Last Saturday I walked into my sewing studio and asked myself what needed to be done to turn the room into a guest room. Immediately I saw the vintage holiday handkerchief quilt folded on the arm of the sofa awaiting some finishing touches -- a couple of hours of handwork. The day was chilly and Mike had something to do. (That was four days ago -- I can't be expected to remember what it was that Mike was doing.) So, I crawled under the quilt, turned on a favorite t.v. program, and finished tying threads. You purists will probably say I should have tied the threads long ago, but I left them for a time when I would be chilly. 
Aside from a couple of table runners and a doll quilt, this is my first finished quilt. I'm so happy! And you know, it isn't perfect, but you have to start someplace, and you can't stay forever working on the same quilt - or the same book or the same math problem. According to Kathy's Law of Progress, you have to move on in order to improve. I believe that.
It's possible that I might yet embellish this quilt. I can imagine vintage shirt buttons at each point of the triangles. Or -- I've wondered if perhaps a button in the middle of each "hanky" would be good since I didn't quilt them. OR - maybe it's just time to move on according to Kathy's law of progress. I refused to let myself start another quilt until I finished this one. Note that I didn't say I didn't buy any kits. In fact, I bought four. And I have a "foursquare farmhouse" pattern to start when I finish those kits. Well, I just hope it doesn't take me two years to finish every quilt I start -- especially the kits since even I know they are quite easy to do.
Next up: the vintage Halloween quilt. Will it be ready by Halloween 2013? I'll try. KW
Kathy - GOOD JOB!! Have fun with the next one.
ReplyDeleteI'm quilting a "Forest" lap quilt/large wall hanging right now. I got the pattern from a magazine that the owner of the quilt shop in Palouse gave to me. It atracted my attention & was fairly easy to make. But I'm not much of a machine quilter, so it's taking me a while.
It's wonderful! If I weren't looking forward to summer, I'd be saying, "Is it Christmas yet???"
ReplyDeleteAck! I just realized I read this yesterday and had to go do something and never commented!!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful--so cheery and Christmasy! You did it! I'll be curious to see if you and Hallie decide to add buttons. Either way, you've got a special treasure--your very first full-fledged quilt!! Yahoo!! :-)
Oh, and no quilt is ever perfect--of that I'm certain. As you say, you'll learn with each new one. And that's part of the fun. (See, we're keeping our minds working and staying young.)
I'm not much of a machine quilter either. I may just stitch-in-the-ditch and crisscross those stitching lines forever.
ReplyDeleteThe quilt isn't full-size, but I was surprised that it covered the bed as well as it does.
So, you got sidetracked, Chris? Join the club. Well, some quilts are more of a mental challenge than I want to take on, and that's a good thing! I'd rather keep my quilts on the small side and rather simple in design.
I think the quilt is beautiful as well. :)
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