My First Quilt - DONE!!

I know I've probably posted the progress of my quilt more often than most people. 

When I was 18 or 19, after visiting my ex-husband's (he was just my boyfriend then) grandma and seeing quilts in process of being quilted, I decided that I wanted to make a quilt and have her hand quilt it.  (She was one of those church ladies that you could 'hire' to hand quilt your quilt for you.)  She never made quilt tops, that I know of, but she quilted a bunch for other people.    Well......  THAT never happened....  I didn't have anyone to teach me how (I bought a pattern and fabric and - using scissors - cut out each individual piece, one at a time.....  what the heck was a rotary cutter???  I didn't know!!  I don't remember, but I'm pretty sure I didn't even get 1 block done......) and then after we got married, the kids started entering our lives, and with kids comes more things that take up spare time.......... 

Next month, I will turn *ahmm* 45......  (really???  THAT just CAN'T be possible!  Didn't I just tell you the other day that I'm only 24???  *wink* *wink*)....   Anyway - - I'll be 45, so I guess that it's been 26, 27 years or so that I've had the desire to make a quilt. 

Had I not started my blog and had I not started blog-stalking all of you wonderful quilters out there, I don't know if I EVER would have tried to make a quilt.   You guys gave me the courage to try.  And my MIL has been one of my cheerleaders!!  She told me that I could hand quilt it......  and she was right!!!  And all of the tutorials online for every step of the way also have helped me!!

And I am so impressed with myself that I started it and finished it, not only in the same YEAR, but in the same SEASON!!!  You crazy quilters out there that get MULTIPLE quilts finished in a year truly amaze me!!

OK OK - - here she is......

The front...... 

The back.....

Close up of the back (above) and then the front again (below)

A little better shot of the washed-up crinkly goodness...

My label........

I made my binding out of left over pieces of fabric from the blocks.  I think my favorite binding is the 'scrappy' binding.  This quilt turned out so well - - I'm so proud of myself.............  (And I want to thank you guys for:  A: urging me on and supporting me  and   B:  allowing me to tell you that I'm very proud of myself.   Seriously, if I were to go up and tell someone at work that I'm proud of myself, or tell one of my friends.......  wouldn't they think I was boastful, or at least weird??  but I can tell you guys and you relate!!!   I {heart} my blogging buddies!!)

When I finished it, I washed it.  It was AMAZING to pull it out of the dryer.......  So warm and cozy and soo crinkly - - just the way I wanted it to turn out.........  BEAUTIFUL!!!  yep - - I said the "B" word!!!  (I don't think I told any of you......   I don't like Pink......  so I purposely made the quilt Pink so I wouldn't get so attached to it.......  it didn't work......  I like Pink now.........  I'm such a goober!!)

I took it over to Sandy's house Sunday night after I washed it.  I REALLY wanted to sleep with it Sunday night but I figured that if I did that - - it wouldn't end up as the first item for the raffle.....  It wouldn't be in the raffle at all...........  It would be staying at my house...........

When I gave it to Sandy and she read the label, she got all teary-eyed.......  She lost a sister to Breast Cancer..............    Sandy's hubby is my boss.  Monday he started asking questions like "what's it take to make a quilt like that?"  "How much would you charge to make one?"  I told him that it would depend on the pattern, the size, and the cost of the fabric...........   Then he asked me if I thought I could make one for Sandy for her birthday........  Her birthday is Friday.  Yep -- like THIS Friday...   September 16!!!  I told him NO!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for accompanying me on the journey of my first quilt.  And please understand.....  I will be posting about this quilt at least one more time.  Probably on October 5....  I'll have to let you know how many raffle tickets were sold ($1 each or 6 for $5....  any takers???  :-)  )  and I'll have to post a picture of the winner with the quilt......   Every story has a happy ending, and I want to make sure you guys get the whole story!!  (I just hope that the person that wins the quilt appreciates what it was made for and understands that it was made with love and that they cherish it for many years.....  you know??)

10.12.11 update........

Ok, I need to apologize for not posting on the 5th as I anticipated.  Let me explain to you the details, and then maybe you'll understand...

When I first approached the committee and told them that I was doing this quilt, they drafted up the raffle tickets and asked me what I thought.  First prize went something like: 

1st Prize: Pink Breast Cancer Quilt - Hand Made and Donated With Love by (me).....

They asked me what I thought, and I asked Sandy to not have my name listed on the ticket.  We live in a small town and Mr. Inspiring is a police officer.  He and I are the only one's in town with our last name.  I didn't want the ticket sales to be affected because of that.  (people have strong opinions about police officers, good and bad, based on true or untrue events and/or comments either involving or not involving themselves personally........ and small towns are bad for gossip and people knowing what you're doing even if you've never done it ever.......)  Anyway, I didn't want my name on the tickets, and asked them to please remove my name from them. 

Fast forward to last week's dinner.  Door prizes were given away.  The silent auction winners were announced.  The live auction was announced.  Everything they gave out every prize and donation was announced along with the name of the person or group that donated it.  The very last item was 'the quilt'.

Announcer said:  Ok, now it's time to pull the ticket to see who the winner of the pink quilt is.

ticket pulled.......

Oh, and the winner is Ryan (last name)......   Ok, thanks for joining us and we hope to see you next year!!

They didn't announce who made and/or donated the quilt.  They didn't tell about all the different fabrics that were used that support breast cancer awareness.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  Zilch..

And the GUY that won the quilt was the announcer's son.  He wasn't there.  He's not married.  I don't believe that he would even know the thought and blood (I stuck my fingers alot) and sweat (worked on this in August!!) and love and time that went into the quilt. 

I know in my heart that I gave the quilt for the right reasons.  It meant something to me.  It's not like I wanted them to sing my praises or tell me over and over how wonderful I am.  NO that's not what I wanted.

But..........  a public acknowledgement and thank you would have been, well, nice.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENT........  that's all.  I know that it meant something to Sandy.  I KNOW she appreciated it.   The only thing I can think of is that maybe, by me not wanting my name on the tickets, that maybe they thought I didn't want my name associated with it at all. 

Thank goodness I made a label for it.....

I cried.  The next day when a couple of people at work asked me about it, I cried......  I was.... disappointed......  Am I silly??

Thanks for listening..... 

Suz 

Have a happy day!!

Hugs ~~ Suz  

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