My Blanket of Belief Quilt

Did you miss me? I purposefully didn't read any blogs while I was quilting. Well, except my political blogs because I needed something to take the edge off of bloggy withdrawal. Here's the reason I was gone for so long!! Now you experienced quilters may look at this simple quilt and laugh your basted bottoms off at how long this thing took me! Go ahead, I'll give you some time.
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I have sewed a few little quilt kits (here and here), but neither were GI-NOCEROUS like this one, nor were they actually true quilts, where you go through the actual process of quilting. So for me, this thing was a BEAST! I had to look up everything past sewing the quilt top together! What the hell is basting, sashing, batting, you ask?? Weeeeeell, I found out last week!

When Conservative Belle issued her challenge, I decided to make my first true quilt. After all, who could be a more deserving recipient of hours of toiling over a sewing machine than a soldier, bravely serving our country overseas?

I had to find a very easy pattern that fit within Soldier's Angels guidelines as far as dimension and theme. I searched and searched and finally found one that fit and was supposed to be easy. It was for "absolute beginners," so I figured I could handle it!

When I went to JoAnn's to buy my material, I brought along my directions because I still had some questions. I went and chose my fabric, but I needed to find someone that could answer my questions before I had them cut it.

I asked at the cutting counter if any of them quilted and the two girls standing there said no. There was another woman behind the counter who was helping someone, so I waited to find out if she quilted. When she was finished with her customers, I was so happy to hear her answer my question with a definitive yes!

I asked some dumb questions, which she happily answered for me. When I told her I was making the quilt for Soldier's Angels, she immediately teared up and said, "I know about Soldier's Angels. I have two sons. One returned from Iraq a few months ago and one is serving there right now. It's things like this quilt that you are making that keep their hopes up, that remind them of why they're fighting, and let me just tell you--you are the angel. Thank you!"

It was such a neat experience! Thanks to Conservative Belle for challenging me!

This is going to be my last sewing project for a while. My house can't take the neglect!!