Finally Finished!

In 1997, I signed up to take a quilting class at Michael's. It was a Christmas gift from Paul and I was so excited. It was my first class and I was anxious to learn how to quilt properly. I had done a few things, enough to know that I need some instruction. I almost didn't go to my first class. It was on a Tuesday night in January and earlier that same day, I had said goodbye to my mom and dad who were moving to Kansas. It was a very hard goodbye and all I felt like doing was laying in bed and crying. But I knew I had to go because it had already been paid for, so I went. I'm so glad I did. At first, I was a bit disappointed because I didn't realize it was a hand quilting class; I thought I signed up for a machine quilting class. But once the class got going, I realized that I was going to enjoy it and learn alot. This quilt is the result of that class. It is hand pieced and hand quilted except for the borders and the binding. I started it way back in January of 1997, when I had 3 small children: Paul was 5, Zack was 3 and Anna was under a year.

For whatever reason (s), the quilt sat unfinished for 14 years. I picked it up about 3 1/2 years ago and finished the quilting but never did finish the binding. When Paul gave me the new sewing machine for Christmas, I told myself the first thing I would sew on it would be the binding on this quilt. I did. And then I ripped it all off because I didn't like it. And then I did it again and now it is finished. In January of 2011, 14 years after I began it. And instead of 3 children, I now have 7, but my youngest 3 are 5, 3 and 6 months, just about the ages Paul, Zack and Anna were when I began this quilt.

One of the blocks- Northern Star.

Jacob's Ladder.

Philadelphia Star.

Bear Paw.

You can see all the hand quilting and different patterns by looking at the back.

I am glad to have it finished and will hang it proudly on my wall.