blooming nine-patch quilt

Happy new year and a month.

I go through spurts of being wordy, and I feel one about to start .

So here I go!

About 7-8 years ago I really wanted to learn how to quilt.  I had dabbled a little up until then, mostly self- taught with many, many mistakes and even more projects just tossed in the trash in frustration.

At the time, I had just met a neighbor of mine who had been a quilter for many years, and an absolutely wonderful woman.

She he had taken me to her home to show her quilt studio to me and I was blown away with how beautiful it was and even more stunning were her collection of quilts throughout her home.

She showed me this one quilt that she had made, Blooming  Nine-patch.  I was in love.  She convinced me that I could make it ( and I reaaally doubted her)

she he offered to go with me to help pick out my fabrics and she lent me her book with the pattern in it.

I had never attempted something this big and found myself overwhelmed, though I did keep working on it, often struggling to remember where I was in the whole quilt- making process.

Once I thought I had a good idea of what I was doing, my eldest son got married and I pushed my  quilt aside to make he and my daughter-in-law their wedding  quilt .

I’ve since made many lap quilts, and over the years I would go back and work on my quilt ( now dubbed Scott’s quilt because he was sure I’d never finish it abd it seemed to him like I made one for everyone but him. ). I would often get frustrated, work on it for a short time, then move on to something more  ‘instant-er’ gratification.

This past year has had life change direction dramatically for me and part of that includes my own sewing room and  a new years’ resolution to organize  Everything in it.

I fell shortly before Christmas while skiing with my family and had a lot of downtime while waiting for diagnosis and treatment plan ( trying to organize tests during Christmas week is not easy ) so I started on organizing my stash

( because it required a lot of sitting and that, my friends , was something that I could do )

( my big helper, miss Fenway )

( more on that later, I did a lot of research on how to organize, and took bits and pieces of what I learned and applied it to my personal stash)

I found myself moving ‘Scott’s’ quilt, now about 90% done, from space to space! trying to move it out of my way.

And just like a lightening bolt from above, I decided that finishing this would be one of my new years’ resolutions .

After my surgery, I set the sewing machine up for free- motion, arranged the quilt in my machine and would hobble over with my crutches for about 10 minutes at a time, and slowly progressed …  And as of last night…

..Completed.  When I talked to Ali on the phone this morning her response was, ” which quilt? Not THE quilt? Are you kidding ? Does dad know? ”  I won’t even get started woth the comments from my sister….

here are a few more photos of it.  I’m in love.

I’m very proud of myself :). I know this blog has been about food, but I think it’s kind of taken a different turn.  Since I’ve become an empty-nester, my creativity feels like its exploded ( in a good way )

While going through my stash, I’ve come across fabrics left over from projects that I’ve made over the last few years and realize hoe few photos I’ve taken of finished projects, many of which I’ve given away as gifts

the tote bags that I made for my mother-in-law and grandmother- in law for Christmas a few years ago

the jeweler bags that I made my sister in laws and niece for Christmas this year

many of the quilts that I’ve made

the hooded towel that I made for my nephew’s little girl

I just never thought to take pictures and coming across the fabrics that I chose for the gifts made me smile and remember why I bought them

( Scott’s grandmother loves lighthouses and I searched for the perfect lighthouse print for her bag …  I found one little square of the print left in my stash )

sooo, 2014 will have me sharing my finished projects. And since blowing up my Facebook wall most likely has my non- crafter friends bored as a board, I’ll be sharing here !

I still love food, but a significant weight gain in the last year, combine with still healing from surgery is not very kitchen- friendly for me , so until then allow me to indulge in my out of control crafty side !

I’ve spent 27 years being proud of my childrens’ accomplishments, today, I’m proud of mine 🙂