Graduation Quilt Fun!

As all of you fellow Stixers are aware, I graduated from law school this May. (I will now accept your congratulations and deep awe.) In addition to my own personal glory of having successfully completed three horrifically difficult years of law torture, my many law school friends graduated as well, including my best friend, Torrie Poplin. Well, when trying to figure out what would be a proper graduation present for the best friend I made during law school (who definitely helped me retain my sanity throughout, mostly through weekend Bollywood movie marathons), I knew I wanted to get her something special. And then it came to me...I should make her a quilt! It was absolutely perfect!

Unfortunately, this revelation came about one week before finals and didn't leave me with any time to actually make her a quilt for graduation. Never one to give up, I got her a graduation card and included in it a notice that she would be the recipient of one hand-made quilt by Lauren R. Moser (hopefully esquire) sometime before the New Year. Naturally, she was ecstatic. And so, I was committed to making her a quilt. Now I was just left with figuring out what quilt to make. Toward that end, while I was slavishly studying for the bar exam that was to occur at the end of July, I asked my Mom to keep her eyes opening for a cute pattern that would suit Torrie. She came up with a few ideas and we decided that I would pick out a pattern and fabric from my Mom's stash during my visit home following the bar exam.

I spent 10 full days at home (not nearly enough time) following the horrific two day exam and during my time our good friend CeCe came over to visit and brought along a quilt she had recently finished and wanted to try quilting. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to make it. The pattern was simple and fun and absolutely adorable when made up with bright fabrics. I immediately requested CeCe share the pattern and she agreed. Thus, I had my pattern. To complete my prep work, I went down to the cabin and raided Mom's stash. I began opening bins at random, snatching out fabric (even from project bags), and laying claim to everything the eye could see, heedless of Mom's attempts to rein me in. She did manage to control me somewhat, however, and after she put a lot of fabric back and gave me a few more lectures on proper color and fabric choices, I had everything needed to start Torrie's quilt.

I began my graduation quilting adventure with the first step we must all take in quilting...cutting. This is a quilt with a great deal of cutting as you use over 25 different fabrics from which you must cut a nearly uncountable number of strips (actually, it is quite countable, but after completing all that cutting the numbers have been blocked from my brain in an act of self preservation). And so, I spent two days of my trip home simply cutting out Torrie's quilt and by the time my trip was over, it was ready to go. Before I returned to Portland, I made up one entire block just to ensure I was doing everything properly and I am now pleased to say that I have fully overcome my horrendous cutting mental block that I'm sure Sally remembers quite vividly and which made me vow at 13 years old that I would never quilt again. My cutting was perfect and my block went together without a single hitch.

Now, I'm sure many of you have suffered a problem similar to the one to which I myself am quite often a victim - sewer's block. Usually this occurs after a period of time spent sewing with one's friends. After returning to your home and your solitary sewing space, it is nearly impossible to begin sewing. The loss of companionship and encouragement acts as a huge block, preventing you from sewing on your own - somehow it's just not as much fun anymore. (Or am I the only one who suffers?) As this affliction has befallen me many a time when I'm not sewing with my Mom or at Stix Retreats, I was naturally concerned that upon my return home I would not dedicate myself to finishing Torrie's quilt as I knew I should in order to get it done by my self inflicted end date. But, in this case, I worried unnecessarily. I returned to Portland and managed to set aside several days between other trips and job searching on which to work on Torrie's graduation quilt and I am pleased to now announce that it is complete! Today, I sewed on the final border of the quilt and it is now ready to go to my fabulous mother for quilting. Woohoo!

I have always felt a great sense of accomplishment upon the completion of my sewing projects, but perhaps never more so than now when I have completed this quilt entirely on my own and done at least half of it under my own direction and impetus. No mother forced me out of bed each morning and down to the cabin to work. No, I did it on my own and it is all the sweeter for that fact. And I can now say with absolute conviction that my Mom is correct...it is easy to finish a quilt if you just sew a little each day.

I hope you have enjoyed my tale and I can't wait to show all you wonderful ladies Torrie's graduation quilt at our Stix Retreat in October!