For the Lack of Fourteen Inches . . . A Project Languished

I don't know how many years ago I started this quilt. The gorgeous colored fabric came from Millie Chirbuck, a terrific woman (now retired) who used to vend at the Lancaster Show as Country House Cottons. I bought some of her FQs and occasionally a yard every year for as long as she and I were both there.

So I made these baskets and they got set aside. A few years later, they got set into a top. But there was one basket that was too bright, just spoiled the whole thing. So it got set aside again. Four or so years ago I dug it out and Himself helped me dig through my meager stash of Millie's goods to pick out two fabrics to replace the garish block. And apparently I not only made the block but darned near got it set back in place!

When the clean and purge bug hit recently, this quilt came to the surface again. I didn't unwrap it. I just put it aside with 21 other WISPs and Projects Planned.

Tuesday night, after making a bunch more of those mini-blocks in black/gray/white, I got starved for color! What was on my wall was too close to what was outside. I went into the cupboard of UFOs and pulled out this project. I am embarrassed to confess that what it needed was one seam, approximately 14 inches, to be sewn. Yup. And so I sewed. And now it is a flimsy, border and all. I love this quilt; it is going to stay on my wall for a while to fill the need for color. And then on my next trip to Lancaster County, I'm buying black back and batt and she will rise to the top of the "To Be Quilted" pile.

Comments

FabricDiva54 said…
Beautiful quilt. Baskets blocks and hand dyed fabrics - winning combination!
one line lane said…
That is a beautiful quit with a great story. I love basket blocks too.
Anonymous said…
I love this quilt. It just sings to me.
beautiful...i love working with solids....
Unknown said…
Love this Nancy - always love brights against a dark neutral and those baskets with the zig-zags hanging down onto the body of the actual basket are lovely - another design to squirrel away for future reference - so many quilts, so little time - someone fix me a lottery win so I can give up work and stitch all day every day please
Anonymous said…
Your quilt is a beauty and deserves to be a finish. So glad that it floated to the top of the pile!!
Janet O. said…
I can totally understand why you would want this on your wall for a while! It is so pleasing to the eye, with the beautifully colored baskets popping off of the black background. That is a cool basket design, too. Don't know that I am familiar with that one.
One seam?!? Aren't we funny sometimes?
Well, I have to say, ya done good! (Don't let my mother know I said that.)
Barbara Anne said…
What gloriously rich fabric colors and lovely baskets! This quilt has the wonderful intensity of an Amish quilt, too! Applause, applause!! What a great discovery to have found it again.

Well done!!

Hugs!
Quiltdivajulie said…
Magical! Beautiful! Congrats on reaching this stage . . .
LizA. said…
mmm, so lovely. This one has a true Amish feel to it. Someday, when I don't have a mostly white dog that sheds ALL THE TIME I will do a quilt with a dark background....
This is just lovely and reminds me of the Amish quilts. How will you quilt it, do you know?
AnnieO said…
Isn't it odd when these quilts dig a hole in the closet and hide for so long? Glad your need for color let it climb out and see the light! So beautiful!
Brenda said…
good for you for coming clean. I get stuck on small small aspect of a project, quilting or otherwise, and procrastinate and then have the same experience of it taking only a few minutes to finish. sometimes the biggest barriers are in our minds! lovely quilt!
Karla said…
Sometimes 14" can seem like a mile!