UFQ

About ten years ago, as a novice quilter who had not successfully finished a full size quilt (unless you count a baby quilt, which I don't), I had the bright idea of making a quilt as a wedding present for some friends. And not just a straightforward medium size quilt made of squares. A stars set-on-point, KING SIZE, jewelbox quilt. Oh, and I couldn't find a pattern so I designed my own... The couple have been married 9 years, have a child and the quilt is still pinned on my spare room bed...

Ok, so at first there were a lot of challenges but I'm never one to back down from a challenge, so I think I must just have not WANTED to give it away.  It was so much freaking work putting the top together. Then the challenge was getting a King Size quilt through a standard sewing machine. GRRR. About 5 mins folding before you can even sew, then wrestling the thing through really dampened my enthuasiasm. Then, as I WILL set things on point if I possibly can (perverse, that's me), there was a lot of 'blank space' around the edges I didn't know what to do with and I wasn't brave or equipped enough to tackle free-motion quilting at that point. (I think I gave them tupperware instead as a wedding gift).

In line with my promise to myself to finish some things off before starting others (ha, that's not going so well!), I've decided to tackle the king-size jewel box quilt (which is still pinned but covered in ten years worth of dust and dog hair - yes, it's black...). Just because this quilt must not be done the easy way, I decided to feather quilt the blank triangles (yes, I know, shoot me now). Freemotion quilting is not my forte (being a perfectionist makes it even harder) but I'm getting there. There are only 14 triangles to do and I'm not going to do more than two in a day (it's hard work on the back and arms). Three down, 11 to go... This quilt WILL be finished, but OH for a long arm sewing machine!!