Oh Wow, Wow, Wow...it is breathtaking! I finished my first block-of-the-month quilt within my set goal of February (yaaa Me!!) and it's a dazzler!! I looked up at the clock on the wall and saw my lovely quilt was finished on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 3:50pm. I laid it out on top of the tables at the Quilt Shop one more time and I couldn't stop starring at it, looking over all the stars and the finished borders. I kept thinking, "did I really do all of this"? I started this journey in August 2011 and I thought, "this is going to be incredible"! I had no idea how much this quilt would teach me as a piecemaker. I could not imagine how much I would grow from these weekend lessons on a block of the month quilt. I was in for a rare treat!
I would like to recognize and thank two amazing ladies who helped me finish the borders. I could not have finished this without the exceptional help of Rebecca Barber and Karen Imwalle from Cozy Cabin Quilts. Rebecca taught me the correct way of measuring the quilt and border strips and sewing them on each side so they fit correctly. I didn't think it made a big difference, but she made a believer out of me; when I saw how nicely they fit, I was astounded there was no wavy line thru the borders. Rebecca helped me measure out the striped border and Karen securely held the ruler, while I cut all 4 striped borders. It took some extra time...a worthwhile investment. Rebecca taught me a new way of mitering these tricky borders so that all 4 corners matched up line by line it was soooo beneficial! I was sooo excited to see each row perfectly matched up.
I changed the position of 2 blocks from the pattern and it looks balanced. Now, it is in the very capable hands of Mike Barber who is quilting it for me on his Gammill long arm. He is the best machine quilter I have ever met and I have never been disappointed by his work. He is an extraordinary artist! I'm anxious to see the quilting we picked out together.
My husband and darling daughter stood on step ladders so I could take this picture in our living room. The bottom edge brushes the floor by 2 inches, even though they are holding the quilt at the top of our ceiling. Right now it is 102 inches square. This is the biggest quilt I have ever done and I'm so proud of it! My husband believes this quilt is too big for our queen size bed, but there is no doubt in my mind I'll be sleeping underneath it as soon as the binding is on the quilt - which will be the afternoon I bring it home...oh my, that means I have 2 weeks to prepare the binding strips :)
I couldn't resist taking the quilt to the cemetery of my Mom's grave, just minutes from our home. It was a beautiful balmy, sunny day for February. It may seem a little strange, but I wanted her to see this and share it with her in a small way. My Mom could sew anything and she made me the most beautiful clothes I dreamed of with absolute precision, matching plaids and irregular 60's and 70's prints. I grew up sitting to her left as she sewed clothes for my sister and I. She was a simple girl who grew up on an Iowa dairy-farm. She was also her father's extra hands when it came to the farm. She could milk cows, drive the tractors, bail hay, and throw the bails into the loft with speed and skill. She could also cook the best Sunday dinners and won several blue ribbons for her homemade bread at the county fair. She was a homemaker no matter where my Dad was assigned in the Air Force. I learned to tie my shoes behind the wringer washing machine in our little bamboo house in Japan. We were raised with simple means, but she always strove to make our school dresses, winter coates and play clothes "better than store bought, so we could be proud of who we were". We spent many happy hours picking out the right pattern and fabrics for "the next outfit". A few months before she died we agreed to start sewing quilts together. Neither one of us had any idea we would only piece two quilts together. As I made the blocks and lined up all the directional fabrics in so many of the quilt blocks, I could hear her sewing lessons that she tried to teach me over our brief years together. This quilt was made in her honor. It was also made to honor my Grandmother who patiently researched her family tree. I have descendants who fought in the American Revolutionary War, with letters written to family members describing the battles and events they endured. I also have relatives from the Civil War who fought for the Union. Leah helped me take a few pictures.
Next, I want to thank my dear friend, Jenn Henry, for suggesting we should go to the Shipshewanna Quilt Show back in April. If she had not said "I'll make reservations and we'll go to the show", none of this would have happened! Jenn you have been one of my dearest friends for over 30 years. I love your enthusiasm, your laughter, your endless creativity, and your spunk! You are a joy and delight on soooo many levels. Remember when our children were so young and we used to think, "oh, it would be so fun to do little quilting trips together...maybe some day out in the distant future!". Well here we are and boy are they too too fun! I look forward to many wonderful Quilting Trips in the future!
Lastly, I want to thank Caroline and her staff at Carolines Cottage Cottons for their willingness to take on the task of offering this block of the month project AND for mailing out the packages each month! I'm so grateful for alllll your hard work. Caroline, if you had not looked over your shoulder and said "we mail the blocks out to you if you live outside our area", when I visited your shop last June, I would have missed this blessing! I had soooo much fun doing this and I was so excited each and every month to receive my packages in the mail. You are all wonderful, wonderful ladies who always treated my phone calls with patience, enthusiam, encouragement, and kindness!! I can't wait to show you my quilt at the Shop Hop in Lima, OH in a few weeks.
I promise I'll post the final-final pictures after the binding is on. Look for pictures in April!!
Happy Quilting!
Elaine
Chipper Piecemaker
