A few years ago at a Quilt Market, my best friend Mary Ann and I fell in love with this pattern:
This pattern cover doesn't do the quilt justice, and if you could see the quilt in person you would understand why we absolutely positively had to make this quilt. It is breathtaking.
So, being the think it out before purchasing and commiting to such a large project people that we are, we bought the pattern set on the spot and committed to spend the next several years working on this quilt. Oh yes, we could hardly stand ourselves.
Right after we started working on it, my family moved to Arkansas and Mary Ann and I decided this would be our "visiting each other" project. Since I moved, Mary Ann and I try to visit each other as often as possible. Thank goodness we have wonderful husbands, who understand that we get awfully grumpy if we don't get to visit often. In fact, my husband commented that he wonders what we could possibly have to talk about since we talk so often on the phone. Dear, sweet, silly, man.
Anyhoo, we've been faithful in our commitment to work on a section each time we get together, then take our "homework" home to finish up. The first block was the house and trees:
Then we added the pieced alphabet blocks:
Oh yes, those were painful. We spent much time on the phone moaning over our "homework" for that section. Each of those little squares end up 3/4". And how many are there? About 150 million. But now that it's done, it wasn't so bad. (ha)
Then we added the applique vine:
We decided to do all of the applique pieces in wool. And I'm glad we did, I love the dimension it adds.
Then we did the log cabin blocks:
Then two weeks ago, Mary Ann came to visit for a few days. We had the greatest time! We shopped, toured Denver, shopped, stitched, talked, stitched, talked, and stitched.
We worked on the applique letters:
Which still need their little flying geese sewn to them. Which is my homework.
On our next visit, we'll work on the bottom corner flowers:
I can't tell you how happy I am that they look easy peasy.
So, that's the eternal sampler quilt that we will spend then next few years finishing up. Not only will we have a beautiful quilt, but lots of great memories to go with it.
This quilt is designed by Janet Miller, of "The City Stitcher" by the way. And kudos to her, for designing such a fabulous quilt. Can I just say, if you ever decide to make this quilt, do it with a friend. It's the only way to go.
Happy stitching! xoxo, Paula
