Sunday, March 16, 2008

Done!

It is after 6:00 on Sunday and here I sit - back and shoulders aching, feet hurting, arms sore - nevertheless feeling great satisfaction and relief. I have finished the huge Oriental customer quilt. This is one of the most difficult quilts I've ever quilted, and certainly the most time consuming. I listed to unabridged recordings of all three books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy while I quilted, and was near the end of the third book when I finished this evening. I'm guessing that's between 40 and 45 hours of quilting - I sure wish I'd kept track! I know for sure I used over 4000 yards of thread - winding over 60 bobbins before I was through. I wish I could get a good picture of the quilt, but it is too heavy to hold and we don't have a room nearly big enough - or a ceiling high enough. I'm so glad someone else will have to maneuver this monster through a domestic machine to sew on the binding!

Now I can go back to working on my own projects without guilt - hooray! I'm WAY behind on my Civil War blocks and eager to get back to them. I did take time to make one this morning - the first one I've paper pieced. I think it took me longer to make it than it took to make all seven blocks the first week! I do like how it turned out - and can't imagine doing it without paper piecing. This is "Provisions", p. 179 of Civil War Love Letters.

Friday night I took time to attend a guild "sew along". Now that all my scraps are cut to size I'm very eager to use up my strings. I managed to finish 14 string blocks before we closed shop and went home. I really didn't intend to make another string quilt with red as the center strings, however I found the bunch that I'd cut and then lost when I was making the red center string quilt last year, so I needed to use them. This will most likely be another quilt for Hotel Hope.

I didn't do much stashbusting this week - none in fact except for the tiny pieces in the "Provisions" block - unless you count all the scraps I gave away. I added 13 1/4 yards with what came in the mail on Tuesday. That's OK - I believe I'm still comfortably in the negative so far this year - and I REALLY NEEDED these fabrics for my reproduction collection!!!!

************
Gratitudes:
1. The monster is finished!
2. A patient, understanding husband
3. A very quilty weekend
4. Coffee with Joseph and Rebecca
5. Successful surgery for Rick's mom

14 comments:

Lissa Jane said...

Patti
congrats on finishing the huge quilt! and I love your civil war block and your string blocks.. :O)))
I am yet to start my civil war quilt, but I have been shopping (uh oh)


Lissa

Lissa Jane said...

Patti
I just seen your list of flimsies! HOLY MOLY! Lucky I am sitting down! do the 30's one first.. then send them to me! hahaha oh and the civil war repros ones..
You have been ONE busy possum!!!!


Lissa
Australia

antique quilter said...

I am so happy for you finishing that quilt...oh you have to be so relieved , I hope she loves it. Can't believe how many bobbins you used!
I want tomake that block too, waiting for EQ 6 to arrive so I can print out the harder CW diary blocks to make.
Kathie

Anonymous said...

Hi!
Really like the string-quilt...

Lily Mulholland said...

Congratulations Patti - you must be very relieved! That's a lot of thread!

And I love that civil war block - it looks so modern!

Carol said...

Congratulations Patti on your finish of the monster...what a job. Love you CW block...I'm way behind and need to get stichin.

Unknown said...

I've not kept up...how big is this monster? Congrats on finishing it! I know it has to be a relief.

Mary Johnson said...

Those monster quilts are a pain!

You may be tired of the red centered string blocks but I love them!

Carin said...

glad you got it done!
Your string quilt is beautiful.

Libby said...

How wonderful to have the big guy done *s* That CWD block is wonderful!

Paula, the quilter said...

Did you know your blog was mentioned on Annie Smith's podcast?

Congrates on getting this big guy done.

Alycia said...

Congrats on finishing the monster. I like your civil war blocks, and the strings.. my strings keep multiplying

Thimbleanna said...

Gosh Patti -- you've been busy!!! I can't even imagine what 4000 yds of quilting on a quilt would be -- I'll bet you were really glad for it to be finished!

Quilts And Pieces said...

MMMMmm I love your provisions block!