Sampler Quilt Completed

I should be going to bed, but I'm going to try and load up some pictures of my first major quilt project.

I started this quilt when my friend Pam asked if I wanted to go to patchwork classes. It wasn't something that I had done before so I said 'why not'. That was in May 2006. The project was a sampler quilt. We had to decide on the number of blocks we wanted to do which ultimately would determine the size of the quilt. I had to make a queen size quilt, as DH only let me go to classes on the promise that the finished quilt would be a gift for him. This meant that I had to make 20 blocks. Sounded easy enough. One block per week (hand pieced) and it would be done in 5/6 months. Huh!! I didn't know about sashings, borders, backing/wadding and quilting at this stage. Was I in for a rude shock. I should've only did 9 blocks (like Pam) and I would have finished in 5/6 months.

It is now 16/17 months later and the quilt is finally finished. Because I was determined to hand quilt it took longer as it was so large it was difficult to move around. But I am very pleased with the results.

Thought I'd add another pic of the quilt after my friend Pam said this one was on a weird angle. The pic above was taken without the flash on. The pic below was taken with the flash on. The truer colours are in the pic above.