Finally! It is Done!

I have been working on a quilt for Jaren for months now and it is now complete! Actually, I started all the way back in January cutting the diamonds out to make the hexagons that look like 3-d boxes when it is all put together. It has taken me all this time to piece it together.

I had the idea way back in October when my mother-in-law's sister came up and we visited the Amish community about an hour and a half away. There, I saw a nice blue quilt made like this, only a gazillion times better. It was made as a rocking chair runner.

This is my first quilt. And I had no patterns or guides. Although, I did get some quilting tools for Christmas that were very helpful. Even though the edges don't line up and stitches show and not one of the diamonds is perfect, I think Jaren likes it. I really hope it doesn't fall apart too fast. I will wash it on "Hand-wash" from now on!

He was very excited to be able to sleep with it when I finally finished stitching the two layers together. He almost wouldn't let me wash it!

The real goal was to make Jaren a blanket that would entirely cover him for quite some time and fit his crib/bed. So it was toatlly a custom job- no standards.

I think I should make him a small version of a Big-Kid pillow next. That should be comparably a piece of cake.

I did learn some things though:

1. When I started this project I chose this design because I thought most quilts were kind of old fashioned and ugly. I've gained a new appreciation for the craftsmanship that an intricate quilt takes, but I still don't know if it is my style. 

2. There is no way that a $50.00 quilt is handmade! I know I am a total amateur but I know I spent easily 80 or so hours on this. $50.oo barely even covers the fabric and batting I used!

Now that it has been done a few days... I almost wonder what project I'm supposed to be working on next. I feel empty without a huge project looming over my head.

I'm sure one will come sooner rather than later. They always do!