The things I do!
 

LoL! I know, as quilters, we are all a rather dedicated bunch when it comes to meeting a deadline. This is one of the things I love about this "hobby", the pressure to get it done and off the design wall. On Friday, I started with what is shown in the first pic. Labored 14 hrs on Saturday, followed by 28 straight hours Sunday-Monday. The result of all these long hrs is the 2nd pic. It has been many moons since I pulled an all-nighter, and back then it was usually for a sick kid or worse, a sick hubby! LoL! But this one was truly worth it. It didn't get delivered on Christmas Eve as promised but was delivered at 5 am today to a very happy recipient.
The story behind this quilt is what drove me to such an extreme to get it done and was the reason this pattern was chosen. Hubby started a new job back in Aug. of this year, and had an awesome trainer. Once trained, hubby started running his own route and didn't notice that his trainer was gone from work for quite awhile. Last month, hubby calls me and says "Do ya think ya can make a quilt by Christmas for Scott? His daughter(24) passed away a month ago.". Well, I didn't even hesitate or ask any questions. Just simply said "Sure, what colors?". Colors were to be blues, pattern was my choice. After hours of searching for just the right one, I came upon the Hugs & Kisses block and just knew it had to be this one. As a parent myself, it just seemed to fit.
This was a very difficult one to finish, not that the pattern was hard or anything, but between the sewer backing up, the gas meter needing replaced, 2 weeks the grandson was sick followed by hubby being sick for a week, oldest son almost losing his eye through an injury and finally, me being sick for a week, I just didn't see it getting done. So that's the story and now here's the pics.

Great job - it is amazing what we can do when we put our minds to it. I am sure that it will mean a lot to your hubby's trainer.

You are a very caring person! Wonderful quilt....can't believe you managed it all. That's what Mom's do, I guess.

seems i work better under pressure your quilt is very nice!!!!

Wonderful gift. But I have to tell you, I'm sitting here chuckling because of your line "the sewer backing up" and as I came to that line in the post, I was thinking of you sewing, and wondering why you were "backing up." Then I read on and figured it out. lol

That is a beautiful quilt. It will bring the recipient much comfort.

LOL!! Now I am cracking up and my daughter is giving me this "oh no, you are not my mom!" look because I actually googled sewer to see if I spelled it right! Thanks for the giggles, I sure needed 'em today.

Your a wonder its beautiful. I am sure it will bring great comfort to him especially in bad weather, your outstanding.

what a beautiful and thoughtful gift.I am hoping you are all feeling better now.

What an awesome quilt!
Somewhere the story of this quilt should be written down, show the receiver much, much later so he won't feel any guilt over your making it, and include it with the quilt. It's quite a tale that someone would love to hear about this quilt "someday".

Good job!

Jan in VA