#21: "Over Mountains and Minds They Watch Over Us" {November 2012}

This quilt is a gift that I made to Brenda York and President Waded Cruzado from Montana State University for all that they have done for Steve and I. Both women soon became what we called our guardians angel in red, white and blue. What they didn’t know was had it not been for the article we read with Brenda York’s comments in the from the July 2012 Missoulian, Steve would no longer be in school. He was fed up, failing classes, and falling more and more into his mental health issues because of the UM Yellow Ribbon catastrophe. With one phone call, Brenda made it possible for us to transfer to Montana State University quickly and smoothly within 2 months. She not only managed to get Steve in the right programs for the school, she made sure he wanted to take the classes he was taking and getting the major he was looking for. She is the one who showed him the doors to new places and then said, “Go in and figure it out. Let me know what you find, and don’t forget to kick butt while you are in there.” With that, President Cruzado has helped to create an amazing space for Veterans to come to school and pursue their college career by bringing in faculty and staff who understand that Veterans uniqueness and needs they bring to a classroom. Both Brenda and President Cruzado will never know just how much they have affected my life with their gifts of service, and for that I will always be grateful.

Size: 46.5” x 35.5”
Method: Paper Pieced - Machine Quilted
Design: Based off of Memories of Sisters Quilt pattern by Vivienne Moore
Fabrics:

• Hoffman Fabrics – Tiramisu Bali Pop and Blueberry Bali Pop for mountains and trees.
• The “ground” is Hoffman’s “Caramel” batik and the sky is “Ink”.
• The Armed Forces Stars are “Metallics Stonehenge Stone Chips” by Northcott Fabrics

Backing: “Woodland Quilters” by Kelly Mueller of the Wooden Bear for Red Rooster Fabrics. Binding: “Black Tonal Stone Texture” Stonehenge by Linda Ludovico for Northcott Fabrics. Double French binding.
Batting: 80% cotton, 20% polyester