In 2010, I fell in love with the "Hello Betty" fabric line by Chloe's Closet for Moda. I saw a Honey Bun of it at a great (now out of business) quilt shop in Decatur, and my mom generously helped me gather the pieces for a pattern so I could attempt my first "big," "real" quilt. If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with mint green, and I couldn't resist using it for the solid background.
I dug in and made some pretty earnest progress for awhile. It was slow go (anything I do is) but I surprised myself with how easily it was coming together.
Spike helped.
While I was putting it together, I found out I was pregnant with my daughter Georgia. I decided this would be her baby quilt, a gift from me to her. I set a goal of finishing it by her birthday. Things were going swimmingly - until she was unexpectedly born over 5 weeks early. No baby quilt for Georgia! By the time I had the time to revisit it, I was overwhelmed (and pregnant again, this time with my son Ryland). My mom, happy to help, ordered the backing, attached the borders and pinned it for quilting for me to help me get over the hump and get it done. I decided I was over rejecting the help and that I'd get it done for Georgia's 1st birthday present.
Of course, you can guess what happened - Ryland was born, and the little time I could spend in the sewing room? It was gone altogether. Georgia's quilt sat folded and pinned in a big plastic bag, judging me from its spot stashed under my craft desk. I was too scared and overwhelemed at the prospect of quilting (not my strongest skill) to do anything with it.
Things are finally settling down, though. We're all sleeping through the night (most of the time) and we've seen some glimmers of our two babies playing together and entertaining one another.
Also? We desperately need new couch pillows. They're gross. And I really want to sew, quilt and applique new ones. But I feel too guilty at the prospect of starting in on something new when I have a huge, nearly-finished masterpiece staring me in the face.
So the new goal? Finish it for Georgia's 2nd birthday (March 20) - 3 years after I started it.
Yesterday, I pulled it out of its big bag, threaded my machine with the to-die-for light green Aurifil I'd bought just for it and started in.
I am not an experienced free motion quilter. I don't have great control over my stitch length and I'm sure plenty of people would cringe at the details. And? I have every intention of binding it by *gasp* machine, just to get it done.
And you know what? I don't care, because I am finishing what I started with a bang. It's only taken me sitting down for two naptimes to have more than half of it quilted already. I was stunned earlier when I took it off the machine to see what a little dent I'd made, only to discover I'd made a BIG dent. Wow! I am super proud of myself.
Next time you see a picture of this quilt, it will be quilted. Can't promise it will be bound yet, but that's the goal for G's birthday.
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