My Words Quilt: I Love It!

I got my Words quilt back from the quilter, and I just love it! This is a huge quilt.. almost ten feet long! I worked on it for over five years. It was going to be a birthday gift to myself for my 60th birthday. Next week I'll be 65! My goal was to get it done by my 65th birthday. I don't know if I'll get it bound by then, but it's done enough for me to say I accomplished my goal.

It was custom quilted by Steffani Burton of Minnesota. She did a beautiful job!

Several of you made word blocks for me. Thank you so much. You helped make this quilt very special.

The backing is a Tula Pink fabric. I had my husband's name in a block from an abandoned project so I put it on the back with two little words added: "Carol loves."

Oh, My Word!

Remember this word quilt? Several very kind souls sent me verbs to use in my 60th birthday quilt. Well... my next birthday is my 65th, so I decided I had to get going and finish this top. I did it!! And I really love it! Big THANK YOU to all who sent me words. I couldn't use all my words. This quilt is nearly ten feet long as it is. So I apologize to those whose words don't show up. Hopefully I'll get some of the leftover words on the back.

What do you think? Isn't it fun?!

My Long-Term Projects

Several years ago I vowed to focus on UFOs and get those done and out of my sewing piles. I have done quite well on that endeavor, but am still plugging away. Here is one that has been in the works for years. My sister and I both made blocks, and I finally got it put together. It will soon be in the hands of a machine quilter and will be done. Hooray!

the fancy name of this one, so far, is "small twin"

Recently I have also made a few blocks. These are string blocks for Jan M. in Australia.

And these are my October Lotto blocks for Sunshine. Tammy will use them to make a quilt for a child.

I have another UFO that has been calling to me. I need to get it done! It is my Tea Towel Challenge for which I have a button in my sidebar. It was a 2014 project, but I still don't have it done. I hope to get it done soon -- before 2016 rolls around.

If any of my readers remember making me a word block for my 60th birthday quilt.. well, that is also still in the works. Never fear. It shall be made. I am now 63, but it is still going to be my 60th birthday quilt, when I finally get it done. I wonder when that will be!? I'm hoping to get it done in 2016 - before I turn 64.

A Little Help From my Friends

I couldn't do as much quilting as I do without help from many friends. People give me fabrics, scraps, blocks, ideas, moral support, and they help with the steps such as machine quilting and binding for me! I certainly do "get by with a little help from my friends" (song lyrics, if you didn't know).

First thing to show you is the cute blocks I got from my friend, B. She is a knitter, not a quilter. But she is a quilt fan (hooray!), and she pitched in when I asked for verb blocks for my 60th birthday quilt. She freaked herself out by thinking she had to provide quilt blocks, but managed beautifully, don't you think? These words are knitted, then attached to fabric. I love them and love the diversity my quilt will have (when made, which will be who knows when).

My stated goal for completion of my word quilt was my 61st birthday, which is coming up in September, but I have made no progress so far, and, as you can see, I'm still receiving blocks in the mail. So fun! I no longer have the expectation to get this quilt completed in time for my birthday. But it's still in celebration of my new decade, the 60s. So far the 60s have treated me quite nicely.

The other help I'm getting currently is machine quilting by my friend, A. She is taking SIX quilt tops from me to be finished for Sunshine. We donate quilts to Wrap a Smile and to Quilts Beyond Borders. Taking six off my hands is quite a relief to me. When I get too many backed up, waiting for quilting, I begin to feel overwhelmed. These are the six she will quilt and bind for me:

The first five are for Wrap a Smile. This last one is for Quilts Beyond Borders.

Live Vertically!

Today I got a surprise squishy in the mail... another word for my Word Quilt! Here it is:

It's from Rondi in KY. Thank you, Rondi!!! I don't know if Rondi has a blog. Do I know you, Rondi? (You realize I am 60, so I get to ask that question now without being ashamed.) I was pleased with this nice surprise in my mailbox. And I love that it is vertical. It'll be fun to fit it in and add some movement to all the horizontal words.

Speaking of my Word Quilt, I am quite sure I will not get it done in time to celebrate my 61st birthday, as was my original goal. But, I don't mind. I hope all my word providers don't mind, either. I promise I will get a quilt made using all those words, but not for this next birthday. This year, when my birthday rolls around in September, I will be doing something very exciting which I have not yet told anyone in blogland. Wait and see. It's very cool.