Project: Quilt #1

Circa: 1982?

Background: This was my mom's project. When I was very young -- probably between the ages of four and five, as I think my sisters were born by then -- Mom decided she was going to make me a quilt. The pattern she settled on was called Grandma's Garden, an incredibly intricate pattern of tiny hexagons arranged in flower patterns with a border, in this case green, running through it.

Sordid details: My mother has finished other quilts for me -- a large-block red checked one which we used to play checkers on with jar lids, and a relatively simple blue and white one with a diamond pattern in the middle -- but this one was never finished. It followed us to California, and from house to house once we got there as far as I know, lurking among Mom's ever-growing chests of fabric samples and half-finished projects.

Why was it left unfinished?: I think she bit off more than she could chew, but you'd have to ask her.

What I learned: This was maybe the first unfinished project in my life. From it I learned that unfinished projects can haunt you for years.

Prognosis: I really don't think she's going to finish it. I kind of hope not. There's other things I wish she'd finish first.