I bought a bunch of hunter green fabric in 1992, when hunter green was really popular. I was going to make a quilt for my dorm room with it. I started the quilt. I was not very good at this at all, and all my blocks were very different sizes. I got discouraged, went back to school, packed up the pieces to the future quilt and put them in a Rubbermaid Tub.
The Rubbermaid Tub sat under the tables in my Mom’s work area for about a decade. Then she insisted that I take it. I didn’t forget about the quilt; I just procrastinated DOING anything about the quilt because I was intimidated.
In 2002, I decided, dammit, I’m going to finish the stupid quilt. So I made 12 Ohio Star blocks, totally abandoning my original design. I added white fabrics and some more greens (though the teals and hunters of 1992 were out of style ten years later, so I supplemented with more summer greens and knew I’d have to find a way to force them to go together — enter the log cabin blocks…). Then I made log cabin blocks with all the different greens, with purple triangles in the corners. I pieced the quilt into 5 22″ wide strips that I’ll quilt individually by machine, and then attach the strips together. It will be a king-sized bedquilt when I’m done.
It’s been ready to layer (meaning — fully pieced, and just waiting until I basted together the quilt sandwich [quilt top, batting, backing] so I can quilt it) for over a year.
Today my mom and I layered one of the five strips and hand-basted it together so I can quilt it. And we also layered and pin-basted the abstract quilt that I’ve been working on. I have another hand-basted quilt in the closet, ready to go.
I feel a Finishing Frenzy coming on. My biggest goal for the year is to finish the blasted Green Albatross that I started in 1992. It’s going to be a beautiful quilt when it’s done, but GOD. Thirteen years now?! What is my PROBLEM?!
Hunter Green was officially passe in 1991… that was part of the problem.
Anyway… what are we going to DO with this quilt (and the 7 others you’re working on right now) when you’re done, hmm?
Jerry, stop logging in as me and posting comments. It’s confusing.
Anyway. I will want to use this quilt on our bed eventually, even if it means that we have to wait for the cats to die before we use it (since I would rip their heads off if they were to pee on it). It can wait quietly in the linen closet upstairs until then. I just want it OUT of my unfinished projects pile.
As far as the other seven quilts I’m working on, I intend to hang some of them up. Some of the ones we’ve been snuggling under for the last year should be on walls in the gallery over the stairs. We’ll snuggle under some of the 7 I’m working on.
🙂
hello mrs poplin…this your fellow sept 3rd speaking! glad to stumble across your site! hope all is well, tell jerry i said hello! megan
I have one I started in 1991… It’s peach and lavender!!! (But remember I was 16 in 1991! Peach and lavender were cool to a 16-year-old!)Elyse loves it. One day I’ll finish it for her… One day. Maybe after I finish her baby quilt.
Peach and Lavender? OK, you win… LOL!
Hi, Megan! Welcome, and COME HOME SOON!!!
Yeah… So you’re getting why I haven’t invested the time or effort to finish it, huh? Of course it is a shame NOT to finish it while Elyse is at an age to enjoy it… She will very quickly figure out how ugly it truly is…
Oops, sorry to be logged in as you. That must be left over from setting up your site.