Question about Quilts of Valor
 

My Dad will turn 96 October 28. He is a WWII vet. I think a Quilt of Valor would be very meaningful for him.

I’ve only been quilting for a little more than a year and am not involved in a guild. I’m not sure of the protocol for QOV. I’m trying to decide if I should try to contact a local (to him) group, a local to me group, or maybe make him one myself. My skill set hasn’t matured past SITD, so I’d probably want to pay someone to do the quilting.

I googled it and did find a website dedicated to QOV. It included guidelines to make them, donate them, and request one for a veteran.

I’m a little worried about timeline for requesting one given his age.

I thought I would ask advice here. Is it kosher for me to make him one? Would it still be possible to get something that authenticates it as a QOV.......I think that recognition would mean something special to him. Should I contact a group in his area?

thanks in advance for your advice.

oh wow!! I hope that he gets one!! My LQS just started a quilts of valor chapter... but we are waaaay at the bottom of Indiana. If we were closer I would be sure that he was on our list

of course you can make one for him... but I completely understand your wanting the QOV being the top choice

I would definitely reach out to local group.

I'd suggest contacting a group in your area or in his. I know our local group puts a priority on awarding quilts to veterans who are older or who are in ill health. We also have a very nice ceremony for awarding the quilts - it can be done in a group setting (where usually 16 or 18 or more are awarded) or in a private setting (such as the veteran's home). If you decide to make one yourself, there are volunteer quilters across the country who will provide the batting and the quilting for you. I believe they are a little short-handed right now, but it's quite possible that a local group may be able to connect you with someone and get it done fairly quickly. Good luck!

A QOV made by you would be so meaningful. To keep it simple for yourself, I would suggest buying a patriotic panel and adding simple red, white, and blue blocks around the panel to enlarge it to the size you want. SITD or outline quilting would be fabulous. Pinterest has many ideas, like this one:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/284289795198600830/

Most quilting stores sell QOV panels like this one:
https://www.fabric.com/buy/0473835/k...anel-americana

Good Luck! And thank your dad for his service.

I went to QOVF.org website and read the policies and procedures information. Also used their group locator and it identified three groups in Ohio. None of them are near him in Dayton. Anyone aware of a group in the Dayton area?

Jane Quilter, I’ve seen some QOV quilts I think I could manage and then can take it to a longarm shop near me. But it wouldn’t have the ‘recognition’ I think he would find meaningful. I could make it and work with a local group to ‘award’ it. From reading at the official website, it seems there may be things that go with the QOVs that authenticate it.

First of all-I thank your Dad for his service. If you could possibly contact a quilt shop near him and see if they have a group that makes quilts for veterans and inform them of your situation. I know there is a quilt shop in a nearby town here that accepts QOV. I totally understand you wanting to have some "recognition" for him and that would be so special to him. Maybe someone on this board will come thru for you that is closer to him. Also, if you made a quilt for him, that would be special too. Any pattern in RWB would be great. Good luck in your search and hope everything works out for you.

I've talked with the QOV people, and those in my state are very willing to let someone make a quilt for a specific recipient. I'm working on one for a coworker Priest, and am putting religious symbols in it that are very meaning to him.

They have standards so you have to stick with that (quality fabric, minimum size) and want it to be presented in some sort of meaningful method. And they want documentation about it for their records.

They will also supply you a label so the quilt is officially a QOV quilt. And if they want you to join, it's like $5 a year so not a big deal.

Please thank your father for his service.

In my opinion, your dad would love a quilt made by you. It could be a lap quilt size and the pattern can be as simple as a rail fence in red white and blue. The quilting design can be stitch in the ditch or tacked by machine to speed up the process if time is a factor. Our guild makes quilts for Veterans as part of our charity programs. (Quilts for Veterans is on our labels) We have given the quilts at a church service where the boy scouts present the quilts folded up neatly and handed to the veterans one by one.

