Today I dug out my very first quilt. Years ago I went to a workshop through the OSU Extension office in Custer County. My good friend Radonna Sawatzky is the home educator there, and talked me into going. The pattern was a lone star quilt made with the Quiltsmart method. I picked fabric that I loved and it cost me a fortune, $85.42. I know that because the receipt was in the box with the quilt. Wow, the same fabric now would be $175.00 approximately!! Can you believe how much fabric has increased in 10 years!!
I had all the spokes of the star done, and had worked on cutting the setting triangles and the corners. I did a little fancy border in the corners because I had seen a quilt in Keepsake Quilting magazine with borders in the corner and thought I could surely figure it out. I got those four corners made, and then put all of it in the box and it's been in my quilt closet for at least 10 years. I was ready to do the difficult part, and just didn't want to tackle it. Then life got in the way. My kids were still in school, high school and junior high, and quilting at all got put on the back burner.
So when I started quilting again about 6 years ago I kept looking at the box, and leaving it on the shelf. I joined a facebook page recently and everyone was showing their first quilts, and it made me think about mine again. Then I went to quilt guild on Monday night and we have a contract to sign up to finish UFO's for the year, you enter by listing what UFO's you want to complete by October, sign the pledge, and win special prizes if you finish your quilts. So again I was reminded of my Lone Star Quilt. I put that quilt on the list. So I came home and drug out the box to see where I was. It was exactly as I thought. I had to press all the parts again, I laid it out on my bed and started sewing the parts together.
This afternoon I finished with all the setting triangles and Y seams, and have it pressed and ready for borders. Here is a picture of the project as it is now.
It's really windy outside, so I had to take my pictures in the house, they aren't very good. One thing I'm going to have to brush up on if I want good quality pictures in my blog is my photography skills. I have a really good friend who is an excellent photographer, maybe she can give me some tips.
This is a closeup of one of the corners with the border set in....I hope it looks OK when I get it finished. I'm not sure I like it just sitting there, but I think the overall look will be fine when it's all done.
Now I need to go see what fabric is left in the box and see if I can remember what I was going to do for borders, I know I wanted the quilt for my kingsize bed, so it needs several borders to reach that size. Hopefully I bought enough fabric because I'm sure I'll never find more, If I remember right it was called Wuthering Heights by Three Sisters for Moda, I think, I'll have to see if I have a selvage with the info. I absolutely love this fabric, its the most beautiful browny reds, browns, and beige's. The beige background fabric actually has writing and little ink drawings on it. It's the actual words from the book Wuthering Heights. I thought that was so beautiful when I bought it, and writing fabrics are still some of my most favorite backgrounds.
I'm through sewing for the day. I have a very sore throat, and I'm going to go make a cup of tea and watch some TV.
Tomorrow I have to get the husband, Greg, to help get Opal, my longarm unloaded and set back up so I can start quilting again. I have 5 customer quilts ready to go, and about that many of my own to do. The quilting business is definitely picking up!!!! LOVE to quilt on my longarm.
Hope everyone has a great evening!
