Saturday, March 15, 2008

First Quilt

In honor of National Quilting Day, I thought I would post pictures of my very first quilt. I am calling my blog The Quilted Turtle after all. It’s about time I posted some quilts, don’t you think? Looking back on this quilt now, almost 20 years after I started it, (ouch! can it have been that long? am I actually old enough to say that?) I love it and hate it at the same time. (Well, not really hate, I just wish I'd done a few things differently...)

I wish I had chosen better colors - something with different values. I started this quilt when I was 19, and back then I really liked the pink and blue together. Back in 1989, I loved that it was the same fabric just printed in different colors. Now… not so much. But that’s OK, hopefully some day my daughter will love this quilt and I can share it with her. (Or my son, whose favorite color currently happens to be pink.) I’ve never been very good with colors – they scare me.

I love that it is 100% hand done – pieced and quilted. And despite the fact that it took me at least five years to finish it, that I stuck to it and didn’t break down and get out the sewing machine. Knowing what it takes to make a quilt completely by hand makes me appreciate my Bernina even more. I learned a lot making this Double Irish Chain; so I'm sending big thanks out to Janice and Trish for starting my love of quilting.

Anyone else interested in showing their first quilt? I'd love to see them. If you post pictures, please let me know so I can stop by and look.

5 comments:

Marie {Make and Takes} said...

Amazing that it was all hand done! With that detail, it would have taken me longer than 5 Years. That is a great first quilt.

Shannon said...

I think it's beautiful. And sure, I'll post my first quilt - in say 20 years when I make it :)

Anonymous said...

This is incredible... and that fact that it's hand done... well... even more so! I like the blue and the pink... they go well together.

rooruu said...

My first quilt isn't nearly as beautiful...

Enjoyed reading how you celebrated St Pat's/Easter with the kids - and the pillowcase dresses should look lovely!

miranda said...

Wow, Liz I would have to say this is beautiful. I finally finished my first quilt this past winter. It was two years and one long weekend in the making but I was pretty proud of how it turned out. I'll bring it up with me this summer. Its lust a simple baby quilt, but I love the way some of the vintage fabric turned out. I think K or S will enjoy carting it around for a while. I'd up load it now, but it takes forever.

This is much more complicated and a bit larger sale than mine is. Its amazing that you did it all by hand.

I have come to know my way around a sewing machine a little bit this winter, maybe we can do a project together this summer.