When Megan asked me to help her make a quilt, I happily said yes! At the time I assumed she knew how to sew or at least had SOME working knowledge of a sewing machine! Wrong! But, that aside, Megan and I set about to make her a quilt for college...you can read more about Megan's quilt by clicking here.
Megan purchased her fabric and then "shopped" in my stash for a few more and in no time she had the half-square triangles all sewn together...all bias...all my fault! Click here for my confession/apology! So because of my stupidity, I ended up sewing the squares together - it's hard enough for an experienced sewer to NOT stretch bias squares, let alone someone who has no idea what bias IS!
Megan really wanted to sew her quilt together but when I explained how difficult it was, and showed her how stretchy the fabric was, she was okay with me doing it - and also I assured her she could machine quilt her quilt...Wrong again!! She practiced, on a small piece of fabric and, as you quilters know, it ain't as easy as it looks! Moving a small piece of fabric around the machine is one thing, moving an entire quilt is WORK! I thought I took a pic to show you her practice piece, which was hysterical...but it's just as well, humiliating pictures should not be shown! SO...I machine quilted her quilt but assured Megan and she could sew down the binding by hand.
The black and white stripe really makes this quilt sing, no? We both loved the binding. Megan's quilt is big...84x66...and it will be beautiful on her little twin bed in her dorm. Years ago my quilt group took a tour of That Patchwork Place, which is now Martingale Publishing. We walked through their offices and saw all of the pretty quilts hanging on the walls...and when we got to Nancy J. Martin's office, she was there...and she told us that she picks the pattern and the fabric, but someone else pieces her quilts, and then another person quilts them, but she sews the binding on by hand and that makes them hers! So that's what I told Megan...and if that works for Nancy Martin then it will certainly work for Megan! Now...how did Megan repay for for all of my help?!? She told her friend that I was SO NICE that I would be HAPPY to quilt her quilt for her, too! Geeeeee...thanks. I'm such a sucker. But a nice, happy one!
Megan, I hate to see you leave, but I know you have big/fun/wonderful things ahead...take care of yourself and our quilt! xoxo, Nan
P.S. When I finally finished Megan's quilt, I made something really tasty...
One 3-layer carrot cake for me, (I earned it!) and one tiny carrot cake for my 87-year old friend who eats healthy! Carrot cake...it's got carrots in it...they're healthy, right?!? For the recipe, click here - it is, without question, the best carrot cake there is...no offense to other carrot cake makers, but try this one for yourself and see!