My 10th anniversary quilt!

I so happy that it is mostly finished. I need to bind it. But that won't happen for another year. If I'm lucky. So serious.

The story of the anniversary quilt goes like this. Damon and I were discussing anniversary gift ideas and he was shooting down every gift idea I had for him, left and right. I was cleaned out, I had nothing left.  When all of a sudden Damon had this vision and it came to him with angels singing. 
The idea of the anniversary quilt was born. 
It was a great idea and I loved it! However in my mind it was a lot cuter. I did not have the time that I needed to make this quilt into the grand thing that I wanted to. I would not have finished it at all if it weren't for all of Damon's help. He saved me. It's amazing the amount of time that went into this thing. I was setting my alarm to wake up before my children and working on it after they went to bed. I gave up exercising to have that time to work on this quilt. That is love.

You can see the blue marking pen since I have not washed it yet. All the pets we have ever had are on this quilt. Man, if it wasn't for them this quilt would look rather sparse.  This orange kitty, Miss Muffet, lived with us for only about a week or so. She died when she ate a black widow. I was telling this story to my children and they just giggled at the irony of Miss Muffet's fate.

I filled the 'g' with colonial knots.

Our love for gardening.

Damon designed this "A" and then made it for me. He's the man!

All the quilt squares are paper pieced. I sewed all of the pieces together so they were in units and then Damon would sew the units together turning them into the complete picture.

Damon also designed this paper piecing arch (though I appliqued the rounded top of the arch--the only applique on the quilt)

We love snowmen! Each one represents a favorite holiday: Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and Birthdays. I wasn't sure how to make the snowman into a birthday snowman. So it doesn't really look like a birthday snowman. But, hey, I did the best I could.

The Salt Lake Temple. Awesome!

There are many things that make me so sad about this quilt. There are so many mistakes it's pathetic. The quilting is one of the major things that brings me down. Damon and I didn't get to quilt this one. The shop had double-booked our appointment and so we chose to let the shop quilt it. I chose the design but I thought it was going to be smaller like what I saw in the sample book. I've been thinking about taking out the stitching. Damon says no. I haven't decided yet.  Damon says he has already decided for me. We'll see who wins this one.  :)

Hello, Dear Sue!

I've missed you and think of you a whole lot.  :) 

I've finished a baby quilt that I made for a dear friend who is about to give birth any day now. 

My ward had a service action where I donated an offer to make a baby blanket. The lady that won my donation told me she wanted it to give to my friend, Janae, who I wanted to make a baby blanket for anyway. Win-win!

It has minky for the back side.  My first time working with minky. And wow, I love the stuff, it's great! I can't keep my hands off it. I just hate the cost. So mean. Won't be working with minky again for a long, long time.

Damon quilted it! We both are now certified to work on My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe's long arm. But he is the one who knows how to work it. He is so talented, seriously. This guy puts me to shame! 

No contest.

He did such an awesome job! He's so good to humor me. 

All the fabrics I already had in my stash (expect the minky). Which makes me sooo happy!

I feel justified in all the yards of fabric I buy when I can whip up a lovely quilt without having to stop by the shop. This was an easy quilt too. It was such a nice breath for fresh air to finally be working on something easy. It was rejuvenating.

So, back to everyday life.  I sliced my finger today with my rotary cutter. Nice. So much blood came pouring out I thought I was going to die.

 Let's talk soon.

xoxo!