Finished Projects

Amazingly enough, I have finished 2 quilting projects in the last 2 weeks, including binding them, the part I probably hate the most. Making a quilt is much more involved than I ever thought, and I don't even quilt them myself. Initially, I wasn't drawn to quilting because most quilters are, ahem, older, and their tastes run a different road. But then I discovered there are all kinds of fabric available and I could make quilts that reflected my tastes and personality.

A couple years ago, I was visiting one of my favorite stores, Houston Street Mercantile, my local quilting shop. (The store is owned and worked by, ahem, older, women, so the website is not impressive. The store must be experienced first hand.) Up on the wall, they had a beautiful quilt hanging that was made of brown and blue batik fabric, very masculine. Batiks are hand-dyed fabrics that have gorgeous variations of color and contrast. I have included some in nearly everything I have made. I loved the quilt and thought I'd like to make one like that for my dad, so I bought the kit.

I intended to make the quilt for my dad to use while he slept in his recliner, where he slept for 15 years.

Then my mother died.

And my dad started sleeping in the bed again. I came up with another idea for him, but what to do with the kit? I decided to make the quilt for my father-in-law, Champion Napper, for Christmas. But then, what to get my mother-in-law? So I decided to make one for her also. I finished binding the last one mere hours before they arrived on Friday. I was fairly pleased with my work.

These quilts have the same border, the same backing, the same binding. The only difference is the "interior".

To finish the quilt for my bed, I need to put the last border on and get it to the quilter. Oh, and I need to finish the binding on my Christmas tree skirt. Then all my "open" projects will be complete. I love making quilts. I get such a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction when they are complete.