Monday, February 1, 2010

January Project - The Christmas Quilt - Complete*!


*If we call the completed top for the Christmas quilt a "completed project."
(You can click on the picture for more detail.)

The truth is: to finish this quilt, I'll need batting and a backing fabric - and I just don't have it in the budget right now to buy either. So I'm calling it done, and giving myself a pass on the technicality.

But I think I was successful - I was able to complete the quilt top. I remembered what I was doing. I discovered that everything I'd learned about piecing a quilt top, well, it's not so much that I remembered it as I realized it's just all still in there. It was like my fingers moved to do things before I could think about the next step. What I did remember was the satisfaction in looking at all of those little pieces of fabric, pulled together to make something beautiful. (Well, I consider it beautiful).

I mentioned, when I introduced the project, that I had chosen a fabric for the lattice (the longer strips surrounding each block) that was proving difficult to cut. My solution? I finally just chose another fabric. Such an obvious solution that it eluded me for 4 1/2 years.

In the end, an enthusiastic thumbs up on this quilt pattern, too. Thimbleberries is always good, and the directions on this quilt are no exception. It went together quickly and rather simply. And it did accomplish what I wanted for this fabric - the overall affect is 100% "Hi! I'm a Christmas Quilt!" The fabric I fell in love with is highlighted, but blended. And I've got my whimsical little Eiffel Towers on display.

As this project *technically* isn't "finished" - you'll be seeing it again. This looks like a project I'll be able to machine quilt myself (I'm not so good at the machine quilting - but this has a lot of straight lines to follow). And I'll add a table runner for the table underneath where the quilt will hang. Or maybe a Christmas tree skirt for the tree I keep imagining I'll put in the foyer and decorate differently than the tree in the living room. I don't know ... it's February already - I guess I have to stop thinking about Christmas for awhile.

On to February's project!

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