I've often wondered what people do with the pieces and tops they buy. Shown left is a quilt top I sold about 10 years ago to Darlene Zimmerman who took the top, quilted it and made a pattern for it. It turned out beautiful and the unique pattern is deserving of the time put into it. I've also received photos of completed projects from a few Japanese customers. But I suspect most of these unfinished quilt pieces and tops remain that way.
The blocks and tops in my personal collection will most likely remain unfinished. They're too pretty to part with but I can't find the time to finish them. I purchased some fabulous Churn Dash blocks decades ago. The fabrics were so awesome I decided to put them together. Not having enough for a full quilt, I alternated them with dark reproduction fabrics and the effect is great. Then came the hard part of quilting it. After a few years of not being able to get it done myself, I begged my Mom to help. But even with her friends help, it's still only about 3/4 quilted. Poor little quilt will probably never get done! I think if I fold it just right and put it on my shelf nobody will ever know.
Apparently I'm not the only one who has trouble completing projects. Judging by the large number of unfinished tops and blocks I find, it's a universal phenomenon! Sometimes I think there are more tops and blocks around than completed quilts. Some just aren't deserving of the additional time. I've seen some tops that wouldn't lie flat no matter how much you quilted them. And some that used dark Victorian fabrics with pastel 30's that were too ugly to quilt. Certainly though, even these ugly ducklings deserve some respect. Anyone who has made (or attempted to make) a completed quilt knows that it takes a lot of time and effort just to get the pieces together.
My next update will be around mid September since next Monday is Labor Day. Have a great weekend!
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