By the time I read this thread, you said you had it covered. I, too, would like to say God bless all of you who are helping. I'm sitting here with tears running down my cheeks at the wonderful, loving, caring people on this board. I would have loved to have helped too. Bluelady, please do follow up and let us know how things turn out! Our servicemen and women deserve whatever we can do to brighten their days while they are protecting our Country.

Wonderful people on this board!
Sorry I can't help. Maybe one day when my sewing becomes faster and my shoulder is more mobile and less painful.
God bless everyone that helps, not just here on the QB but all the nice helpful people in the world.

I just hope I can get some pictures of when the quilts arrive. I will definitely share any news I get. It is such a scary time to be over there...

I am so excited to get started when I get home today. I was off at a sewing class last night and part if today. I will be home to my stash and able to sort through my Blues tonight. I have so many ideas flowing in my head, but I have to be realistic with the timeframe. Plus I will be quilting on my DSM myself! Maybe my new twister tool will get used on this one?? I feels so great about this! God bless everyone helping and those who couldn't but are supporting us with your thoughts and prayers! Thank you so very much!!

Thank you for your kind words! It does look like we will get the quilts done in time! I had to put aside several other projects to get mine done, but I think I made the right choice. Hate to think that anyone of the boys would be missed.
Your prayers are always appreciated too! :)

Once again, I see that the people on this quilting board are amazing when it comes to helping out. I applaud all of you. It brought tears to my eyes to see the response.....

She won't learn a lesson esp if all of the quilts are done in two weeks. Next year the request could be higher. I would highly stress to her the timliness of her request was unrealistic. Is there a Quilts of Valor organization that she could make her request??? They may have inventory to spare.

Sandy

If a new Christmas 2013 project could be planned with details in full after the new year I think many of us would be able to make quilt blocks and send them in, maybe by June, without any pressure giving you plenty of time to finish the quilts for the service people. Just a thought.

And let us not forget our neighbors who are victims of 'Sandy'.

i have 4 tops made already you are welcome to them. they are not the colors you were asking for they are scrappy....and not the sizes but you can add to them. the sizes are 51x39....46x35....36x52....54x73. i don't know how to post pics here so if your interested please pm me with your emal addy if you want to see them

I have done a lot of service quilts and they were strip quilts, I'm binding one right now. The strips are much faster to put together and we put the names on the quilts so they would know who they went to. Teaching my a class today and don't know if I would get time to make one.

Cookie64

Here are the measurement Center panel 41" x 20 1/2" Strips around panel, side is 3 1/2" top and bottom around panel is 5 1/2" then around that would be 6" = 40 x 62 to make the size you want just add more strips.

Cookie64

I have a strippieced snowball in all reds/whites with black/white borders, batting and backing to send to you. Sorry I can't quilt it for you but my apparatus is malfunctioning big-time. Send me your snail addy in a private email and I will get this off to you doublequick! BertieD

such wonderful giving quilters out there. Thanks ladies for all you do to help others (me including with my dolls for sick kids) Because of you children got dolls that otherwise would not have.) 123 so far.

I would love to help but 2 weeks is just not anything i can do. I am so sorry. I hope maybe some other people have tops ready to go. I definitely think you will need more time.

Yes, yes!!!!! That would be fantastic! I'd love to help out..esp. if I could send a quilt to a place in Germany to an APO and they could mail it for free. I wonder if the American Embassy would do that. :) Does anyone know?

I think it is a great idea and I understand about the color thing. That is the reason I started wanting to give the Polish ladies quilts--I felt like everyone needs something pretty in their homes!

I've been thinking about this thread since I first read it. Why would anyone make a blanket 65" long for an adult male? I'm 5'4" and it would be too short for me. I want a bit under my feet and enough to pull up around my shoulders.

Who comes up with these measurements"? Even 6' would be short for most men.

I read this with tears running down my face. You ladies (men) on this board are the best. Unfortunately I can't helpnthis time, but will be more than willing in the future to help. God bless you all.

For many of us, 45 x 65 is a lap size or crib size quilt.

For what I call couch quilts - some people in my household tend to fall asleep on the couch - I like at least 65 x 85 - actually 70 x 90 works out quite well. I'm short - 5'3" - and I like to be covered from end to end - and when it's chilly, I even like to have it almost all the way over my head.

