Sarah's Quilt (an old unfinished project)

This is the year. I am going to finish my unfinished projects.  I've got three on the back burner that I've brought out.  Here's the first.

Sarah's Quilt
In the fall of 2006 I wasn't working and I needed something to do, so I started a quilt for my mother-in-law, Sarah.  She likes burgundy a LOT.  I found a strip-pieced double wedding ring quilt pattern and template online and used that.  It took me two years to piece and sew the king-size quilt.

When it came time to put the quilt together - to add batting and backing - I decided to use my sewing machine to do the quilting.  But because I'd never quilted with a sewing machine before, and the lines weren't straight lines, and the quilt was so big, I had the hardest time.  I sewed one of the rings and then got the seam ripper and ripped it out, because it was so awful.  My second attempt was to tie it with good-quality yarn that wouldn't fray.  But  the quilt top bunched and it just looked awful.  I got about half the quilt tied, and then I became so frustrated that I put it away.  It's been sitting in my storage room until last week.

Over the last month, I've been sewing a blanket for Ethan.  I almost didn't start the project at all because I promised myself I would finish the purple quilt before I moved on to another quilt. But I broke my promise and made the blanket.  But I still need to finish the purple quilt!

There is another way to finish the quilt.  It has an official name but it's basically professional quilting.  I can take it in to a fabric store near me. They have people who own the big quilting machines and will quilt a really nice design on it.  Then they give it back to me, and I will bind it on my own.  I've hesitated to go this route because it's really expensive, but I think it will be worth it.


I went into the quilt shop closest to my house and found the pattern below.

Last week I separated the layers (batting, backing, and front) and ironed the backing and front with starch, because I read online that it is easier to quilt that way.  The quilt is NOT flat.  Every little four-square join between the circles puckers.  I honestly don't know how to fix that.  Hopefully the person who does the quilting will be able to help me with it.


It's folded up nice and neat, and ready for me to find someone to do the quilting.