Heather at Peace Love Quilt suggested on Thursday that she may be the slowest quilter ever, but I think I could challenge for that title! I started my first quilt in the late 70s, my second quilt in the late 80s, my third quilt in the late 90s, and I didn't finish any of them. (Although the third one may still get finished.)
It's just about a year since I finished my first quilt:
Nine Patch Jubilee, 54" x 66" |
I'm now up to three:
Highlands Houses, 19" x 19" |
And this flimsy is probably the next one to be quilted:
Mod Trips, 60" x 60" |
Not all my projects are red and white! The quilt that I started back in the 80s was a Texas Star, from Judy Martin's book Scrap Quilts. Machine piecing all the Y seams did me in, but two years ago I started it again using English Paper Piecing.
The stars are about 3 3/4" across, with 5/8" hexagons and 1 1/4" diamonds, and to make a 60" x 80" throw I calculated that 333 stars would do the job. I'm very excited, because I'm only about two weeks from finishing them all!
Of course, the next step is to sew them all together. But it will be a big milestone on a quilt I've been planning since the 1980s!
I think there are three reasons everything takes so long. One, most of my projects are ambitious, like Judy Niemeyer's Prairie Star...
...which I've realized is going to be a heck of a lot of sewing, but which I hope to get back to in the new year.
Reason two is that I enjoy a lot of hand stitching -- including embroidery...
L'Herbier |
...stitchery...
Best Friends Forever |
...and applique:
Trick or Treat Baskets |
Although, I really shouldn't show you that one, because I'm pretty sure I've changed my mind about the fabrics.
In 2013 one of my resolutions was to hand quilt a project, and I did -- this pincushion!
Hand quilting is still on my list of things to learn.
And reason three why it takes me so long to finish anything? Too many things on the go! But you know, the great thing about blogging is that it's mainly about the journey. I hope you'll join me!