My mother is an award winning artist and she taught me to use an odd number of items in a picture...one tree, three leaves, you get the idea. So the same should be fine in a quilt when deciding on rows.

I found out that I ran into a problem on my log cabin quilts -- with odd-numbered blocks - - but then, I'm really still a rank amateur when it comes to making quilts. Even though I've made three (or is it 4) in the past year, I'm still very much an amateur. Ordinarily, I think odd numbers are better.

Nesie, I don't know what the program in your area does, but I know people who went on the Honor Flight out of O'Hare that were given the quilts to keep. I work in a long-term care facility where we have WWII veterans who have gone on the Honor Flight. They talk about it with such joy & proudly show off the quilt they received. The women in particular, who often were not recognized for their service back in the 40's, seem to have been really moved by the whole experience.

What a wonderful gift that you can honor our veterans this way!

Wow, 36X36 is too small! The Honor Flight recipients receive a lap quilt/throw/lap robe; the 36X36 is a fairly standard baby quilt. I just made 2 quilts for the Honor Flight quilting group "Quilts from the Heart" in Colorado Springs. These quilts are 45" X 60". The pattern is the same: (1) 5 strips cut selvage to selvage and one 10 wide strip at the top and one 10" strip at the bottom. The strips should measure 8 1/2" finished. HOWEVER, that does not come up to 45" for me. SO, to make my life easy, using the rulers I have, this is what I do: USING MY 8 1/2" RULER, I cut 5 - 8 1/2" strips (3 - 5 five different patriot fabrics). USING MY 10 1/2" RULER, I cut two strips that are long enough to be attached to the bottom and top of these 5 long strips. The quilters in Colorado Springs said they use 45" fabric and cut it selvage-to-selvage. Alas, the fabric I buy is 42" wide. TO GET TO THE CORRECT WIDTH OF 45" FOR THE FINISHED PRODUCT, I cut 2 lengthwise 3" strips and add them as a small border on each side. I actually think this is much more attractive than just the 5 straight strips with two 10" pieces to and bottom. I think I am going to start cutting these long borders 2 1/2" rather than 3 so that I can easily my 2 1/2" x 24" ruler. I may come up a bit short in width, but not enough to matter. I use the standard 1/4" seam. HOPE THIS HELPS! Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

​A quilt is a treasure that follows its owner everywhere...