Expectation revisited.. then revisited again..
 

So... have you ever had grand ideas of making a very special quilt for someone ...and once you get started you realize it's a Much bigger undertaking than you thought?

Determined to make it.. you reconsider size. Say...from a quilt.. to a bed runner.
You trudge on and realize that this still really is a Huge project and time is a factor.
So... you reconsider the size once again. Well, here I am.

My parents 50th wedding anniversary is in March - March 8th to be exact. I had this fantastic idea couple of weeks ago to make a double wedding ring quilt. (Please refrain from laughing at my now realized unrealistic ambition.)
The quilt downsized into a bed runner. As a couple of weeks have passed and my time has been sucked away in other directions. I have huge stacks of pieced arcs and cut solid pieces but.. just.. ugh!
I'm now thinking it'll be a 9 ring wall hanging with hand embroidered words at the center.

Guilt is a fierce beast because I know they deserve a quilt to celebrate this milestone.

Does anyone know of any shortcuts to make this go faster? I'm using a glue stick instead of pins to hold the curves together when sewing. the Y seams are killing me.

I love the colors. I don't know that I would abandon the bed size - but I understand the time crunch

I have made 2 DWR quilts and I didn't use any glue. Have you watched any youtube videos?

I used Shar Jorgenson's templates and methods... if you haven't yet I would suggest watching her videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJXqIILJ550

I believe you could make an easier pattern in the size you want before the 'deadline' or you take a photo of your progress and include it in a card with a note saying it's in the works. Don't let guilt rob you of doing what you want in your heart to do, which is make a quilt for them. Just work on it steadily. Who knows? By the grace of God, you might have most of it completed before the 8th. I was in a similar crunch mode , trying to make couch size Log cabin for my sister's 50th b'day. Lots of mistakes from rushing, but I didn't want to quit. I wanted to give it to her on her b'day (Nov) which I did, but only had the binding left. Sent it to her at Christmas, finished, and she said it was like getting another gift for Christmas!

Having said that, I've never attempted a DWR so I can't help with your questions. Just want to encourage you to follow your heart rather than the pressure of the calendar. You won't regret that.

Thanks meyert! The video was *very* helpful. I was not visualizing the construction that way.
Apparently my brain was making much more difficult.

I used my GO! Cutter with the double wedding ring dies for the pieces. Like the video, I used a template. By using a piece of card stock, I cut a template with the die to make sure my arcs were correct after sewing.

It took me 3 months to make my daughter's DWR for her wedding and then I sent it out to be hand quilted. I had templates from someone and cut a bunch of pieces and boxed them so not to lose the pattern. I did all the arches, then cut the middle melon pieces, and then the full big centers. Sew the arches to the melons. Once you get them done it will go quick. Even if you get all the arches/melons done, you could pin them on a sheet to show them your progress. I found it very easy to do. Don't get discouraged. Have someone help you. Tell the family you are on a timely mission. Good luck. If I was closer, I would help you.

I would try Sharon Schamber's Piecelique technique. Here are some links to videos of the technique on a DWR by Christy Fincher. Based on where you are at, I would watch the videos for steps 7-10. Good luck!

Step Seven

Step Eight

Step Nine

Step Ten

The Shar Jorgenson video helped tremendously. I've done several Drunkard's Path quilts and should have seen the similarity of curve construction, but my brain was blind to it. I'm cruising through it now. I'm thinking the bed runner is not out of the realm of possibility! I'll free motion it on my machine. I took a class with Amanda Murphy a couple of weeks ago... thinking I may use her rulers.:)

That looks like an interesting technique indeed! As of now, all of my pieces are cut out using my GO! cutter so, this method wouldn't work at this point... but very cool idea! Thanks!

I'm determined to push through! I kick myself in the booty that I didn't think of it until so late in the game. I made them each quilts for Christmas so my mind was in the zone for those projects. My mom's best friend called a few weeks ago and said that she and her other friends are planning an anniversary party, so I really really want to have it for them at the event. We live 8 hours away from my parents, so I'm on my own knocking this one out in time. Thanks for the support!:)

I had a friend that did that a gold wedding ring quilt with 50 different gold fabrics. I think that maybe you can get as much done as you can and then give to them with a date when you will have done. It really isn’t the kind of project that should be rushed.