My Last Brown Quilt

When I first started quilting, waaay before the internet, way before blogs, instagram, face book, etc. this is how I'd choose a quilting project:

I'd go to my local LQS. I'd look at the samples on the walls. I'd pick one out, buy the kit and go home and make it. Lather rinse repeat. I made about a dozen quilts (some big, some small) that way. The shop I frequented (sadly, no longer around) was very primitive/traditional with lots of Thimbleberries, lots of Kansas Troubles, Civil War reproductions, home spuns...you get the idea.

So back in 2000, Thimbleberries came out with a BOM. (I'm sure they come out with then all the time. This is just the first one that caught my eye.) It was a big quilt, with birdhouses, big blocks and lots of brown. I asked for it to be part of my birthday gift, and so it was.  I started out strong, and kept up for the most part, for the first 6 months or so. Then it got shelved for a few years, but picked back up again in about 2004. I made all the blocks. And it sat again. The ultimate UFO. I think I was just so intimidated by the thought of having to quilt it, that it was easier to just hide it away (which I did, in the closet.)

Then came blogs, flickr, the Modern Quilt Guild, and I said goodbye Brown Quilts. Hello Color!

But my little secret was still in the closet.

Then we moved. And I moved the BOM. Once I got my sewing space set up in the new house, the BOM went on the top of my to do list. Every single year. And still didn't get done.

Then, last year, I did a quilt for Classic Modern Quilts. And I did something I had never done before ~ I had it long arm quilted. Oh my! Once I gave myself permission to have other people (thanks Maria!) quilt my quilts, it opened up a new world for me.

I got to thinking, maybe I don't have to quilt the bird quilt. Hmmm.

So early this, I finally finished piecing the top (which took only a day or two ~ including 4 rows of borders!) and sent it out to Maria.

She did a fabulous job. And here it is (held sideways by my guys!)

Here is it is with the Kyle and Harvey (and Oreo!) sideways.

And here are some blocks close up. I'd love to do some these again in more contemporary fabrics!

I like the flower in the star! I think those are 1" hsts.

lots of triangles in this quilt!

quilted bird

Am I happy that this is finished? Absolutely! Do I love it? Eh, it's okay. But at least it's done. And I can confidently  perhaps say I've made my last brown quilt.