Sounds like you have this covered. I just finished up 19 baby Christmas quilts that I started 3 weeks ago. Fortunately I had a couple friends help me get the bindings on this weekend. I am washing them to turn in Tuesday morning. I probably could have help you out.

God love her, her heart was/is in the right place. And bless you and all your helpers in your quest.

Reading through this I was thinking I could donate the brown/blue quilt I was going to give to my dh for Christmas but it sounds like you have it all worked out now. PM me if you decide you want it. It still needs to be quilted and bound.

Just saw your post tonight. If I can help, I know time maybe to late now, but if I can I would.
I have a mid-arm quilting machine, I'm not the best at it, but I'm not the worst either. ( or at least I Like to think so).
Good luck and PM if I can help!

It is the military that came up with the measurements. The quilt is to be a cot cover, it cannot hang down over the edges. Their blankets have to be tucked in all around their cot and the quilt could go on top. Again, these quilts are designed to help provide warmth but more importantly they are for the boys moral, to provide color and cheer, to show them our appreciation, to let them know they are not forgotten.
So in order to comply with military requirements on the beds being made in a proper fashion, nothing can hang down over the edges. Therefore the sizes of the quilts need to fall into the guidelines given.
Thank you again for everyone's help in getting these quilts out. :):) God bless.

Plus, I think if anything hangs over edge of the beds, it makes it easier for weird spiders and other nasty bugs to hide out...

I can understand nothing hanging over the edges, but 65" won't even touch the toes.

Please tell me we are not expecting our soldiers to sleep on cots less than 6' long.

The military's regulations must be followed or the quilts cannot be used, which would be a waste of everyone's time and talents.

No one mentioned the soldier's sleeping on too small cots.

.

This made me LOL!

Can this deadline be pushed back a few weeks? To give everyone involved the time to complete the projects without stressing out about it.One thing I have learned being a disabled person, is that sometimes a person simply can't get everything done as we would wish. As you say, in your post, your former DIL just decided to do this, why the short deadline. My advice, do what you can, but, don't wear yourself out in the process. Good luck!

So all the other families who have sent real quilts to their soldiers have had to give them up? Why make a quilt that only covers a portion of a cot? I read between the lines. If 6' hangs over, then the cot is smaller than 6'

My top is done! Now to sandwich and quilt. Hope to have it in the mail on Tuesday. Will post photo when done! Gotta Go!!!

My quilt is coming along but it's turning out 5" larger than the size asked for on length and width!! Frustrating especially since I didn't do borders. I could cut the block sizes down I guess. I wanted it to be nice and not something that looked like I threw it together, so I used smaller blocks than 9". I just got started today since I was out of town this weekend and will have the top done tomorrow. Do you think that 50x70 will be bad? I even checked with my own soldier husband and said it would be ok. But I want to keep it straight since I would be greatly disappointed if they didn't let him keep it.

Scratch my last post. I had brain drain and counted wrong. Right now w/o borders it is 50x60--DUH! So I'm thinking to add just top and bottom borders to get to the 65" or maybe I'll take it up to 70 w/ 5" top and bottom borders? Not too sure. I really hope he likes this!!!

The soldiers are given the bedding they need in the barricks and it must be used so it is all the same just as their uniforms. Be happy they are allowed to have a small quilt on their cot to remind them they are not forgotten by their families and friends back home. Love is not measured in the length of the quilt.

DONE!!! (well, except for the label.....) and it won't win any awards at Paducah, but that's gotta be the fastest finish time on a quilt for me. It will be in the mail tomorrow!

My mistake. I assumed all along the quilts were meant to be used for warmth. I had no idea they were only expressions of love.

Can't help it - have decided to jump into the middle of this - there is no such this as "only" expressions of love.

I love the colors and think it is a beautiful quilt. :-)

Please don't try to read between the lines. Because there is nothing there to read. I am sorry that you must put your own spin on this, but the fact is the military has set guidelines on "personal" items.Take it up with your congressman if it displeases you. Please don't try to denigrate what we are doing here. What we are trying to do is provide some cheer from home for these boys. The quilts, though considered lap size, ARE real quilts. They will help provide warmth as side benefit, but more importantly they provide a moral boost.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate the love and help from the generous souls here on the board who are helping to provide these quilts in the spirit of support and love for our troops who are in harm's way.
Thank you again and God Bless you.

It looks wonderful!!!! Thank you so much! It will truly brighten up PFC Hulbig's day!!