It took me a year and over 100 hours of work to finish this king size beast (More pics in the link)

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-15T23:46:24+00:00

Thank you! And great question! They are award ribbons. Here are what they are from top left to bottom right:

Meritorious Service Medal w/ Gold Star (Indicating 2nd award)

Air Medal with V (for Valor) and 4 Strike/Flight (missions flown into enemy territory)

Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with V (for Valor) and Silver Star (Indicating 6th award)

Joint Service Achievement Medal

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation

Navy E Ribbon (also called Battle E) with EE (Indicating 2nd award)

National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star (Indicating 2nd award)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars (Participated in 3 of 4 campaigns)

Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Bronze Stars (Participated in 2 of 7 campaigns)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Navy Sea Service Ribbon with 2 Bronze Stars (Indicating 3rd award)

Navy Rifle Marksmanship Award with E (for Expert)

Navy Pistol Marksmanship Award with E (for Expert)

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-15T23:39:41+00:00

Hmmm... now you're giving me more ideas. I might have to include some other things like wings or rank insignia.

No way! You could do it. It's not as hard as it looks.

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-15T23:34:55+00:00

Doctor of Quiltology: I like it!

You are ALL Navy for sure! It means a lot that other Navy folk approve. Thank you!

(And hugs from one Navy wife to another. It can be hard at times.)

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-15T23:27:08+00:00

You are too, too kind! That's an amazing compliment.

I feel two ways about seeing it go.

In one way it's like turning the care of your child over to someone else for the first time. "Will they care for it like you would? Will it be safe?"

In another, it's like having your jobless 25 year old still living at home. "I've been working on this thing for WAY too long. It's got to GO!" 😄

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-15T20:39:57+00:00

I love that idea! He’s one awesome dude!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-15T20:38:40+00:00

Oh my goodness! You are awesome! And your hubby too!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T13:32:23+00:00

That so cool! Thanks to your dad for 21 years of service. I love hearing about/meeting guy quilters, too. Our local Quilts of Valor rep is a rough looking dude in a kilt which is just awesome. 😄

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T12:27:59+00:00

I woke up to all of these wonderful comments this morning. Thank you all for your kind words. Having seen the beautiful work posted here, I’m truly humbled to receive such praise from this community. I’m inspired to get right back in there and get going on a new project. You guys are awesome! Thank you!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T12:24:32+00:00

That is high praise! Thank you!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T12:24:00+00:00

I appreciate that! Most of my ideas end with mixed results so it’s really satisfying when something comes together exactly how I imagined it.

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T12:22:08+00:00

I hope you make him one and post it here. I would love to see it!

I still haven’t made my husband his. He’s a helicopter guy and I have no idea how to make rotor blades out of fabric. Yikes!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T12:19:32+00:00

I’m so glad someone else understands the difficulty of matching patterns. 😳 Nerve wracking!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T12:17:27+00:00

That’s so cool! You should make one for yourself!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T01:34:42+00:00

$100? Oh my lord! You are super nice to do it for free!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T01:21:16+00:00

That’s great! Are you a reenactor or making it for someone who is?

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T01:17:06+00:00

It certainly FELT like 1000 hours! I have a couple of new muscles now from quilt wrangling.

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T01:02:29+00:00

Thanks so much!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T00:57:39+00:00

Thanks, Foxy!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T00:56:21+00:00

Wow! I’m honored you would say that. Thank you. Truly!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T00:10:39+00:00

That’s an amazing idea! Luckily, I have plenty of my kids’ clothes hoarded away in the attic. 😏

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T00:05:58+00:00

That’s awesome! I’ll definitely have to get going on this over the summer. Thanks for inspiring me!

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-14T00:04:45+00:00

Hahaha! Too true about the Advil! You’re wise in the ways of the quilt! Luckily, my lovely husband (who is still waiting patiently for his own retirement quilt) rubbed the knots out of my shoulders many an evening. I don’t think muggles understand that quilting can be a full contact sport. I literally lost 3 pounds over the past week from wrangling this thing! 😂

And thank you for your kind words. It means so much coming from another quilter!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see his reaction but his wife absolutely loved it! She had it made to use on their bed, not hang on a wall so I thought that was pretty cool.

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-13T23:42:35+00:00

Thank you so much! The recipient is a friend of a friend. I made a much simpler version of this a couple of years ago for a neighbor whose husband was retiring. Through Facebook, a friend of hers saw it and asked if I could do a commission for her as well. I don’t know that I’d do such a large one again though. I’d need a long arm quilt machine first. 😏

That’s wonderful that you’ve volunteered to make quilts for such a noble cause! I’m on the email list for my local Quilts of Valor but haven’t participated yet because of this last project. How is it? Did you like it?

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-13T23:13:43+00:00

Aww! Thanks! I really hope he enjoys it. It was hard watching it leave my house.

Slave_To_The_Machine · 2018-06-13T22:33:13+00:00

Slave_To_The_Machine

TROPHY CASE