How's That Quilt Coming?

Fifteen months ago, I get this bright idea. I'm going to make a quilt for my mother-in-law for Christmas. And not only am I going to make it for her, I'm going to quilt that puppy by hand, yessir. Because it would be easy, right? And it would only take me four months from start to finish, right? Wrong. So, so wrong.

I finished piecing the quilt top the night before we were supposed to drive to Utah for Christmas 08', and I was frantically putting basting stitches through all three layers late into the night, thinking that I would get all the hand quilting done on the 14 hour car ride. (Let's not overlook the fact that I had never hand quilted anything in my life, and thought I could figure it out from one of my quilting books and watching a few YouTube videos.)

Oh, ho, ho, ho. It's all laughable now.

Not only was I completely unable to quilt in the car, it wasn't until several days later when my sisters came to help me that I realized I'd bitten off more than I could chew, swallow, and digest before Christmas. My sister Meghan ever so gently said that there was no way on God's green earth that I was going to get that quilt quilted by Christmas, mere days away.

But we gave it heck anyway.

She was right, though, that sister of mine. I had to give the quilt to my dear mother-in-law unquilted and un binded. It was just a quilt top, wool batting, and backing held together with a few hastily sewn basting stitches.

And then I took it away from her, because who wants an unfinished quilt? (This makes me sad.) So, over the last year, I have worked on the quilt. I have quilted when I've had the time, and those who have seen it always ask me, "How's that quilt coming?"

Here's the answer. It's still not finished. Why? Because quilts done by hand don't get done with stress and hurry. But they do get done with love. I've had to learn this lesson. And I am thankful for it.

I am almost there though, and I'll be darned if another Christmas comes and goes without my mother-in-law having her quilt. So keep on asking. Keep on pestering. And I will finish the quilt so Lorene can wrap her first little grand baby in it and rock her till she falls asleep.