"the House isn't a Home without you"

I made this last set of bags and lap quilt for a very dear new widow. Her Husband, SGT McKenzie, died after an encounter with a chemical IED in Baghdad. I don't know all the details, but suffice it to say it is a terrible tragedy. I have had their stack of uniforms for months and months, but holding his enormous BDUs was just so sad....I kept putting it off. And when I did work on it it was just bits at a time, Finally I decided to make it and see what would happen. I had so much uniform left over (he was a very big man) that I decided to make her a lap quilt as well. This pattern is a variation of a classic Log Cabin, but a little more contemporary. All the fabric in this quilt was donated to my little Hero Bag and Hero Quilt cause by Westminster Fabrics and Purl Patchwork. Westminster was very generous and gave me about 100 yards of Kaffe Fassett fabric for my Hero bags and Hero Quilts. They really blew me away with their generosity.

The DCU messenger bag I made to C. is really 4 bags in one. The removable flap is reversible as is the bag itself. The backpacks for the two boys are a little bigger, they are made from the cargo pocket of the pants and the adjustable waist band make the straps more comfortable. The Nicole Tote I made from his BDU top and it is probably one of the biggest I have ever made.

OK for the rest of the week I will be cranking out bags like a regular Christmas elf. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED YOUR BAGS BY CHRISTMAS!!! I will do everything I can to make that happen. You all are awesome and the reason I do what I do. Thank you so much for your kind support!