It was time for our monthly Second Saturday Sewing Sisters gathering. I didn't want to start on a "new" quilt, so I decided to take my white, off-white, and low volume neutral crumbs and strips and sew them to an adding machine tape.
(I had been working on my colored scraps already using this technique.)
This seemed to be the perfect project because I could sew and make progress on a project and yet slow down on my quilt production volume.
My idea was to sew all of the adding machine strips together into a block and then set these blocks on point with white sashing. I had a large supply of 1 1/2 in. strips in my scraps that needed to be used that were perfect for the sashing.
As is typical for me - I have "long-term" (a project that is worked on over many years) piecing projects and then I get so involved in working on it that I finish it relatively quickly. This quilt top was no exception. I started this project in July 2022 and finished the blocks in August 2022.
It was added to the UFO pile of finished flimsies (unfinished quilt tops) where it waited its turn for quilting. So much for slowing down on my UFO projects.
I hadn't quite decided where this quilt would land. I really liked it and planned to keep for myself, yet I also thought it would make a great gift should the opportunity arose.
2023 has been the year of finishing up my UFOs
We were spending two weeks in Colorado visiting the family. I pin-basted the quilt ahead of time to take along. 2023 UFO-busting would get an added boost having some free time on our vacation. We drove our car and Keith encouraged me to bring along my sewing machine.
I was showing off my various quilts to the family. When Creede and his new bride, Rain, saw this one, they both agreed they would prefer this quilt over the one I had made them (grey and white Jacob's Ladder) which had also been brought along for quilting.
I now had an added incentive to finish it up. I did an all-over meander quilting pattern. Within two days, I had it quilted, bound, and wrapped for their wedding gift.
Creede and Rain are moving back to Pagosa Springs from Las Vegas in August. This quilt will be waiting for them when they arrive.
Since I gave this one away, I've already started another one. Maybe I'll get to keep it for myself.
I've decided to name this quilt - An Unexpected Wedding Gift. This has a dual meaning. Creede and Rain surprised everyone at Christmas (2022) with the announcement they had gotten married. We found out on Christmas Day. We didn't even know that Creede was dating anyone. This name also suits this quilt because I didn't know that it would become the unexpected wedding gift for them.
Every quilt tells a story. This is the story of creating something beautiful with my scraps, finishing an "unexpected wedding gift" quilt, and making progress on finishing up lingering projects.
Every Quilt Tells A Story
Whether it is the fabrics chosen, the design, the colors, the occasion, the recipient, or the people I quilt with, every quilt tells a story. This blog captures in images and words what has been created for others and for my own home through the hum and stitching of my sewing machine.
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