Quilting Daze

Done, Done, Done!!!!! WooHoo!!!!

Another very late birthday gift is done! This is done with a Sweet Romance Jelly Roll by Moda (April Cornell) and the pattern is Zig Zag by Elizabeth/Late Bloomer Quilts. I discovered Elizabeth's patterns about a year ago and fell in love with everything she does but especially this pattern. I'm not kidding when I tell you that this pattern has been on the floor by my bed since I ordered it from Elizabeth oh so long ago. LOL When I was digging through my patterns and books for a pattern to make this birthday quilt I couldn't settle on anything. There were lots of very deep sighs in my household as I agonized about it. And, then I remembered Zig Zag. The pattern calls for 2" strips and I wanted to use a Jelly Roll - hmmmm do I cut down the 2 1/2" strips or just adjust the measurements in the pattern. It was much easier to adjust the measures - LOL Then I added a narrow white inner border and outer border in a coordinating print.

Let me tell you why this particular birthday gift is very late (it was suppose to be a gift for Sept '06). Over the last 3 years I've been making quilts for the girls in my sewing group for at least one of their birthdays. They don't have any say over the fabric or pattern I choose. Nor do they know which birthday they will finally receive a quilt from me. I don't think I've ever given them a completed quilt on their actual birthday just the fabric and/or partially completed top with big promises that I will finish it very soon. Well, last year I gave my friend a gift bag with some cute novelty prints and a background fabric with promises that she would have a quilt very soon. She was very disappointed in my fabric selection and didn't fail to let me know how unhappy she was. I chose what reminded ME of her but she just didn't like any of it and when we started discussing the size of the quilt she didn't hide her disappointment when I told her that it would be a throw size (like everyone else got). Needless to say now I was unhappy and certainly have not felt like working on her quilt. Guess what???? Another birthday came along in September and I still had not worked on her quilt from last year. Sigh! I finally decided that I needed to go Plan B - forget the plan to use the novelty prints and I bought the Sweet Romance Jelly Roll and got busy yesterday afternoon. I need to quilt it, bind it and call it DONE!!!!

By the way, the Fresh Air quilt I showed you on Sunday was also an overdue birthday gift for another friend in the same quilt group.

Two very late birthday quilts DONE!!!!

While I've been trying to get these obligations out of the way I've also been helping some friends get ready for Fall Quilt Market at the end of the month. Whew - it's been a busy October and it's only the 9th.

I looked in my mailbox and I have 482 e-mails that need attention. If you're waiting for a response from me please be patient with me for a bit longer I'm going as fast as I can.

Thanks for visiting - come again!

In Friendship!