyone who helps in the American Hero Quilts Project.

Upcoming AHQ Sew Days

Sorry for the late reminder but here are changed dates for sew days through the end of the year for Jackson Park:
Jackson Park - Bremerton - 10 to 2
Oct. 4 - tomorrow-Monday
Nov. 1
Dec. 6

Other upcoming sew days:
Pacific Fabrics - East Bremerton 1 to 7
Oct. 5 - Tuesday
Nov. 2
Dec. 7

Pacific Beach Conference Center - Pacific Beach, WA
Oct. 10, Sunday 9 to 9 or ?
Oct. 11, Monday 9 to 6

Mark your calendars for 2011 Sew Days at Pacific Beach
April 10 & 11
June 5 & 6
Oct. 2 & 3

For more information about any of the above sew days please contact Ione Ewert Whitney at 360-908-4692

And also a reminder for those in the South end:
Evergreen Quilting
4106 South M Street
Tacoma, WA 98418
253-476-9800
AHQ Sew Days on the 4th Sunday of the month 10 o'clock

Stanwood Hero Quilters' Sew Day - August 21

Our next Sew Day is Saturday August 21st at the Stanwood Senior Center from 10-4 in the Social Room. 7430 276th St NW in Stanwood. For information contace Sharon Szekely 360-387-4800, sharonsseams2b@peoplepc.com

Our Upcoming Sew Days:

Sept 18th, Standwood Senior Center

Oct 23rd, Stanwood Senior Center

Nov 20th, Aunt Mary's Quilt Shop, Smokey Point

http://community.webshots.com/user/sharonsseams2b
http://sharonsseams2b.blogspot.com

Quilts from Debbie Mumm

We were thrilled when Debbie Mumm mentioned American Hero Quilts in her recent quilt book "I Care With Quilts." After the book came out, Debbie sent us the quilt "Stars of Honor" pictured on page 74.

We felt that there were several options for this wonderful quilt. We could use it for a while when we gave talks about American Hero Quilts. We could raffle it to raise money. We could send it to a wounded warrior. We realized that Debbie and her organization should have a say as to what she would like to see happen to the quilt.

Just as we were getting ready to ask her, we received notice of a young man horribly wounded and his mom was asking for a quilt for him. We told Debbie about him as an example of where the quilt could go. What a generous woman she is. She sent us a second quilt to send to the young man and told us to use the first for talks and a raffle.

Kudos to Debbie Mumm and her generous heart.

If you haven't see the book "I Care With Quilts" be sure to check it out. It is wonderful. As you can see by the pictures the quilts are lovely.

- from Sue

Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters - June 26

The Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters will be meeting on Saturday June 26th from 10-4 at the Stanwood Senior center.

7430 276th St NW Stanwood.

We will be working with 5" squares making quilt borders. There will also be some quilts that need bindings hand sewn.

Always good food & fun!

Contact Sharon Szekely 360-387-4800

sharonsseams2b@peoplepc.com

Thank you from a soldier's wife

At 6:30 one morning, toward the end of April 2010, Sue, the founder of American Hero Quilts received a phone call. Sue answered and the lady at the other end of the line asked if this was American Hero Quilts. Sue replied that yes, it was. The lady said "I want to tell you a story about my husband and his quilt."

He got wounded someplace in Afghanistan. When he got home his quilt had notes pinned to it.
The first note said "Dear Soldier, you were given this quilt at Bagram AFB. Be well, you are a hero." From there he went to Germany and was there for quite some time.

The second note said, "It was an honor to care for you. Your quilt is beautiful. As the quilt says, you are a hero. " The 3rd note is from Andrews AFB, it said "Welcome home hero, your quilt is beautiful. Thank you for serving our country." Then he went to LeJune. That note says, "It was an honor to take care of you."

Though he likely wouldn't remember much of that trip, his quilt became a chronicle of his journey home.

The lady said her husband was home now and Sue asked how they were doing. She replied, "It's easier to take care of my husband now that we have a hospital bed at home. But today was a good day, I think he recognized his mom." She wanted to know how to wash the quilt. She didn’t want to ruin it. Sue told her several ways to wash it and told the lady if the quilt was ruined to call and another quilt would be sent. The lady’s response was, "Oh no, that wouldn’t do, it wouldn’t be this quilt. My husband won’t let go of his quilt."

An amazing reminder of our purpose. Thank you to the AHQ volunteers. Please check back for upcoming sew days and other AHQ events. If you are interested in learning more about American Hero Quilts or would like information on how you can help, please visit our website at http://www.americanheroquilts.com/.

Sewing group at Pacific Beach

Thanks, Everyone, for a wonderful couple of days. We had quilts at every stage of the process, and managed to get a ton of work done. Many quilts started, and several finished and ready to send in. How inspiring to be with so many dedicated AHQ quilters! See you in October!

Pacific Beach AHQ Sew Days

Cassie was a young helper who designed her first quilt block. Thank you for your help, Cassie!




We are having a great time sewing by the ocean. We had 20 people participate today and are looking forward to another productive day tomorrow. We finished two quilt tops from scratch, finished two that had been started previously, and have 9 quilts in progress. We even got bindings put on three quilts so they are totally ready to go. We will keep you posted on our progress tomorrow!

Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters - Saturday, April 17

The Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters will be meeting on Saturday April 17th at Aunt Mary's Quilt Shop at Smokey Point from 10:30-4. 3323 169th Place NE, Suite 1. We'll be working on tops, backs and binding. Always good food and lots of fun! Hope to see you there.

