Unexpected Delight

My recent project has been a quilt. When I say recent, I mean I just finished the top face this past Monday night at 9pm. Whew! As it is my own creation, I have the right—nay, the duty—to name it. Thus, from henceforth, it shall be known as, “Unexpected Delight.”

Of all the quilts I have made, this is the most unique. Besides being the biggest one I have made so far, it is the first one that I have created outside of my comfort zone. I usually go for the easiest pattern so I do not have to spend an eternity on one project. The quicker it is done, the sooner I can move onto the next one. Makes sense, right?

Feel free to grab some hot chocolate and let me tell you the story of this amazing quilt...

It started in a Saturday Sampler class I took with Jan and Laura. I tend to choose colors that are me such as blues, greens, earth tones, and other laid back colors. In this particular class, there were two options offered (a chic black/red/white one and a loud, bright colored one). I was instantly drawn to the second one with its vivid colors, wanting the fabric and knowing the quilt made would be for me. I daresay my choice surprised my partners as much as it did me, but it could not be helped.

It was fate, written in the stars, God's providence, whatever you want to call it.

After a year, I had 12 blocks. It took until my birthday this June to get complimentary fabric to finish my blanket. With the needed fabric in hand, I eagerly looked through my quilt books for patterns.

As I searched the pages, something peculiar occurred. I did not want to do my usual easy square pattern with two simple outer borders. This quilt was too special for something that ordinary. Thus I decided to challenge myself. Nothing big, of course, but something a little different.

I was inspired by a friend's quilt that was set in a diagonal pattern with sashing. That led to the idea of what I was looking for. With the quilting books not giving me inspiration, I sketched a basic pattern and then decided to create my own. Now that is highly unusual for me. Creating my own pattern? With no guidance from a book? Who is this person?

With the blueprints written and the measurements taken, my would-be quilt took a life of its own and took me on a road I have never been on or thought I was ready to go on. Not only was I going to do a diagonal pattern with sashing, but I was going to have fancy sashing with a design within that and square points! In addition, I was going to add another block to do this design! If that was not enough—to add to this madness—I was going to add fancy outer borders instead of using simple solid ones!

This crazy quilt also led me to spend more time on a quilt than I normally would have. I double-checked and triple-checked the blueprints regularly, I took out stitches of perfectly good blocks so I could make them great, and ripped out seams whenever points and squares did not match up perfectly.

All this hard work was well worth it and the final product is stunning. I never thought it would turn out as great as it did. This was the result:

Besides getting a story from this entry, I think you can take away a few moral lessons on the importance of planning, of taking your time on a project, that challenging yourself once in a while can help you grow and produce something far more beautiful than you imagined, and...well, whatever other lessons your mind comes up with.