Challenges

Last week my quilting stitch group met for our monthly meeting. We were supposed to bring a finished quilt from the challenge gauntlet that had been laid down last year. Ok, so I didn't finish my quilt. I did get the top done but I expect I will have it machine quilted by my friend Jackie. It turned out much larger than I originally thought -- 77" x 87" -- what was I thinking?! Way toooooo big for me to machine quilt on my Bernina and if I hand-quilted it, my niece might never get it.

I really like the way it turned out and it will be perfect for her. I bought the fabric in Manhattan after I visited her when she lived in Hoboken. Yes, that was 2 years ago. Time flies. The fabric is a great Japanese print and I used either white, red, or black fabric around the print squares. Now she's living in California and that's a long way to go to visit but I'll get there someday.

In the meantime, I've got my challenge to finish for next year. It's a four block quilt by Terry Clothier Thompson and I've had the one block done for years. I tried desperately to get my group to cut me some slack and make it a wall-hanging but nooooooooooo, they wouldn't have any of that. Plus I have the rest of the pieces already cut out, just need to hand applique them down.

I do like the way it came out but it's been so long I'll have to try and find the class notes and pattern so I can finish it in this decade. Not looking good to be finished by next February. Too many other things to get in the way.