Dear Blueridgebeverly, I am a member of Georgia's Own QOV and piece QOV quilt tops. It is absolutely OK for you to make your father's quilt. I, like others, think it would be so special to him to have a QOV made for him by his daughter. You may award the quilt in whatever setting, etc., you chose. Just make sure you place a label on the back stating it is a QOV, etc. QOV website has alot of helpful info. And also google Quilts of Valor for patterns, info, etc. Just make sure that if your father is awarded a QOV, go to the QOV website and under the tab "Take Action" click on "Report a Quilt of Valor Award" so that his quilt will be registered with the organization and counted in the tally for number of quilts awarded.
Thank your father for his service! (My father was also a WWII veteran - Greatest Generation) And by all means, go ahead and make him a quilt as unfortunately most QOV groups have backlogs and it might take awhile to have one presented if you request online......and did you know that you can join QOV online as an individual? Our organization needs all the help we can get. Best wishes. Linda

My guild makes QOV also. I would make one yourself. There are patterns on the QOV website and also all over Pinterest. As others have said you can register it on the QOV website. You add a label to the back identifying it was a QOV. You can really make it any way that you like. Some people like to do a small presentation ceremony. You can do it with family or friends. If he is a member of the local veterans organization. You could do the presentation there.

My 93 year old veteran cousin was gifted with a Quilt of Valor recently and it was a very moving experience. We all crid and then we all smiled.

Thanks, everyone, for your encouragement and ideas! I looked at the QOVF official site locator and found a shop within 30 minutes of me. I’ve emailed them to ask for their help. I would like to make the quilt for him and hopefully they can help me out.

I also emailed a quilting guild near my Dad’s home to ask if they make and award QOV. I thought they may also be able to help me with a quilt label and a letter or card to accompany the quilt.

I will tell him you all thanked him for his service. He will be very honored.

Sothernmema, thanks for the suggestion that I join as an individual. I am going to do that. I’m proud to be involved in anyway that I can.

Since a QOV sounds like a difficult proposition for you and your father, consider contacting the local VFW and ask them for help with the presentation of the quilt you made? They do lots of little things for veterans and this might be right up their alley. They might even help you with the presentation, using their space, so your family can witness the presentation. You are not out anything for asking...

I would certainly contact a local QOV chapter … It has been my experience that there isn't a "number" of veterans that they honor with quilts but more limited on the number of quilts they receive to use in honoring the vets. I would think if you provided the quilt that they would certainly honor your dad. Good luck!

I am in N.C. and our guild would want to know about Your dad ASAP. With his age, his name would go to the top of the list. There is a special day for the quilt giving and a super nice ceremony is set and the veterans are invited. I think you should contact your guild and allow them the honor to do this for him.You may still make the top and then a pro. quilter could do the quilting. This way it would be a gift with extra special meaning.This way your dad gets the recognition he deserves.

At some fabric store of which I cannot remember where, I bought the labels for QOV quilts. Like a yard or less. If I could find them, I would cut one and send it. I think I have a special place for them. I will have to look.

There is a Quilt of Valor: 50 States Salute magazine that Quiltfolk (GREAT quilt magazine that includes history of each state relating to quilting) has suggested. It is published by the Quilts of Valor Foundation and will be released October 18. Amazon has it for pre-order for $17.38. Also, here is the Quilts of Valor Foundation website: https://www.qovf.org/

I got one for my DH last year. I contacted the QAV website and they had a local chapter contact me. They presented it at a dinner for retired LEO's we belong to. It didn't take too long after they contacted me. I think it was about two months but that was partly due to the timing of the dinner.

Please thank your Dad for his service to keep us all free! I am active in a local guild in Alabama, and we make 15-30 quilts every year to be presented locally at Fort Rucker. We also do individual quilts when needed. Our group attends the presentation and the quilts are wrapped around the shoulders of the veterans (and current service men and women as well). There isn't a dry eye in the house! If you are going to make your Dad a quilt, make it any size or color or style you think he would like. The specifications on the website are because they need to conform to a standard to be presented to a group, and no one want a tiny quilt, or purple and yellow, when others are getting large rwb quilts! Also helps for handling, etc. We require a matching pillow case (later used for the vet) to store the quilts in to keep them clean and stackable, but you don't have to do that. I am in the process of making a quilt with embroidered squares for a friend's brother. When it is completed I will call the local qofv coordinator and get a few people together to make the presentation at his home. It can be very simple or elaborate, as you wish. It is a great honor to serve these men and women that have served their country.