Thursday, April 29, 2010

Almost.

I'm resurrecting a fairly ancient and surely-presumed-forgotten blog topic. Remember this quilt? Oh riiiight, that quilt, the one I'll hopefully be presenting to my friend Alexis in (yipe) two weeks? Well, sweet jebus, it's almost done.

Today, I finished the top, and spent fifteen hot and steamy minutes ironing the darn thing. It is, incidentally, massive. I didn't even measure it before I went to the store and bought queen size batting for it. Assuming, you know, that queen size would be big enough. Because assuming is always a wise idea. Suffice to say, I will be returning to the store this evening to purchase king size batting.

This being my first full-size quilt, I'd like to share what I've learned so far.

1) Assuming you will have enough fabric in your stash is a bad idea.

2) Assuming the project can be knocked off in three months is a bad idea.

3) Assuming that sewing many, many 129-inch-long seams will be fun is a bad idea.

4) I'm not sure I'm going to undertake a full-size quilt again in my lifetime.

That said, it is rewarding to look at my happy, sprawling creation and think about all the tiny bits and clips and trimmings and stitches that went into it, that helped it become happy and sprawling. Maybe this is what raising a child feels like? You count your gray hairs and your crow's feet, take a look at their college graduation picture and decide it was worth it, after all.

Tomorrow, I make the binding. This "child" hasn't quite "graduated" yet. Sigh.

9 comments:

Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker said...

Wow! That's impressive!!!

N said...

Hahaha. I love your list of warnings. I too learned my lesson on the King Size quilt I made hubby for christmas. It was so massive. Good luck with finishing it up. I can't wait to see it and hear the additional warnings. If I could make a list it would say "send the top off for someone else to finish it". Because that was the most frustrating part of working with a big quilt. My thoughts are with you.

Kristina Strain said...

Thanks, Natalie, that means a lot. It's the sheer length of the seams, more than anything, that makes it drudging. But almost, almost...

alanna rose said...

Good job!
I was sewing 96" seams this week (working on drapes), and that was bad enough - 129" sounds a bit torturous.
It is a lovely quilt!

Alli (One Pearl Button) said...

Wow, it's gorgeous!! I've never been brave enough to attempt a quilt, but I'm so impressed by the quilting skills of others. So pretty!

I'm also a *champion* crafty assumer, haha.

What Would a Nerd Wear said...

ohmygoodness you made a whole quilt! amazing. my mom has been "working" on a quilt for two years and still only has half a dozen squares.

Kristina Strain said...

Tania, having a deadline definitely helps! Without one I'm sure I'd be in the same boat.

Lisa-Marie said...

That, is frickin awesome.

Becky said...

I love it! The way you describe it belies the fabulous results. you are such a talented young woman and quite the storyteller.

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