Saved From the Trash Bin

About 5-ish years ago, I decided I wanted to make my future mother-in-law a quilt.  I didn’t know anything about quilting.  But, I knew I liked quilts, other people liked quilts, and I knew how to work a sewing machine…..so how hard could it be, right?  I saw a picture of a quilt I liked online, and figured I could come up with how to make it.  So I drew out what it looked like, figured up some dimensions and went down to my local craft store to get some fabric.  I enlisted my mom to help me, who also at the time didn’t know anything about quilting.  The particular pattern I picked had lots of triangles, and I distinctly remember sewing them up and them not being the right size, but we thought, hey…enough steam and stretching and we can make them the right size.  I know, are you just cringing in your seats?  Anyway, I made the top, but didn’t ever do anything with it after that.  I decided not to give it to her for some reason, although I don’t remember why.  I’m glad I decided not to, looking back at it.  I might have never gotten married, HA!  My MIL, who I didn’t know at the time had also made some quilts, would have taken one look at it and told her son not to marry that girl   I did end up making her a proper quilt a couple years ago though, so all is well.

Anyway, I tucked the top away, but never intended to do anything with it.  I was cleaning out some things the other day and ran across it.  I hadn’t seen it since I made it, and it was funny to look back at it.  Not many of the seams match, and most of the points were cut off, but I love the pattern, and I love my fabric choices.  I think it’s actually a really pretty quilt.  I figured I needed to bite the bullet and either chunk it or finish it.

As I continued to clean out my fabric bin, I came across a piece of fabric that worked perfect for the back, and was exactly the right amount, and the same for binding.  I figured it was a sign, and the next day I had it quilted and bound.  I’m really pleased with the way it came out, and I’m really glad I decided to finish it.  It’s pretty small, I’d say about lap quilt size, and will be perfect for Avery to drag around some day.  Since I wasn’t too invested in the finished project, I decided to try machine binding for the first time.  2 sides came out pretty good, and 2 pretty not good.  But the binding step is my least favorite, so I’m glad I did it.  It will take a little finesse and practice, but I’ll definitely do it again.

So, first finish of the month for OPAM, and first quilt done out of the 12 I want to finish this year out of my WIP’s.

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