Done with a week to spare

It took some real gritting of teeth to make myself go to the machine every day but I got it done with a whole week to spare before the wedding!

My original plan had been to stitch around each block by machine and then hand sashiko a different pattern in each block but I had to admit it was not only not going to be ready for the wedding--it was debatable if it would be done by their first anniversary. So I machine quilted using saskiko-type patterns but I stuck with the idea of doing different patterns in different blocks. This one isn't sashiko but the pattern was based on a kimono my dad brought back from Japan for me when I was a kid.

Knowing I don't like working on the machine and avoid whenever possible, I set myself a quota of completing one block on weekdays and 3 blocks on each Saturday and Sunday. Except for the two days I was completely wiped out with stomach flu, I stuck to the resolve. Even though my free motion machine technique is very rusty I have to admit it was kind of fun. The dragonflies on this block are stitched with a blue metallic thread. I added them after all the stitching in this block was done because a) the cloud printed fabric was too light and threw off the balance a little bit but mostly because b) I made a couple of real big boo-boos when stitching the curved lines that make up this pattern. Turns out I forgot to put down the feed dogs. Oops. But it was nothing a handfull of embroidered dragonflies can't disguise.

The calla lily I drew on the label is taken from Erin and Brian's wedding invitation. I also stitched two blocks with calla lily designs. All in all, I really enjoyed working on this quilt. It was such a change from all the crazy quilting I've done the last couple years.