Long Term Goals

They say that it is important for people to have the conviction and patience to make long term goals. Some people are only in the 'now' and they are not able to look at the big picture. I don't think I have a problem with that. But I'll let you be the judge of that... here is my story.

4 years ago I was standing in New Pieces, a quilt store in Berkeley, when a group of red fabrics called out to me from across the store. I don't know if it was the lighting or the delicious lunch I had just eaten... but I was inspired! I decided that ruby red was the most amazing color I had ever seen and I was going to make a quilt staring my new best friend~ red. It took a few months for me to come up with the perfect pattern and complementary colors but I finally started collecting fabrics. I wanted to make a quilt that looked like 3 colors, but actually had tons of different fabrics for each color. The big winners: red, purple, orange-ish yellow. The fabrics are really beautiful. I am in love with some of the reds and purples. I think I needed (or made an excuse to use) 30 different fabrics. Each amazing and beautiful in its own way. (Most quilters are addicted to the fabrics. That is the real reason we quilt!)

Quilting has many stages. Three years ago, I got most of the fabric cut into the little pieces that would eventually get pieced together. This quilt has at least 12 different sizes of pieces. They all live in little labeled baggies.

Two years ago, I made most of the star blocks that make up the center of the top.

This year, I finished making the other pieces and got the entire top center put together! It feels amazing. I can't even begin to explain how much more there is to go, but I finally feel confident that I can finish it.

Since the magical day when the reds called out to me from across the store, I have married Lenny. I can't tell you how funny his expression was when he said, "oh, you are making this for us? Like a wedding quilt?" Bless him. You know what he was really thinking. Needless to say, the quilt would have turned out differently if we had planned it together. Should I call this my bachelorette quilt? The last quilt I picked out all on my own. Whatever we call it, I hope it will find a little corner in our future home. Lenny has been very supportive as it is all coming together.

My current goal is to make sure this quilt is finished before we have children. Any guesses about total time? My bets are on '5 years' start to finish!