The best UFO Ever

This time of the year makes me want to reach back through the curtain of time and pull forward things that are important to me. Perhaps it's the chill in the air. I know that's certainly what did it this time.
This is the quilt my mom started working on when I was little. I have memories of all of her files with fabrics in each one. Every time she would work on her quilt I would beg her to make one for me. So she did. Mine was patchwork animals done on the sewing machine. Backed with my mom's favorite bed sheet when she was a child. Talk about a higher quality of fabrics back then. It has since been through me and then my youngest sister, who somewhere along the way decided it was hers I don't know how. That seemed to happen with many quilts in our home, and eventually it was loved unto death. Sad but sometimes children do this.

Now back to the quilt my mom was working on. The technique you see on the leaves I now know to be hand turned needle point. Pretty isn't it? Trust me if you could see the tiny little stitches you'd be amazed much as I was when I pulled it out. Fresh with my newly acquired quilting knowledge. The stems of the leaves are hand embroidered. She began hand quilting this on a quilting frame my Grandfather made out of Cherry Wood, just for my mom. Life happened and she was remarried and things sort of slipped past. The quilt remained a UFO (unfinished object) for many years, but then I announced my engagement in at the end of 2002, and my mom pulled out this quilt. She had the name of an Amish lady who would finish quilts for you. The Amish lady set aside her other quilts to have my quilt done in the Spring when my mom came down here to help with the last of the planning. She wrapped up the quilt and gave it to me as a bridal shower gift.

That was such a moving day. I was beside myself that she would give me something she worked so hard on for so long. It was her special quilt, and now it's my special quilt. It's one of our winter quilts because the batting it a bit heavier than you'd like on the bed in the summer time. This year was the first year it was put on the bed with my special Christmas Flannel Sheets. Just in time for our little bout of cold. I did work on the free standing lace, but I only took one photo, I guess it didn't occur to me to take anymore. Boohoo I know. Last but not least is an update on the rag rug. You can see it here. I've run out of rope and need to get more. It would be fine as a play rug in front of a doll house but as you can see it needs a bit more to really work for a runner next to the bed. Jessica thought she was being so silly like that crowding into the photo. Oh what would I do without my little snot?

And now I'm off to an online baby shower. I've never attended one before, so hopefully it will be wonderful. The mommy to be received my gifts earlier in the week and has been waiting to open them till today. I sent her a whole bunch of stuff, if only because I changed my mind after I bought some stuff and then made different stuff, and ended up sending it all to her anyway. I know silly me, but it makes for a nice plump box. :)

Isn't my baby getting so big?