My Labor of Love!

It's FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is how I quilted the plain block.

I quilted an 'all over' stitching on the sunrise block.

When I got all of the blocks put together, I found that with the fabric I had, the borders just weren't right. I bought 3 different 3rd border fabrics before I liked this last one. I took the top with me every time, put the fabric in different stages for the borders, and just wasn't happy with it. Finally, both Stan and I were the most happy with this combination.

I started this quilt 7 years ago. I had only started piecing a couple of years before this. I told Stan that he could pick any quilt pattern he wanted, and I would make it for him. We were living in Williams, AZ at that time. After 9 months there, we moved back to Weston. After getting the unpacking done, I started on the quilt again. We had a cat that was very jealous of my sewing. There were a couple of times that, if I had fabric on the floor, she would pee on it. Well, one day, I had forgotten and put the blocks I had finished, and the cut out pieces on the floor (each piece had to be cut with scissors, no rotary cutter and mat). The pieces are SO small. Anyway, when I got home from work, Cassey had peed on the blocks and pieces. I wanted to kill her....slowly. I put everything in the washer and dryer. When it got out, there were literally 100's of pieces of tiny fabric that needed to be ironed and some had raveled. I just couldn't face ironing and 'fixing' to start sewing again. I stuffed it all in a plastic bag and put it away. This fall, I found that bag, and knowing how much time and effort I had already put into it, I pledged that I would finish it. On the last few blocks of the surrounding beige fabric, I literally had to piece small pieces together to get enough blocks. I would have liked to have enough fabric to make enough blocks to go all the way around one more time....but....it's done. I love you Stan....this proves it!