Quilting Bee for Me???

So, I have really tried to work on my quilt swaps this week so that I don't have to worry about getting this done any longer. I had NO IDEA how huge of a project this was going to be for me - especially since I am in two swaps at once. Do I know how to quilt you are wondering? Absolutely not. I know nothing about quilting in fact. I thought that this would be a simple and fun little project to pass the time. Oh no. I don't think so. Here are my issues thus far with these quilt swaps:

1. I went to JoAnn's because it is the only fabric store that I know of that won't cost a zillion dollars - most of the fabrics are UGLY!!! I had to pick out an animal fabric (which are cute) and an Asian fabric. There are some fabulous Asian brocades, but those aren't 100% cotton, so they are out - BOOOOOOO HISSSSSS!! Therefore, I had the girl show me the "Asian" fabrics that they have that are 100% cotton. UGH! She hands me a few and says, "Here, these are from the Kimono Collection and they are Asian." Well, just because the word Kimono is in the title does not mean that it is Asian looking. A few were, and I just picked the two least ugly fabrics - let me just go ahead and throw this out there, I DO NOT think that the fabrics that I found are great. They are satisfactory based on my limited choices.

2. I get home with my fabric and my new rotarty cutter and cutting board and decide to plow right in. OOPS, I didn't wash and dry the fabrics first. I ended up throwing away the fabrics that I did this to because they were dubbed as "too ugly". Oh well.

3. Once I do get started on the washed fabrics, I realize that I don't have enough fabric for a couple of the patterns and I have to go back to JoAnn's. I get home only to realize that I had forgotten something and have to go back. The ladies in there think I am a total freak who has no idea what is going on. Sadly, they are right. I have asked them some pretty ridiculous questions and gotten some pretty priceless looks back from them. Whatever. You have to learn somehow.

4. My wishes turned out adorable. I do love them. I LOVE to scrapbook and so this was the easy and fun part. The problem is, it was quite time consuming.

I am done now - with one of the swaps. I just need to get postage and mail them. Overall, I am happy with how they turned out. I know that it is going to be very fun to get everyone else's squares and wishes. I have a neighbor who goes to a church where there is a quilting group. She said that I could pay them and they would hand stitch together Lucy's quilt, which I am quite excited about!!

Here is what our wish to everyone said (I thought you all could use a good wish even if you aren't in the quilt swap):

“Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful.”
--Thich Nhat Hanh
A Vietnamese Buddhist Monk, Poet, Writer, and Peace Activist

We wish you and your children a life full of love, happiness, compassion, and fulfillment. May your children always know how much you love and cherish them.
With Much Love,
Kelly, Justin, & Lucy (wherever she may be)

June 27, 2006
Dec2005 DTV Quilt Swap


My kitchen table that has been overtaken with this quilting project - this is way cleaner than it had been - good thing it is so big


The quilt squares and wish for the girls - poodles and "Asian" flower print

The quilt squares and wish for the boys - frogs and "Asian" something - I know it has flowers on it and it is for boys, but at least it is not pink!