TEN years in the making!! And it's finally finished!!! This calls for a celebration of the highest order...a threesome with Ben and Jerry!! I shall wrap myself in this Christmas quilt, eat ice cream and try to remember who made all the blocks! This was a group block exchange...but not everyone signed their names to their blocks...
This quilt would still be unfinished - and probably sitting for at least another year - because I decided last year, when I finally sewed the blocks together, that I would hand-quilt it. Crazy is as Crazy does. And once I went down that road there was no turning back (or so I thought!)...hand quilting just takes time!! Last week, I had finished quilting all of the blocks and had the four borders left to do...that was just overwhelming to me...four borders that really needed some kind of decorative hand-quilting and me without any psychotropic drugs! So I made an executive decision and machine stippled the borders! It was SO freeing!! An hour later the quilt was quilted...the binding was sewn on and I was nearing the finish line...I could hear Gloria Estefan singing, Coming Out of the Dark in my head...and then, after ten long, long years, I put this beauty into the washing machine and the dryer...and this morning I birthed my quilt!
Thanks to Mari, Susan, Helen, Deborah and Jane - they signed their blocks so I know which ones are theirs! But I can only guess at the others...IF you made me one of these blocks - let me know! I made quite a few myself and I do remember using some of the blocks I got for this exchange in another quilt...and while all the blocks are wonderful...my very favorite thing about this quilt are the pieced sections that Deborah made for me...those little "strips" of fabric that separate the blocks - Deborah pieced all of those scraps together!! Don't you just love crazy people!?!
This is backed with a red and white checked flannel - it's super soft and cuddly...sure to keep me warm while I'm watching those Hallmark holiday movies starting in November!
This makes an even dozen Christmas quilts for me...one for each of my real and imaginary children - the imaginary kids never gave me a minute of worry - bless their hearts!
On this gray, cold, rainy June Day, things are just a bit more cherry now that this quilt is done...and good thing too because there are only 196 days till Christmas!!
