Oftentimes, making a quilt is long term commitment. You really need to be in it for the long haul. It’s easy to start a project, stop, start again, get interrupted by a smaller project, put it away, take it out, make some more progress, get sick of it, and then stick it back in a drawer. Especially when, let’s face it, real life has its demands and joys and worries and activities. It’s kind of a wonder that so many of us stick with it, and that we keep getting carried away by the next project . . . or by the several current projects we have in the hopper. Quilters don’t give up. We just keep buying and planning and sewing, and occasionally finishing things.
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
In November of 2013 I purchased the “Spools” pattern from Fig Tree & Company. I also purchased from them a small fat quarter bundle which included three yummy butterscotch pieces to get started. I then visited my local quilt shop, Quilts on Broadway, and picked up a few more fat quarters in butterscotch, black, grey and taupe. I also pulled several pieces from my own stash. It was coming together as a lovely, hodge podge of a bundle. And then I put the whole shooting match in my fabric dresser and let it marinate . . . FOR ALMOST A YEAR! 😉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.
There, how’s that for making a quilting commitment? Whew! 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!