This one's for you, Mom

Many moons ago (about 5 1/2 years) I went shopping with my mom to a few quilt stores in Washington state. It was winter time and one store had this awesomely cute flannel that I fell in love with. My mom, kind as she was, bought me some of it as a gift to make into a nice, cuddly winter blanket.

Not as many moons ago (about 4 years) I started making this quilt. I decided that I wanted to try a new quilting technique that I had never used before. I thought that a quilt this size (about twin size) would give me good practice of the technique (see below). The technique involves freehand moving of the quilt as the needle stays in one place; kind of like sticking a pencil on paper and moving the paper around to make a design. Very cool. I did not realize how long it would take.   Can you see the swirling in the picture?

About 3 years ago, I almost finished quilting it. I was so close. I already cut the binding and I just needed to finish one of the end sections with the polar bears. It was about this time that I got busy finding a husband, getting engaged, and getting married.

As time passed, I kept the quilt close. I could always see it in the sewing room but never got it out to finish it. Even when we moved last year and I stuck it practically in the middle of the room where I had to walk around it to get to stuff, I still didn't finish it. Well, this past week, I finished it up and today I finished it for good and will use it. I still love the fabric and think it is so cute. The mittens are especially colorful and I love the cardinals on the snowy trees. The funny thing about the past 4 years is that I have used the exact same free-motion quilting technique on many other quilts that I have, in fact, finished.  Sometimes people can be so silly.