Veteran's Day Salute - and Two Free Patterns!

This is a post I made about 3 years ago and I think it should run again. Today is a sobering day as we remember what happened so many years ago!

Thank you to all the United States veterans and their families for your service. Freedom is NOT free; it always costs someone and we must never take it for granted. I love this country and all it stands for. We just have to overlook the warts and change the things that can be changed. We're human, after all, and even our founders realized that. So, thanks to all of you veterans!

Today I want to highlight as many of the Americana posts as I can remember.

Stitched and hand quilted about 25 years ago

One of those was in the first year I was blogging. I share a quilt I made and then gifted to a family that lost their precious son in Iraq. While I shared it on Memorial Day, the quilt is still appropriate. This is an easy quilt to reproduce. While you may not have that "wavy" red and white stripe, any red and white stripe will do. Easy appliqué. The pattern appeared in Quilt Magazine several years ago.

Americana Quilt with Hearts

I love fabrics that remind me of historic prints. Coverlets do that and I've created some quilts using reproduction coverlets. A FREE pattern for this quilt is available at the Windham Fabrics site.

Reproduction USA flag using coverlets from Windham Fabrics

And how about a real patriotic quilt with a regal eagle in the center? I designed this for Windham Fabrics, it appeared in my 2014 Wall Calendar of Quilts and my nephew Blair saw it and said, "That's so cool, Aunt Debby." I said, "Would you like it?" You know what his answer was, don't you? Of course! And you can have the pattern for this, too! Click the link to go to the blog page and follow the link to Windham Fabrics. FREE PATTERN FOR REGAL EAGLE!

Regal Eagle in the Patriot's Day Quilt

While this next one isn't exactly Americana, the colors are. This appears in my 2nd book, Supersize 'Em Quilts. Yes, they are all rotary cut stars; no templates!

Farmhouse West Stars. 19" rotary cut blocks; 92" x 92" quilt

Another fabric collection was U.S.A. by Windham and I used three blocks from my Block a Day Calendar (Martingale), super-sized them to 18" and made a banner for the Fourth of July. Do you remember this?

Hey, Hey USA Banner

 Let's see each of the blocks, huh? The first is Old Glory Star, 18" square. Can you see my quilting? I had fun with those free form stars in the white triangles!

Old Glory Star

 This block is called New York. I love making this block. Easy rotary cut and stitch.

New York

 And the bottom block is Yankee Charm.

Yankee Charm

My Hey, Hey USA is a pattern at my Craftsy site. It includes a picture of the entire banner and then 3 pdf pages for the blocks. These are large, 18" blocks and are fairly simple to stitch.

And how about some awesome projects made by my friend Jeannine who is a 20 year Army vet. She is my walking buddy and also does some amazing sewing.

Not one, but TWO wall banners. These are really beautiful in person.

Two wall banners she made using the same collection as I did for my banner

 Basket liner and mug rug . . .

Beautiful basket liner and mug rug

 Pouch with key fob . . .

Look at the detail on this zippered pouch with key ring! In my dreams!

 Mug rug . . .

And another mug rug

Thanks to Jeannine for seeing that not every piece of fabric needs to be a quilt!