WTC Quiltstitched with care since 2001

Quilting guide

Quilts of Valor: requirements and how to make one

A Quilt of Valor is a quilt awarded to a service member or veteran touched by war, through the Quilts of Valor Foundation, a national volunteer organization. The Foundation's rules are short, and it holds every quilt to them. We've put them in plain English below, checked against the Foundation's own Basic Requirements and Make a QOV pages in October 2026.

A smiling older man on a porch wearing a red, white and navy star quilt over his shoulders, an older woman smiling beside him

WTCQuilt.com is not part of the Foundation. Rules can change, so check the Foundation's site before you start a quilt.

The requirements at a glance

ItemRequirement
Finished sizeRecommended 60 × 80 in. Minimum 55 × 65 in, maximum 72 × 90 in. Big enough to cover an average adult.
ConstructionA top, batting and backing, machine or hand quilted. Tied quilts aren't accepted.
FabricQuality, adult-appropriate 100% cotton quilting fabric. Avoid juvenile prints and branch-specific fabric unless you know the recipient.
ColorsRed, white and blue are popular but not required. Panels are allowed.
BattingLow loft: cotton, polyester or a blend. Quilting shouldn't be so dense that it flattens the loft.
Backing for a volunteer longarm quilter8 in wider and 8 in longer than the top, squared, pressed and neatly folded. Wide commercial backings are fine.
BindingDouble-fold (French fold) recommended, mitered corners, hand stitched or neatly machine stitched.
LabelMust say it is a Quilt of Valor. See below.
WashingWash the finished quilt in cold water with a mild, unscented detergent and a color catcher.
Presentation caseOptional, unless the quilt is going overseas.

The label

This is the one rule people miss. The label must state that the quilt is a Quilt of Valor, or it can't be awarded and recorded as one. The Foundation asks you to include:

  • the recipient's name (first and last names may be used)
  • the names of the piecer, the quilter and the binder
  • city and state of residence, if desired
  • the date and location of the award

Use a permanent fabric pen if you write on it. Simple washing instructions are allowed. Religious or political messages are not. Our quilt label guide covers how to make and attach one; if you don't know the recipient yet, leave room to add the name later.

Picking a pattern

Close view of an eight-point star quilt block in red, navy and cream with fine quilting

Any design that suits a patriotic theme works, and stars are a favorite. Our patriotic star throw finishes at 58 × 70 inches, inside the allowed range, and its size table includes a 56 × 80 inch version close to the recommended 60 × 80. The Foundation also keeps a list of patterns.

Quilt it with an all-over design or simple lines. If you'd rather not quilt it yourself, Foundation members in good standing can ask a volunteer longarm quilter (the Foundation calls them the LongArmy) to quilt the top free of charge.

Donating or awarding a quilt

There are two routes, according to the Foundation:

  1. Donate it: contact a local Quilts of Valor group or your state coordinator. Many veterans have been nominated and are waiting for a quilt.
  2. Award it yourself to a service member or veteran you know who has been touched by war. Check with them first that they haven't already received a Quilt of Valor, then report the award on the Foundation's website so it's counted.

A card, letter or a short journal about how the quilt was made can go with it.

Why it matters on this site

WTCQuilt.com began as the 9-11 Memorial Quilt Project, where 375 volunteer stitchers made five quilts for the places and people struck on September 11, 2001. Read that story. Quilts of Valor carries on the same idea: ordinary quilters saying thank you the way they know how.

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