I Give Up!!!

This morning Mrs. Goodneedle darned near knocked my socks off when she shared a picture of a lifetime supply of quilting magazines that she parted company with. Such resolve! I was mightily impressed.

When I came home this afternoon, I once again tripped over the laundry basket that has the fabrics, patterns, and two completed blocks of the saltbox sampler quilt that I started more years ago than I care to remember. I do know that I started the project with a friend, and her quilt has been finished since before I became a grandmother (Sam's three and a half). So for longer than that, I've been tripping over that basket. You'd think I'd get to it. For the sake of my hands and knees, if nothing else.

But I haven't.

And, you know what, I won't.

The quilt itself is still a very pretty quilt. You can see a slightly blurry but nonetheless beautiful version of it here. And here's a site where you can order it as a BOM complete with fabrics for $40 Canadian per month (and you can view another finished version of it). And, finally, here's my friend's exquisite complete project.

Two reasons come to mind as to why I didn't finish mine. The first is that I don't like the directions! I like directions where the cutting happens all at once and then the piecing. The directions for these blocks involves cutting the pieces for one unit and assembling it and then cutting the next pieces for the next unit. Drives me crazy.

The second reason is that this quilt really isn't me. I admire many kinds of quilts that people make, and sometimes there is a quilt that someone makes that I try to pattern one after. Sometimes that works out. Sometimes it doesn't. This is one of those times where I totally appreciate and admire the saltbox sampler quilt, but I got confused -- the truth is that I do not need to make it.

It's a great big piece. It measures about 70 x 85 inches when finished. You can see the two blocks that I finished (rather nicely, I think) up on my design wall and the pink/brown blocks are 6.5" at this point, as a basis for comparison.

So. With Mrs. G's example right in front of me, I ask: Would someone please take this away from me? I am returning the fabrics to my scrap bin where they belong. I have the patterns all neat and tidy with a color picture of the completed quilt. Heck, you can even have the two finished blocks if you really want them (if not, I might turn them into some sort of wall hangings). Let me know if you are interested. To be totally clear: You get patterns and color picture; you don't get fabrics. You get the two finished blocks if you want them. Leave me a comment with a way to get in touch with you and if more than one person wants to take this away from me, I'll draw a number on Friday.

I sincerely thank you. And so do my hands and knees.