Our Last Workshop for 2011

Our last Workshop of 2011 was a memorable one!  I’ll try and explain a little of our day:

First, we all got together and decided what projects we were going to work on and who would do what.  We had to select 19 QOH to be presented at an awards ceremony on December 30^th.  After the quilts were selected, I took pictures while Carl held them.  Barbara logged them out on the computer database.  Jan, Shirley and Dianne attached the fabric envelopes holding our QOH thank you letter to the quilts, folded each quilt and placed them in their presentation cases.

Our next task was making pillowcases (presentation cases) for the different branches of the service.  Each case would have either an Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine emblem.  Barbara and Edy brought their sergers – they cook on those machines!  Carl, Mom Belmont and Flo cut fabrics and they were off and running.  Carl and Edy decided to call our workshops “Gail’s sweatshop”.

In the meantime, Myra and Sheila were stitching bindings on quilts and Marsha and Linda were sewing on labels and making more fabric envelopes.  Maryann and Barbara cut backings for tops waiting to be quilted.  So, as you can see, we didn’t stop.  Everyone was busy!

I made stew for lunch and Carl brought an awesome corn chowder soup.  And of course we never go without deserts like brownies, pies, cakes and cookies.

As an added special event, we honored a Marine Purple Heart recipient from Lockeford, CA – Wash, as he is known to most people.  Wash was wounded in 1944 and came home on a hospital ship to San Francisco.  When he woke up in the hospital after being wounded he said he thought he was in heaven – everything was white.  Wash told us some great stories and to hear these stores from a war hero was an honor.  The one story that I’m sure we will always remember was about a 4 year old girl who lived in Guam.  Wash had given her a rag doll his mother had sent him from the States.  Sixty years later, Wash tried to find the little girl who was now a grown woman.  Well, guess what.  They found each other and are now friends and his story and that rag doll are a part of history.  Our other guest was Col. West, also a Marine and a Purple Heart recipient who was awarded a QOH in November.  He wanted to be with Wash to see him honored.  Both Marines told everyone in the room how Honored they were to receive a quilt and that they were going to show their quilts to everyone.

We completed 17 pillowcases (presentation cases), prepared 19 quilts to be awarded, bound 4 quilts, and boxed two quilts for shipping.  I would say we went out with a bang to end 2011.

I want to thank all of you who continue to support us and for the donations that help us continue our mission whether it be embroidery thread, fabric, olives, wine, Bunco gifts, pomegranates, books or money.  It all helps support us throughout the year.

Stay tuned for 2012!

God Bless and Happy New Year,
Gail

Preparing Quilts for Shipping

Mom Belmont and Marsha working on pillowcases

Guests at the December Workshop

Gail presenting QOH to Richard Washburn

Richard Washburn and his QOH

T-Shirt celebrating the Liberation of Guam in WWII

Richard Washburn, Flo and Col. West

4 Marine Veterans — WWII, Vietnam, Korea, WWII

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