Contact Sharon Szekley 360-387-4800

sharonsseams2b@peoplepc.com

AHQ Pacific Beach Sew Days - April 18-19, 2010

We will be heading to Pacific Beach again this weekend for another American Hero Quilts sew in. Join us on Sunday April 18 or Monday April 19 at the Pacific Beach Conference Center. If you would like more information you can email ione@ionewhitney.com or call Ione Whitney at 360-908-4692.

Quilt Delivery to Madigan

Last week I had the honor of delivering 100 American Hero Quilts to Madigan. Yes, 100 quilts can fit in an Impala but no passengers. It was a beautiful spring day for a ride on the ferry.


Julie brings out the laundry cart and all the quilts fit in it.

Judy and Julie took the filled cart into the hospital and quilts will be delivered to the wounded warriors. Notice the tree in bloom. It was a clear day and behind the covered walkway you could see Mt. Rainier.

This was my first solo trip to deliver quilts to Madigan. When I thought about how many people are part of making these quilts, it made it all the more special to make this delivery. I am glad to be part of this group.

- Posted by Ione

Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters

The Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters are meeting on Saturday March 20th at the Stanwood Senior Center from 10-4. The address is 7430 276th St NW. We meet in the Social Room next to the Thrift Store. We will have quilt piecing as well as bindings to sew on. Always good food & fun! Contact Sharon Szekely 360-387-4800 or sharonsseams2b@peoplepc.com

March 8 - Sew Day at Jackson Park

There will be an AHQ Sew Day at Jackson Park Community Center/Chapel, Bremerton, WA, on Monday, March 8 from 10am to 2pm.

For more information please call Ione 360-908-4692.

We look forward to seeing you!

Special Thanks from the 455th CASF

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE 455TH CASF

Dear American Hero Quilters,

On behalf of the 455th CASF currently deployed to Bagram Airfield, here in Bagram, Afghanistan. I just want to express our sincere gratitude for a box we recently received from you! On request for additional blankets, ask and you shall receive, we were beyond surprised and touched when a box of your quilts arrived!

Although I know your quilts were not directly intended to arrive at our doorstep, they are going to some of the most deserving wounded warriors in the world right now. Our CASF, or Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility is responsible for the reception of all patients needing higher levels of medical care for the entire theater of Afghanistan. Wounded troops are sent here from the outlying areas as part of the rapid escalation of care for those wounded in combat. However our primary mission and responsibility is to ensure these heroes get started on their journey home. The first stop on that journey for these soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines is Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany. We plan, and coordinate at least five flights out to Germany a week ensuring excellent medical care is continued from the ground her in Bagram to the air while in transport. We prepare their records and ready their needed medications, equipment and supplies for the eight hour trip. We then lift every litter, and bring every patient out to the aircraft they will start their long road to recovery on, which is where your quilts have come into play.

As we have fully entered the winter months here in Afghanistan, the cold weather is felt by all, but none more than the wounded warriors we transport. Each night as we load up patients to fly out, they spend a fair amount of time outside enroute to the aircraft. The aircraft used for these trips stays quite cold for the long trip, so each patient leaves our CASF with a blanket of some kind in hand. On behalf of everyone here at the CASF, it has been an absolute privilege to place your quilts on some of our most severely wounded troops since your box arrived. The looks on their faces as they realize the handmade blankets are theirs to keep has been priceless. And although many of our patients are unaware they are even being sent to Germany due to their condition, it warms our hearts to send them with a patriotic gift from home when we can’t send them with much else.

Your quilts have undoubtedly touched thousands since you began your endeavor. I just wanted you to know how far and wide your beautiful works of art are reaching, even to the mountains of Afghanistan. We cannot thank you enough for your support of our mission, but most importantly our wounded heroes we are honored to care for.

Sincerely,
Elsie
1LT, Army Nurse Corps
455th CASF, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan

“No duty is more urgent that that of returning thanks”
Authur unknown

The Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters

The Stanwood-Camano Hero Quilters' next sew day is Saturday February 20th at the Stanwood Senior Center from 10-4. We meet in the Social Room next to the Thrift Store. The address is 7430 276th St NW Stanwood. For more information contact Sharon Szekely 360-387-4800, sharonsseams2b@peoplepc.com

We meet once a month usually at the Senior Center. A couple times a year at Aunt Mary's Quilt shop at Smokey Point. We always have lots of fun & good food. We also have a small cookbook of our favorite "sew day" recipes for sale.

News from Afghanistan

Sue writes:

The first shipment of quilts made it to Afghanistan! The superintendent responsible for staging at Bagram wrote to say that they were thrilled by the quilts. He said that "They are one of the most impressive patriotic things I have seen in my 23+ years of service.

An EMT aboard one of the medi-vac planes wrote to say that he wished he had been allowed to take pictures. He said that the wounded warriors were all covered with our quilts and it was a fabulous sight to see. Several of them read the label and just smiled.

I couldn't be more thrilled. This is what it is all about.

Upcoming AHQ Events - Vashon Island Sew-A-Thon and Pacific Beach Retreat

Vashon Island Quilt-a-thon:

There will be a quilt-a-thon for American Hero Quilts on Jan. 25, 26, 27 at the VFW hall on Vashon Island. The hall is at the top of Morgans Hill on Vashon Highway, just north of Burton. We will start at 9am and go until we drop. Please bring 2 1/2" strips of red, white and blue fabric and of course your sewing equipment. Please bring a lunch so that you can eat when you want to. For more info you can reach me (Margaret Bickel) at 206-567-4142 or at margbickel@aol.com


Pacific Beach Retreat:

A two day American Hero Quilt Retreat will be held at Pacific Beach Conference Center, Pacific Beach, WA, on Sunday, January 31, and Monday, February 1, 2010. For more information email ione@ionewhitney.com or call Ione Whitney at 360-908-4692.

We hope to see you at these events!