Oh gosh thank you ladies....I originally planned to quilt the little blocks in the manner of how Lesley did it...QAYG..but by machine. I recently changed my plans, but may be able to change them back...we'll see how it goes. But yes, Kathy...I didn't know how to do lots of the things required for some of the blocks in this quilt, like "y" seams, set in seams, curves, sharp pointy melons by applique...so I'm still not perfect at those things, but at least I CAN do them!

I say congrats on doing the whole thing by hand. I just can't imagine doing that! If I couldn't have PP'd a lot of the blocks, I'm not sure where I would be right now...

Lesley, every time I think...I'll just set it aside until I get some other stuff done....I think about you and your beautifully finished quilt and I jump right back in! :lol:

Patti, your work is wonderful!!! I still haven't done that many Y seams, & I really don't like them! PPing a 64-point Mariner's Compass is much easier!!!

I need to do something with lots of them for practice. Sylvia's Bridal Sampler has quite a few blocks that require them.

Like I said earlier, you do great work. I figured that you were a very experienced quilter. I think you should be really proud of your accomplishments. I love it when I'm working with a not-so-experienced quilter and she plunges ahead and challenges herself to grow in her skills. So many quilters keep holding themselves back because it looks hard or they are afraid they will mess up. So what. If you make a mistake, either live with it or try to fix it. The world isn't going to end.

() () () & //// \\\\ //// \\\\ (hugs & pats on the back!)

Way to go girl!

Oh thank you Kathy. I don't consider myself a beginner quilter, but not a long time experienced one either. I just picked up a needle in 2006. Before that, my idea of sewing was to find the stapler or roll of duct tape :oops: But, I wanted a quilt, so to get one I knew I'd have to learn to make one. I'm the type of person who sees the more complicated things and decides THAT is the one I want to do..forget learning on the easy stuff :lol:..but anyway, I have learned alot. I think I would recommend that all beginning quilters make this quilt. The blocks are small, so if one isn't perfect..you can't even find it in the quilt as a whole. They are alot easier to live with that way. Thanks for the pats and hugs :D:

Patti, I wish you lived close by - we could go out for coffee and chocolate dessert!

I'm with you on the blocks Patti, if one doesn't seem perfect when you hold it in your hand on it's own, just put it in the quilt and it disappears. As for the quilting, if you have a lot of hanging around to do, then doing them by hand is perfect - all you need is a needle, thread and scissors (plus the blocks and batting that is). I was getting 5 or 6 done in an evening in front of the TV, so it really doesn't take all that long in the grand scheme of things to get them done.

I think most of us have learned a lot doing this quilt - few of us had tried everything before starting, so we all learned something along the way. I know I did - now I am not afraid of using those methods any more.

I agree Lesley, everyone can learn from the quilt. I like to learn at least 1 new thing with every quilt that I make. This one teaches more than just the 1 thing :lol:

Kathy, I'd love to take you up on that! I'm going ahead and starting on the coffee now...can you pass the chocolate please??:wink:

Coming right up! Dark or milk?

:lol:...I'm an addict, so either that you have handy is fine with me! :lol:

Can't even tell you not to get chocolate on that quilt of yours, can we? It wouldn't show if you did!

:lol:...and now why do you think I made that choice???

I just wanted to let you all know I posted week 44 and week 45. Do you want me to go ahead and post week 46?