Inexperienced quilting

This past month, I was given a rather large stack of fat quarters from Moda Fabrics. I will enter the name tomorrow. Moda was having a show and asked me if I might make a few things with these fabrics. Moda Fabrics is one of the largest manufacturers of quilter's fabrics. I had two weeks time. Not really a problem had I not have the responsibility of working the store at the same time. I knew I could make two items for certain. I wanted to create three. The apron was simple. It is reversible. The pattern is Pacific Crescent Quilting Fat Quarter Reversable Apron by Nancy Gallivan . Aprons have been very popular for the past more than a year. When it comes back to us for display in the store, people will gobble it up. The fabrics will not be available until January, but you can buy any fat quarter kit to make this. Really - use your imagination. It always amazes me how visual people are. They have to have the exact fabrics in the display. This was the first piece I made.

The second piece was a reversible tote bag which I made once before in black and white and red. I wanted to make it in this grouping because it is a popular bag. It is time to get another sample up on the wall and this would be a great opportunity to do that when the show is over. I will try to get a photo of it as well as the pattern.





Being well ahead of schedule, I decided I might have time for a third item. Marge, the Craft Dept Manager, chose this pattern and said I could cut it down to be just a center piece instead of a table runner. Oh my, I am not that experienced a quilter to be altering quilt patterns. OK. So I gathered all of my quilt-courage and I began. Whelllll - as you can see, the picture in the book is quite different from what I am working with. But I can manage that as I go along. After all, I don't want to be classified in with those customers who have to have the exact fabrics from the displays!!!! But, and this is a big but. A whole step of the process in making this piece was missing in the instructions. Not torn out of the book. Missing as "forgot to print it in the instructions". Not something comfortable for the inexperienced quilter. Nothing made sense. I just couldn't figure it out. And when I finally realized what was wrong and that it wasn't me, it was the book, then it all started to fall into place. The little piece was completed two days early and all three pieces looked great.

Moda Fabrics were pleased and from what I was told, their display at the show looked really wonderful. I suspect now that they will be asking me to make all of their samples. i don't mind at all. i don't get paid for this. Just my regular wage for Fabric Depot. But how I love the challenge of every project. I always learn something new. It is great. Never monotonous.