Five years in the making...

...and I am still trying to finish it. It all started with a trip to a quilt store (isn't that how it always starts) and this pack of fat quarters. Thirty-six lovely reproduction fabrics that reminded me of my mother-in-law, June. This is the quilt that I started for her and my intentions were lofty at the time. My ideas were bigger than my skill sets and as I do in many things, I headed into this project head first just knowing I could do it.

Now, if you look closely, you will probably notice that this is the Yellow Brick Road pattern, fairly easy and straight forward. I even made a smaller twin version just to make sure I knew how to make the blocks. This started out as a winter comforter for me, but ended up as a gift for Lori Martin. When I was making Lori's quilt, it was suggested that I take pictures of her water aerobics class and print them on fabric. I had already picked out a wonderful flannel that I knew she loved for the back of this quilt.

Her water aerobics class was filled with all sorts of talent, so we made another YBR in red, white, & blue, and I made an entire collage for the back of this quilt filled with fun fabrics to remind her of Alaska and tons of pictures of all of us from her class. This gave me a better idea for my mother-in-law's quilt; printing pictures of all her kids and grand kids. How hard would that be?

Well, the printing was easy, it was getting the pictures from 7 different families. Not the most cooperative bunch. So, when we travelled home that Christmas, I took a bunch of pictures of as many willing participants. Unfortunately, with as many kids as there are, the activity level was just too great to get very many good shots. I did manage to "steal" some from my mother-in-law and I mailed them back after I scanned them all. But most of the grand kids are in their teens and early 20s. I had to settle with what I had.

I was making progress and two major things happened. My dad passed away and I lost my muse for quilting and creating. Depression definitely played a role but I think I went into bare minimum mode and only did what had to be done. A little over a year later, I found out I was going to become a grandmother myself. Again, staying in survival mode and just trying to get what needed to get done, I continued to push anything related to creativity aside. I was too busy trying to help my daughter graduate high school and making sure she got the care she needed for her baby. I was working to make the extra money but hating where I worked. It was just one long haul.

So here we are, the beginning of March and my priority besides watching Brian is to finish this quilt. I have moved my design walls up into the dining room and set my machine up along with the cutting board, ironing board and anything that can help me succeed. I am determined that I will finish before we move so I can take it down to her for her 80th birthday. That's the goal!

Wish me luck, pray for me, and ask me how I am doing on it.