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Finished

Made binding last night from a piece of ivory linen and sewed it on to finish the recycled linen quilt. I started this project on August 23, 2018, put it aside for a long break and then came back to it this summer. I’d say altogether it took about seven months to complete.

It’s been an intense experience all along. Making something this large without a plan was intimidating to me. I’m not a spontaneous soul so I had to fight myself most of the time I worked on it.

Some of the fabrics I chose for the top fought me as well. I thought the old white curtain with the eyelet lines would be a fun addition. It does look neat, but that fabric in particular did not want to be stitched. Most of the time I had to employ pliers to get a needle through it.

Old linen also frays and pills. A lot.

I worked exclusively with a limited palette of perle cottons and silk blends for the embroidery. This was the best choice I made; I think the threads held up beautifully with the often heavy needlework. The colors make the work look more cohesive, too.

Spending months slow-stitching this quilt helped me grow in many ways. I’m definitely more mindful now whenever I pick up a needle. I love being able to give new life to old fabrics. This gave me a chance to find out more about myself, too. If there was ever a visual expression of my soul as a quilter, this is it.

The quilt is pretty heavy, thanks to all the stitching and buttons, but it is a functional piece. I’ll be keeping it in the office for the cold season ahead. I give away almost everything I make, so I don’t feel selfish in keeping this one for me.

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