My mom taught me to quilt about 20 years ago. She started by teaching me to hand quilt before teaching me to hand piece. I'm glad she did. The project was finished and I had a nice wallhanging for my bedroom. This is mom handquilting a baby quilt for my cousin.
After learning to hand quilt the wall hanging, I made several baby quilts out of panels that I could just quilt by hand and give as gifts. If she had started with hand piecing, I still wouldn't have a quilt. Soon, I was ready to tackle piecing. Mom had several quilting magazines and books laying around for me to find the perfect quilt. And wouldn't you know it, as a newbi, I would pick a very labor intensive pattern. Pieced hearts and diamonds set on point with half diamonds all the way around the border. Each heart block has 39 patches and there are 20 of them. Each diamond has 22 patches and there are 12 of those. Then you add in the setting half diamonds. There are about 1400 patches in this quilt. This is one of the hearts.
Want to talk about a UFO, this is my big one! After about 15 years, I have completed all 20 of the heart blocks and 2 of the diamonds. But, I'm still working on it. I don't even like the fabric anymore. But when I need something to do that is portable that I can work on with my hands, this is still the one I reach for when I have nothing else going on.
Why don't I just let it go you ask? I don't even know the answer to that. I guess it is because it was my first attempt at picking a pattern, first attempt at picking out fabric and first attempt at hand piecing. NONE of which were very good back then. But I'll still try to make it right. Maybe in another 15 years, I'll get around to quilting it.
I was so glad to get to meet you this evening. I thought there were a bunch of terrific and very talented ladies at the meeting. Mary Stori's work was fabulous, but I have loved her stuff for about twenty years +/-.
ReplyDeleteThink of it as a vintage quilt you are working on now. I like the colors and it will be beautiful when you get done and you will have an heirloom.
ReplyDeleteMom here! I have to respond to this one! I know Moms always think their children are the best but in this case I can truly brag. I wish you all could see the beautiful quilting she did on that first wall hanging. Her stitches were all tiny and consistant. Many hand quilters will never be as good as her first try. I was even envious! I'm very proud of her work and her love of quilting has brought me back to quilting and learning the "new" ways of quilters. I was always a hand piecer and quilter and still love to see the beautiful hand work at the shows. However, I must admit I also admire the beautiful work of the machine piecers and quilters. It's wonderful to have a great daugher and quilter friend.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have your mother as your teacher and inspiration. I love your project and it will be so special when it too is completed. Quilting is a journey and all our projects tell the story.
ReplyDeleteCarrie at A Passion for Applique sent me your way. Perhaps you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment when it's all finished. It's a very pretty heart design.
ReplyDeleteCarrie sent me over as well. I took a quilting class back in 1984 and it was a sampler. I was the only one in the class that didn't get the blocks finished by the end of the session because I didn't even know how to turn on a sewing machine. Eventually, I did finish the blocks...probably about 6 months after the class...and pieced the top together. It stayed that way until August of 2007 when I retired and took up quilting again. My girlfriend convinced me to finish it and I did. I handquilted it and loved that part. The colors date it but as Carrie said, I consider it vintage because it took me 23 years to complete it and it is now 25 years old. You'll love yours when it's done, I promise. And, welcome to the world of blogging.
ReplyDeleteThink of this project as your legacy, it's lovely and I can only imagine the gorgeous quilting job that Maxine will add it in the future!
ReplyDeleteYour mom sounds like a wonderful teacher! I've taken a couple of classes, but have yet to actually attempt to hand quilt anything. Someday...
ReplyDeleteEven though your UFO may seem a little dated, it is a big part of your quilting history. Definitely an heirloom! It will be so special to get it done one day. :)