Patriotic Heartstrings Quilting Project

Free Patriotic Quilt Patterns:Updated 2011

2011-07-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

In honor of our soldiers (both at home and abroad) our ever-present patriotism and in the spirit of good work and service that so many do in our country..... here's my collection of over 100 links to free quilt or quilt block patterns. In includes some that are traditional, some that date back to the Civil War, and some amazing and wonderful stars, stripes, flags and even service banners!

note: McCalls Quick Quilts is now requiring a free sign-up to access their free patters etc. So, if you get an error reading page...that's what that means. Sign up on the right of that screen for free viewing and printing privileges!Civil War Patterns

Free Patriotic Quilt Patterns:

Free Union & Confederate Soldier's Patriotic Quilt Pattern
Soldier's Patriotic

Union Eagle Quilt

Gunboat Quilts...applique motif ideas like above

Pomegranate (Marriage )Quilt

Flags & Heart

McCalls now requires a sign in to download next 16 patterns below but there is no fee:

54-40 or Fight
Independence Day "
A Nation's Pride "
Midnight Stars"
American Classic "
Shining Through
Bear's Paw
Stars & Stripes Forever
Born in the USA
Summer Spirit
Celebration 2000
True Colors

Sweet Land of Liberty by Marcie Patch
www.PatchalotPattens.com
her free patterns including this American Eagle

Sweet Liberty Table Runner
The finished quilt top measures 21” by 42”
Made by Julie from The Intrepid Thread
printable PDF version

Co untry Spiri t ..large throw

54-40 (Fight)
Country Spirit Throw quilt
Crazy Anne Lap Quilt
Family Pride Mini Quilt
Hometown Tradition (Queen Size)

I Love America
We Salute You!

Land of Liberty 15" x 20" pieced quilt project from Debbie Mumm http://blog.debbiemumm.com/files/LandOfLiberty-Instructions.pdf

Liberate! block from Quilter's Cache

Liberty Star Basket

Patriotic Star string quilted star pattern from Maryquilts

Party Hats

Indian Trail

Northumberland Star

Royalty...the 911 block

Ohio Star

Spiderweb Star

Patriotic mini quilt: a free pattern for an 1890's reproduction by Patricia Cummings

In The Line of Duty (no longer links if you have one to this, please let me know!)
Shuttle (In Memory of the Columbia) Pattern

American Flag...free American Flag patterns flying horizontal, vertical, or waving!

Star in a Wall Hanging

Salute to the Troops :Wallhanging

Compuquilts: free patriotic blocks and quilt patterns as below:

The Crazy Star Flag

The 4th Star Flag Block and Quilt

Sapphire Stars Quilt (3 sizes)

Scottish Stars Quilt (39" Square) by Joy Hoffman

From Darlene Zimmerman:

Stardance Quilt (52.5" x 61.5")

Gala xy of Stars Quilt

39" x 29"

Star in a Wall Hanging

Stars All Around Tree Skirt

52" Diameter

Old Fashioned Stars Quilt

61" x 82"

Shooting Stars
Tie a Yellow Ribbon
Independence Quilt
Liberty Star
Stars & Stripes Forever
Directions For Making a Blue or Gold Star Service Banner
Armed Services Flag
US Ribbon Block
Amerihearts at Home

A nation's pride

Stars & Stripes forever log cabin quilt

Celebration

Patriotic quilted wall hanging

US "We Support" Ribbon wall hanging

Ragged edge Patriotic wall hanging and pillow

Patriotic quilt

Patriotic Memory Quit: In honor and memory of September 11, 2001
Americana Flag
Navy Star
Independence Day Quilt
Army Star
Crafts : Special Occasions : Scrappy Flag Quilt : Home & Garden Television
Scrappy Flag Quilt
Stars and Stripes: Simply Quilts>QLT-604
Moda Marbles Stars Tablerunner™
Free patriotic quilt patterns for Fourth of July
Patriotic quilt

American@Heart by Sindy Rodenmayer: Find all instructions here.

Texas Glory by Sindy Rodenmayer Find all instructions here.

Nantucket Knots Free Table Warmer Quilt Pattern Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Four Flags Quilt Block from Better Homes and Gardens Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Four Flags Quilt Block from Better Homes and Gardens Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Celebration 2000 from Golden Quilts:Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Heree

Day of Independence from HGTV Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

July Flag from Quiltmaker.com : Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Rainbow Stars from Better Homes & Gardens: Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Stars & Stripes from Benartex: Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Union Star from Quiltmaker.com: Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Veteran's Pride from Quiltmaker.com: Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Free pattern, click here.
Susan K. Cleveland prairie points tool flag

New York State Table Topper

Pat Sloan's Patriotics: See all her free patterns!
including these amazing beauties!

Liberty Heart

Download SWEET LIBERTY HEART Pattern

CLICK HERE for a KIT!

