February 18...Time to Quilt

It's been a while since I last wrote in this blog. Every morning, with my first cup of coffee, I write to my quilting group, the OddOnes (another story for another day) and they hear much more than they ever wanted to know abut my life here on the corner. It seemed redundant to repeat the same so I have decided to dedicate this blog to my obsession, quilting. Being the ripe old age of 72 and already possessing more fabric, patterns, kits, and ideas than I could possibly ever finish I have dedicated this year of 2012 to finishing a few on my older projects. Now I know myself too well to believe that I will not start any new ones but at least I am going to try to combine the new and the old.

Located in my quilt room is the "closet from hell". In this same closet are three humongous tubs filled with kits, numerous BOMs, sets of swap blocks, fabric packs for projects, unfinished tops, unfinished everything you could think of. On top of the tubs is even more. One is in peril merely opening the closet doors. I opened said same doors and pulled out an unfinished quilt started about 12 years ago. I started doing it in thirds and had the center finished, the first third partially quilted and the last third pieced only. It combines both piecing and applique.This will be my first project to finish. I surely was a novice back them because there are some glaring errors. I had to laugh at myself when I noted I had quilted the first two thirds clear up to the edge. Now, how did I think I would join those two pieces? Obviously there will be some unquilting happening. I'm making progress but will say I would not do another quilt this way. I honestly don't enjoy hand quilting except on small pieces. Evey day I am thankful for the wonderful long arm quilters we have nearby, without whom I would never have finished quilts. Someday in the not too distant future I may be able to post a pic of this quilt...finished at last.

The quilt top above is one from a swap in my Annie's group, a Civil War bunch who meet once a month and do swaps using only Civil War fabrics. I took these blocks to a recent retreat and got the top together. Oh how I love these retreat...what motivation from stitching with friends.

Today, give yourself the gift of time to spend quilting or doing whatever your passion is.......