I'm a Quilter!

I realize there are more pressing matters that deserve my undivided blogging attention (namely that camping trip that I SWEAR I really did take, as well as that 2,000 mile road trip to New Mexico we just recovered from), but I felt it necessary to announce something that is rare, and therefore something I am quite proud of: I finished a project! A quilting project! I can quilt! I'm a quilter!

Please feel free to now douse me with gold stars and smiley face stickers, because one thing that is NOT a strength of mine is the ability to finish something once I start it. Just ask my husband (or parents or friends...), I'm sure he has a hidden notepad somewhere entirely devoted to keeping record of the projects/ideas/rooms to be painted that I never actually completed. I probably make the highly organized, "type A" sorts of people break out in nervous, aggravation-induced hives while in my company. It's my gift.

But I digress.

Remember when I first began this adventure, just about 6 months ago? Well, I learned many things back then. Namely, quilting is a very difficult task in and of itself. Like, you have no idea. Unless of course you've quilted, then of course you have a VERY good idea. But if you are like I once was, a girl with a romanticized vision of what quilting would entail, let me do you a favor now, and rain on your flowery creative quilting parade. Quilting is approximately 1,000 times more involved than I thought. Even when I was 7/8 of the way finished with the project, I STILL had no idea how much more time I'd be forced to invest. But throw in a toddler and a preschooler who want to be VERY involved in their Mom's quilting process, and then the whole thing becomes more difficult than trying to understand a single word that comes out of Ozzy Osbourne's mouth.

Does it sound like I'm complaining? Because I'm not, really I'm not. Yes, it was a ton of work, but the second part of this is, OH MY HEAVENS! How I loved the process, and even more, how I loved the final moment of completion! Remember: completion is not something I often do, so perhaps the giddiness is on a grander scale than your "average" quilter. Either way, all I know is, if you are ever lucky enough to receive a homemade quilt from someone who loves you, please fall on your knees and thank them profusely (especially if it's from me), because that person loves you enough to endure hours upon hours upon hours of thread/sewing/bobbin/binding/batting/stitching in the ditch madness.

So. Allow myself to introduce you to my quilt. Go on, be friendly and say hello:

Did you want to get up close & personal with her? Do it. I don't mind. In fact, I insist.

My darling mother-in-law (a.k.a. The Quilting Queen) kept talking about how important quilt binding is, and how it can really frame your quilt and make it *pop*. I'm so glad I listened to her! Isn't the binding the cutest? And did you take notice of my decently sewn corners? NOT EASY TO DO, MY FRIENDS!

This picture is for those of you who want to see more of the binding. Bless you. Also, I found "stitching in the ditch" to be nearly impossible and almost cause for a stronger eyeglass prescription, so instead I stitched near the ditch. Good enough. As my mother-in-law says, if a person riding by on a horse can't see it (the "flaw"), then don't worry about it! She always knew what to say to keep me going!

At first I really wanted to give this away to someone, but then I realized this quilt is like a piece of history for me. My very first quilt- sort of like my first lost tooth, or my first cut tendril of hair, or my first pedicure. I love that this summer has been full of so many "firsts" in my world. At 31.5 years old, I didn't know I could have many more firsts.

So no, this quilt won't be going anywhere except on the couch with my loved ones & I. Even Ben seems to appreciate it, and rolled around on it for almost 15 minutes tonight while singing an original song (though I think it was possibly inspired by Katy Perry) entitled, "Mommy Made A Quilt & I Like It". Awesome.