The first quilt I ever started has been finished!
The first block was made in May 2008. I managed to make some more that July, then had the top pieced and borders added by the end of that month. A month or two later I pieced together a backing and pinned everything together for quilting. Then it sat. And sat. And sat.
Eventually I bought a walking foot and learned to use it. So last week it was quilted, and the binding sewn on. So here it is – more than a year after it began!
Calico and Leftovers. All sewn from stash fabrics, the majority left over from dressmaking projects. Many of the churn dash fabrics represent dresses I made for one of my girls.
I even managed to mitre the corners (some slightly better than others) and figured out how to join the binding on the diagonal. I quilted in the ditch around each of the blocks and the sashing as well as 1/4 inch inside the centre of each block.
Clare is still insisting that I should have replaced the darkest block with another fabric, but since it was my very first patchwork block I insisted on keeping it in! The quilt is a decent lap size. I am rather chuffed.
Susie said
Lara, this is fantastic – well done. It is beautiful and obviously very special to you. Can’t wait to finish my first one too!
Kirsty said
It’s beautiful Lara & just a lovely memory holder. I love it.
Michelle said
Trust me, that’s a quick quilt! I’ve got quilt WIPs that have been hanging around forever!
It’s an absolutely beautiful quilt. I’m glad you love it!
chaletgirl said
Congratulations! I agree with Michelle, that’s a quick quilt! I’m still working on ones older than that, in fact I have never finished my first quilt from 3 years ago!
Fuunily enough, all through your post, well before I got to the last paragraph, I kept admiring your HR frogs (the darkest block). I love that it stands out.
And you should be chuffed. Congratulations!
Vireya said
Congratulations! It looks great.
Karen said
Well done to you Lara, I am still procrastinating over, I mean planning, my first quilt!!
Now enjoy it in this cool weather.
our shabby cottage said
Love it Lara. You must be so pleased to finally have it finished. I love that the fabrics in it are left overs from the girls dresses too. One down, many more to come….
CurlyPops said
It’s so lovely that each time you look at the quilt, you’ll remember all of the lovely dresses that you made for the girls (long after the dresses no longer fit).
Renee said
You should be chuffed, it looks wonderful, well done. Love the fabrics in it.
rachelmp said
Oh Lara, it’s beautiful. Fantastic to both finish it and have reminders of the girls dresses.
Gina said
So inspiring. I love that it’s a ‘leftovers’ quilt, but how well it works together. You must be feeling very satisfied.
cathy said
great job Lara – I think you have done it in exceptional time! A real heirloom quilt!
sewjourn said
It’s great Lara – and I wish all my quilts were finished within 12 months!! I love the darker block too.
Jodie said
I love it lara and when the girls are older, I wonder if they will remember a favourite dress when the see the quilt.
Melanie said
I love how Claire has such definite ideas about colour! And of course you have to keep your first block in. Great job, I think it all comes together really beautifully, and it must be very satisfying. Hmmm… hopefully I’ll know that feeling soon
shannon brennan said
Lara,
Very, very, very pretty. Well done.
Maybe you should use it as a wall hanging.
My 10 year old is my biggest critic/ advice giver. Now that she is getting a little older she is usually right! Although I made a granny square blanket last fall (known as the family blanket, it ended up being the size of my king sized bed) and there were some squares she HATED and made sure I knew it. They stayed there and I like them. Ha.
Congratulations. Quilts are back breaking!
Shannon said
It’s lovely, and all that much better for having such a wonderful story tied to it.
Tania - Jet Designs said
Wow Lara – I really admire that fact that you stuck with it – I may of wander to other projects and found it lying in the bottom of the cupboard 20 years later ( Oh yes that is what happened to my Mum’s first patchwork quilt – when she finally got it back out apricot and cream weren’t quite fashionable anymore!)