Goodness gracious, me! This quilt top is a long time in the making. By long time, I mean more than five years. I have no idea precisely why it took me so long for me to execute but I have some guesses.
Back on July 4, 2011, one of my favorite quilters posted a quilt-a-long for what she called the 36 patch. The idea was to create 36 of these blocks that each had 36 squares. Amanda Jean made her blocks with scraps using two unique fabrics for each block. My idea was to follow suit and use what I had left from projects I had made up to that point.
Initially, I started off like gangbusters and kept up in the seven weeks of the quilt-a-long. I culled through my stash and started making blocks, a few a week as directed. Then I hit a wall. I honestly don’t know if I felt like I ran out of fabrics to pair from my stash or if I just got distracted by another shiny project. (Did someone say, “Squirrel?”) This was back in 2011.
Earlier this year (2016), we got new carpet and in preparation I had to take everything off my shelves before we moved all the furniture. I came across this project and I realized that I had 33 of 36 blocks finished. I was so close. Furthermore, I had already paired fabrics for the last three blocks. Dope! Relatively soon after the carpet was laid, I sewed those last three blocks together but then I lost that momentum once again. I put the 36 blocks on the shelf to marinate some more.
One day last week, I got up and decided the quilt’s time had come and I was going to make those blocks into a quilt top. I laid out all of them on the floor and started playing with them. Looking at what I saw, I recalled what I sewed with each of those fabrics and I realized how much my skill and tastes have changed. I have learned a lot about color since I started, especially about hue, value and intensity. There are a lot of blocks with intense colors paired together. While the colors coordinate within the blocks, the volume of the quilt is quite loud.
I jokingly texted my sister in law, Rachel, and niece, Kim, and said I needed help and a FaceTime intervention. Rachel volunteered. In a matter of a few minutes, we had played with the layout and found a workable design. The first photo above shows the initial layout and the second photo is the final version. The lighting is terrible but for the sake of documentation, the photos work.
Almost five and a half years after the genesis of the quilt a long, I have quilt top. I was so tickled that I took it to show a friend and fellow quilter. She and I were working in the nursery at church and I draped it over chairs to let her look. Little people began approaching and before we knew it, the quilt top became a tent. I could not have been more delighted to see it in use. It’s come a long way and it’s come alive. Soon, I hope it will be completed and in full use. That makes me happy!
You are so wonderful?
That is a lot of tiny blocks for sure! I have a quilt that I started many moons ago. Initially I thought I might give it to Matthew, but really all that work would have been lost on him. When he moves to college in August Anna will take over his room and she will get the quilt. I have the top done and did start working on the back. LAST spring break Anna and I made cute pillow-cases. You are certainly motivating me! I am making a vow – it will be done in August.