A Labour Of Love

Back in May (!!) I asked for some help/advice/suggestions on an idea I was thinking about...  In July, after lots more research and planning I finally started cutting the various components for the quilt.

I have never made a quilt, and certainly never designed one.  The margin of error and potential to have missed a seam allowance was a high possibility...  So many questions and what ifs and how do I do that and what if I screw this up?

I learned ALOT.  From determining sizes, enlarging/reducing, ratios, colour/white, 9-patch/12-patch, cutting, cutting, cutting, appliqué, blanket stitching  hand quilting, machine quilting, batting options, backing, making binding, attaching, joining and hand stitching binding, mitred corners...  The learning curve was rather large... but there's nothing quite like deciding this is it and hope like crazy you don't end up wasting hours and hours and hours by making a fatal mistake at the end...

Each figure was quilted and blanket stitched by hand. 

8 weeks later it was complete and last week we celebrated my husband's Oma's 80th Birthday.  This quilt resembles our branch of her family - my husband and I, and our 3 girls all represented in each of our favourite colours.

Free-style embroidered message on the back.  And the border of blocks on the front comprises 192 individual  2.5 x 2.5" squares.

The greatest part was how much she loved it.  Mission accomplished.

Thanks to all you lovely people who advised, supported, encouraged and helped along the way.  I couldn't have done it without you!

L xx