October 2011 was when I started this piecing project. I was tired of hexies. Daddio was making buckets of them at the time and I needed something different for myself.
After a hard day of wrangling Daddio it was nice to come home and piece away listening to a good book.
The little "footballs" are not as easy to put together as a hexie flower and it was slow going. I was just learning to paper piece at the time and to be honest my work is awful. I look at it now and cringe but all the memories in this thing override its obvious flaws.
Making all the "footballs" was one thing. Putting them all together was another. I was way over my head. I still can't believe I pulled it off.
Appliqueing it all down was an epic job. We were remodeling the bathroom at the time and I had a bathtub in a box in the living room. It was the perfect sewing table. I still laugh at the memory of it especially now since I am living in an even bigger remodeling mess.
I broke in my new kitchen table working on the border two years ago when the ill fated kitchen remodel wasn't even on the horizon.
It took me forever to get it all quilted. I loved doing it by hand. Machine quilting makes me nervous but a hoop and some stencils are the cure for what ails you.
Voila.....Frankenquilt is done. I call it that because of the terrible stitching that is visible from the nine year learning curve I encountered in its making. I lost so much during that time. There were many heartbreaking goodbyes including Daddio's-but I also gained two daughters in law, the Grands and Pup. Frankenquilt is a raggedy testament to life going on.
And....there is still more to come. Once again the past meets the future. This was Daddio's very last piecing project from 2104 and it is going in the hoop.....tomorrow. Today I'm celebrating a finish that was a long time coming.
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Wow...they are both beautiful!! Quilts truly tell a story.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!!! And, so many memories!
ReplyDeleteAnd what an incredible finish it is! Just so wonderful, all the memories and hard work produced a stunning quilt.
ReplyDeleteI think that quilt is amazing! I had no idea what the mechanics were for that type of pattern. That is a heck of a lot of hand-stitched applique. I think you should be super proud of it!
ReplyDeleteNine years is a long time, and every stitch has a story. It looks amazing, and you should be very proud of it, not just in spite of the little flubs and mistakes, but because of them. No one starts off a new skill with perfection. I keep my first (very wonky) pinwheel quilt in the livingroom where I can see if every day - it reminds me of how far I've come since I started making quilts.
ReplyDeleteAnd celebrate you should. The quilt is AWESOME and full of happy and some not-so-happy memories. Isn't that what life is?
ReplyDeleteThroughout time, quilts have provided an artistic expression of difficulties, sorrow and happiness. Your quilt is beautiful and an heirloom.
ReplyDeleteWow! Those are really lovely and I can see why it took so long to finish. I love hand quilting and find it very relaxing. You are really talented!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful quilt! I did not realize that the "footballs" were appliqued. So many memories associated with that project. The next one in line is beautiful also.
ReplyDeleteI remember clearly when you began the wedding ring quilt! Congratulations on a superb finish!
ReplyDeleteA treasure for sure! (new quilt will be fun tomorrow!)
Lovely quilts all wrapped up with good memories! :)
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