When Do You Stop Happy Dancing?
 

So after months of saving every dime, nickel and quarter I could, I was able to finally order the fabric needed for my sister's Double Wedding Ring! The picture attached is the final design.

I thought I wasn't going to be able to get her Muslin for a while, MDGs seemed to be out of the bolts every time I checked the site, but as luck would have it, I was able to get one. They shipped it a couple of days ago, I'm hoping it's here by the end of the week. It should, I'm barely a hundred miles away from them.

The biggest find was the hand-dyed fabrics, I was looking at colors online one afternoon and messaging pictures to my sister when she stumbled on this blood orange color we both fell in love with. A few more clicks later and I found the website, fell in love with all of the color choices and after speaking with the colorist via messaging, she's going to custom dye the fabric for me so I get all the colorways she can offer for each color. I picked out a Sage green, a blue ombre that goes from almost midnight blue to the palest of blues and a 'spicy' blend with inspiration taken from Turmeric, Cinnamon and Paprika. Those will take another week and a half for her to get them done and shipped, I am over the top excited and can't wait to get them in my hands.

I am both excited and terrified. My sister has had a really bad time this year, she works in the medical field (medical records officer for a post-acute care center) and when Covid managed to worm its way into her place of work, she worked herself to the absolute bone. I talked to her every day after work, sent her as many "I love you", "Be strong, you've got this" and so many other messages to keep her going and her spirits high, even my fiance got in on that. When I realized I had just enough to start getting her fabric, I felt that this would be something she could honestly look forward her, she's dreamed of having a Double Wedding Ring quilt since she was 8-years old. When they thought they were going for Round 2 of the virus making its way into their center, I started to order. I want this to be as perfect as I can get it and now that I've been practicing my free-motion quilting on my machine, I can get all of it done without making her wait any longer than necessary.

So when is it appropriate to stop happy dancing? It's been six days since I ordered her fabric and I'm working my fingers to the bone to finish my hexagon quilt top and clear off my sewing schedule to get this started for her. https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/biggrin.pnghttps://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...es/biggrin.png

Oh how wonderful this will be for your sister!!! Might I add, for you too!! That pattern is gorgeous. Cant wait to see the final product. Oh, and for happy dancing....I would do some every day!!!

Oh I love hand dyed fabric, it is rather spendie so I learned how to do it for my self, got spendie, too bought a shed and fixed it all up, buy my fabric by the bolt, buy the large containers of dyes, got a washer and spin dryer, 30 some buckets, for my shed, see where this is going, nope I can't do any thing half way. bought many other things, and several books on dyeing so I could find the method I liked best for me. I love my hand dyed fabric, You can see some of my fabrics and quilt made with them. just click on my name and go my albums, Happy quilting

This sounds like a real labor of love.

I think the happy dancing can continue until (and after) the quilt is in your sister's hands.

Dance until the music stops.

Enjoy every second of making your sister's quilt. I hope you keep a journal along the way to tell her the quilt story. It is precious.

How awesome! I'm so inspired by your loving sister/sister relationship. Creating this quilt will be a true act of love and appreciation for one another. Good luck! Sending lots of good vies your way and tell your sister a big, "Thank You," from me and the rest of us..

~C

You should .. stop happy dancing.

You are doing a wonderful thing for your sister. I bought the Accuquilt die of the Double Wedding Ring quilt because some day I would like to have one. A friend of mine wanted to make one for her daughter, so we got together and cut out everything for a king size quilt in about 2 hours. She ironed and I used the cutter - we couldn't believe how fast it went. I wish you well with your endeavor.

I do plan on taking pictures and videos the entire step of the way, I'll be posting the pictures on my Facebook page so she can see and then the added bonus of the videos will come when I give her a DVD when she takes possession of the quilt. My best friend in Kansas City is snagging all the photos for me to keep in a folder up there for safe keeping, it's all getting documented, even when I clean and oil my machine.

I'm also going to give her all my notes, receipts of all the fabric I bought, swatches of the fabric and where it came from, the kind of thread I used and what kind of batting. I want her to be able to have it repaired/restored should something happen to it after I'm gone.