Liberty Stars made with her Sweet Liberty Fabric line

CLICK HERE to Download the pattern

Sweet Liberty fabric and her free Stars and Stripes pattern:

CLICK HERE to Download the pattern

Patriotic Heartstrings of Memory idea made by Michele Bilyeu "With Heart and Hands":

see:String Quilting:Tutorial and Free Patterns

Other free Patriotic Patterns:

U.S. "We Support" Ribbon wall hanging

Ragged edge Patriotic wall hanging and pillow may have to sign in to use

Picnic Basket Cover from Better Homes & Gardens: Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Patriotic Pillow from Joann.com Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Patriotic Checkers from Bernina and Sewing.org: Free Patriotic Quilt Pattern Here

Blue or Gold Star Service Banner

Patriotic Miniature Quilt

US"We Support" Ribbon wall hanging

Military Free Printables

Shown above:
one of my lap-sized string quilts with a pre-purchased center panel, makes up quickly and easily and is perfect for someone who is usually seated, as in a wheelchair.
String Quilting
Comfort Quilts
Patriotic Heartstrings

Links:

Patriotic Heartstrings: Liberated Stars and Stripes

2007-03-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

Patriotic quilts have always been near and dear to my heart...and I can't really even explain why. I don't have a family member in the military, I am decidedly 'anti-war' but I support, wholeheartedly, our young men and women in the military. It may have been their choices to join,with full knowledge of potential outcomes, but nevertheless, many of them are suffering terrible consequences as a result of that choice. We must still support their courage, their sense of honor and their loyalty to their country and to their fellow soldiers.

I watched "To Iraq and Back: The Bob Woodruff Story" on ABC and was so touched by the story of this network anchor/journalist being severely wounded while on assignment in Iraq. He has made an amazing, even miraculous recovery as a result of not only the dedication of his nurses and doctors, but the wonderful and loving support of his wife, Lee and their four young children.

Bob Woodruff is now dedicating his life to helping others with severe head trauma as a result of war injuries and profiling their stories and the problems they have faced during their recovery. What was also deeply touching was to see Lee clutching a small patriotic quilt of valor from the Wounded Warrior project...a quilt that was placed on Bob as he was loaded into the army transport helicopter that brought him from the hospital in Germany back to Bethesda, Maryland for further treatment. That quilt, she was told, was given to all those wounded in the war and would be with him, when she could not, on the plane ride home. She carries it and all that it meant to her, still. I have seen it on several newscasts and interviews.

I looked at that simple little quilt, and it just filled up my heart. It was the "heartstring" between Lee and her husband, Bob as the miles spanned between them until she could rejoin him at Army Reed Medical Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. It was a lovely and a beautiful thing to feel the depths of the love that one little quilt carried...from whatever quilter created it, to Bob, to Lee and to all whose lives they now touch with their story.

I realized, truly realized, how the patriotic quilts that I have pieced...25 since that first September and into that next year...and more in progress each year after...that have gone out in similar situations and knowing that they just might have touched other's hearts this way, renewed my own dedication and resolve to continue quilting my little "patriotic heartstrings of valor"here in Salem, Oregon.

There are many programs where you can donate patriotic "quilts of valor". If you want to contribute them locally, it is as simple as contacting your local Veteran's Association and asking if they have someone who visits a nearby Armed Services Hospital that could bring patriotic quilts up with them on their next visit. They almost all have programs in place to accept quilts. They prefer ones in reds, whites and blues, simply because it is more symbolic and meaningful to the wounded soldiers,and those with a patriotic theme or fabrics in them touch deeply, but they don't have to be complicated works of art.

Liberated string quilting is one of the easiest and quickest ways to create a lap quilt in the 36"x 36" to 45"x 45" range. Mary's site "The Heartstrings Quilting Project" site, whose links is on my sidebar, shows examples of string quilts and gives some great links to start you out. Check out the reference there to Bonnie Hunter at Quiltsville who is the queen of string quilting.

String quilting is easy, it's an enormous amount of fun and best of all...it takes very little time to make a quilt, especially a small patriotic lap quilt. Here in Salem, Oregon we have sent ours with a Brigadier General's daughter to Madigan Hospital in Fort Lewis,in the state of Washington. But the last 15 of our community quilting group's patriotic quilts, were donated to our local Veteran's Outreach Center. We wanted to honor of a quilter's husband who had just passed away.

Whatever, we do, however we do it, I know that hearts are being touched and love is being sent...in every stitch, every block, and every quilt. I have always felt heartstrings between myself and those that I care about...now, I can see them too!!!

Patriotic Heartstrings is a frequency holding blog. For my dynamic on-going blog which is updated on a consistent basis, and many articles on patriotic quilting, making blue star and gold star banners, on creating projects for veteran's centers etc., please check out my on-going posts at:

With Heart and Hands: A Quilting Journey: http://with-heart-and-hands.blogspot.com/

Please check my list of over 2,500 free quilt patterns by clicking on icon to the right! And find the section titled "Patrotic Patterns."