This was the second quilt I started, probably about 5 years ago. (Dont even ask about the first one I started - its still a UFO)
I bought the fabric because I liked it. I then had to work out a pattern to use the amount of fabric I had bought. Then my mum managed to get hold of some more fabric as a present, so the pattern got altered.
I didnt know about rotary cutting then, so made templates out of corrugated cardboard, and marked them out with thick lines of chalk, each time bending and wrinkling my templates a bit more. I approximated a seam allowance. I got all the blocks done though, and sewed them into rows. I then came to sew the rows together and they wouldnt fit at all. Huh? Anyway, I shelved it and signed up to a beginners course, starting another quilt for the course.
It stayed on the shelf until about 18 months ago, when I got it down and looked again. I still liked the fabric, but by then knew all the problems with it, but at least now knew how to sort them. Anyway, over the last year I formed a strong relationship with my stitch ripper and separated all the rows into blocks. Since the design is just HSTs and QSTs I was then able to measure them (which were anywhere between 7.5" and 9.5" - oops) and cut them all back with my rotary cutter to a standard size. I then rejoined blocks into rows, and then joined the rows together. Woohoo - I'd finished the top!
It then once again sat. I only have a normal machine to quilt on, and find large quilts really difficult (having only done one). However at the end of the summer I was made redundant, and it seemed a good time to continue, so I layered and basted it. And quilted it. Then when I started back working I sorted out binding it, and so finally its FINISHED!!!
Its far from perfect if you look closely, but its certainly taught me a lot about how NOT to quilt, and is now my testament to persevering.