Another Quilt – Quiltmaking I class

Way back when, in September ’07, I signed up for the Quiltmaking I class at Pine Needle Quilt Shop. The first class was the night before I had my double-mastectomy surgery, but because there was a three-week gap between the first and second class, I felt sure that I would be able to continue with the class. What I didn’t count on was just how hard the surgery was going to be, and the recovery.

So I went the first class and had all the materials, etc., got some strips cut and sewn, but then as of three weeks later, discovered that I couldn’t continue. So then I wanted to take the class in the spring of ’08, but then I had my final reconstruction surgery and ovary removal surgery. So it sat and waited.

And of course, this past summer I had a recurrence, lumpectomy, radiation, and am now going through chemo. Not a good time to restart this project, eh?

I started this class in mid-January, and managed to keep up with all the classes until the 4th out of six. Even then, I had everything done except the backing pieced, which I planned to do, but discovered that when I’d bought the fabric back in ’07, I’d gotten all the fabric I needed to make the larger rectangular version of the top, but only enough fabric to make the backing for the square wall-hanging size.

So in class the week before this last one, I bought more material, and was able to cut and piece it (because it is batik, which doesn’t shrink very much), with the plan of pinning everything in class this past week, and maybe getting the quilting started.

This week, I was suffering non-public side-effects from the chemo, so could not make it to class. Thus, I’m going to try to pin-baste using my living room floor as my pinning wall, and hopefully at least get started quilting it tomorrow.

At any rate, here is the top, a basic Irish Chain design, using a combination of cottons and batiks. The backing is what I call my “forest fire batik”, a very autumny colored pine woods fabric that has a nice green that goes with the rest of the fabric very well. Once I get it pinned and quilting at least started, I’ll post another picture, and include a picture of the backing.

Pieced, ready to pin-baste

So off I go to pin baste. I’ll be giving an update on the top-down sweater soon. It is nearly done, but I’ve mostly only been working on it during chemo appointments because I’ve been spending so much time quilting recently. I’ve also got a couple small quilting projects that I’m planning on finishing up.

More soon!

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