
This came to mind for me on Memorial weekend as I was rifling through my fabric dresser. By the way, I do love this little $40 dresser I found at an occasional shop years ago, but I wonder how much longer it will hold my “organized” stash and in-progress projects. But that is for another blog post, and for another honey-do list. While rummaging around and trying to get organized, I actually came across a \”Spools\” quilt top I had pieced last fall. I truly had forgotten about him.
I really am someone who likes to “sew the season.” If it’s fall, I want to play with fall fabrics. When the snow flies, I want to pull out the Christmas fabrics. And, being a Minnesotan, once January rolls around, I want to bring out all of the pretty pastels and brights and hope they will carry me through until spring arrives, which might not be until May. This poses a problem though, in that it turns most of my seasonal projects into “next year” projects.
2013

2014
In August of 2014, probably in another fit of organizing my fabric dresser, I came upon the well-seasoned fabrics. Summer was drawing to a close, school was just a few weeks away, and I had that autumn feeling in my bones. I don’t think a farm girl ever gets rid of that feeling, no matter how many years she is off the farm. I pulled out my home-made fabric kit, read through the “Spools” pattern again and figured it was time to get busy.
On August 27, I cut up all the pieces and was thrilled with the look and feel of these colors and patterns combined! To me the fabrics read as, “Hello Autumn, meet a classy Halloween.” I know the specific date that I cut up these lovely fabrics, because (as I often do when I get carried away) I shared a picture of my progress with my quilting BFFs from retreat. 😉
On September 7, I began assembly line sewing the spool parts and completed 1 of the 64 spool blocks. Again I shared a progress picture with my dear quilting friends. (Obviously it was some late night sewing . . . the picture is pretty dark!)
During spare bits of time last autumn, I finished that quilt top. I was so happy with the results. But the snowy season was upon me, so I tucked the \”Spools\” top back into the fabric dresser. And there it sat . . . for several months.
2015
And now we are . . . back to present time, the summer of 2015 where I have rediscovered this delightful gem and have high hopes that it will be draped over the back of my sofa this fall. My seasonal project has become a two-year project. But . . . I am determined!!!
- I will find some backing.
- I will get this to the quilter.
- I will complete the binding.
- I will have this quilt on the sofa before the trick-or-treaters knock on the door.
- I will update my blog with a picture of the completed quilt.
Thanks for reading. Here’s hoping you get carried away quilting often!
Oh, and here’s to completing those seasonal projects within one season! 😉
~Taunja
I have just found your blog today and love reading it and seeing your pictures. My mother and her parents were from Minnesota (Minneapolis) and I adore the state and the people. My cousin lives in Avon and another cousin in another town. So I wanted to say thank you for the wonderful inspiration and I am going to hunt down some Aloha and California Girl. I did have a question about the little quilt below the spool quilt. It is adorable. Is it your design? Can you share what pattern it is. And I see a coffee table quilt in my future, near future. I grew up with my mother and grandparents having coffee and cake or cookies in the mid-afternoon and it is a tradition I plan to follow when I retire! Thank you again!
Hi Karen! This is such a dear, dear note! I truly appreciate it! And it's such a small world isn't it? Avon isn't too far from me!Oh yes, the little quilt below the Spool Quilt is a pattern by Fig Tree called \”Mini Blossom.\” It is so sweet and so much fun to make. I sent you an email with a link because one of my sponsors, Stash Addict Quilts, still has a kit for this awesome mini!Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you get that coffee time quilt made up and have fun doing so! If you are on Instagram, please let me know so I can see what quilting fun you are up to!