
Way back in February of 2003 (not so long after I started quilting) I bought a kit for a Valentine’s Day Table Topper. It had this fabulous “chocolate box” fabric for the center panel that I just fell in love with. Simple construction for the top too, really. It was a good beginner piece. In fact, I think I finished the top over a weekend.
It’s funny, I have such a vivid recollection of some of those early quilting days. I was living in my little one bedroom apartment and I had a basic sewing machine (my first) that sat on a rolling computer desk. I would roll the desk (sewing table) into the living room from the bedroom where it lived, and park it in front of the tv so that I could sew and listen to a movie at the same time. I sat up my ironing board next to me, and my cutting mat was set up on the kitchen counter. I would pop in a movie and just sew and sew…sometimes well into the night. Anyway, this was one of those early quilts that I have such a clear memory of making in my little apartment.

It wasn’t until much much later that I decided I really needed to quilt this piece. I had a lot of problems trying to quilt it myself, but I finally got the quilting finished…at the end of 2009. I wasn’t thrilled with my quilting, but it was quilted and I was happy with that. (I’d actually quilted the border twice because I was so unhappy with it the first time, so I ripped it out). I quilted a scattering of hearts in the center panel and just some in the ditch quilting on the border.
And after the quilting was finally finished…it languished again. I had it folded up in my quilt bag in the closet until January of this year. I decided it was finally time for this piece to be done in time for Valentine’s Day. All I had left to do was sew down the binding and make a label. I dove in one night when I didn’t feel like stitching and I started handsewing my binding. I did about half a side and then called it a night. This past weekend, Eric and I went to Austin (since the roads had cleared) for a GPS Photo Hunt. It was a lot of fun and I’ll have photos up on the other blog soon. But, I wanted a project to work on in the car, since I had several hours to kill, so I brought my quilt with me to work on the binding. I figured that would be easy since it didn’t require counting or anything. I got all the binding sewn down on three sides on the drive there, and on the drive back I managed to get that last half a side finished. I’m still lacking a label, but I’ll get to that soon. It looks pretty on my dining room table and I’m happy to finally have it finished.

I named this quilt “Indulgence” because that was the name of the chocolate box fabric in the center. I thought it was appropriate.
Meanwhile, on the stitching front, the night before we left for Austin I finished up this little beauty.

I had started this back in August and really did nothing more on it than start a few green leaves. After finishing Snow Garden I decided to pick this back up because I wanted to work on something simple before diving into another big WIP. And with just a few nights of stitching, this was done! This is the last of the February Stockings I had left to stitch and I’m happy it was finished before Valentine’s Day. This is “Be Mine” from the Blackbird Designs Love is in the Air stocking booklet. I stitched it with the recommended threads and fabric – GAST on 30ct St. Valentine’s Blend by R&R.
Two more WIPs crossed off the list! I love that. I’ve been working on ATS a bit too and I’m so close to moving onto the bottom half of page 1. I’ll share a photo of my progress soon.
I’ll leave you with a photo (via the Instagram app on my phone that I’m addicted to) of Othello curled up on my lap last week during the ice/snow storm. I adopted Othello many years ago right before Valentine’s Day, so he’s always been my “Valentine Kitty”. Othello has been at the emergency vet (and now regular vet) since Saturday night. We’re hoping to bring him home today, but he’s been a very sick guy.

I am grateful for my boy coming home today!
Michelle, you have a beautiful quilt and so pretty the way you put it together and sentimental too!
Hope you have a good Valentine’s Day!
Jennifer
Feathers in the Nest
Michelle, you have a beautiful quilt and so pretty the way you put it together and sentimental too!
Hope you have a good Valentine’s Day!
Jennifer
Feathers in the Nest
I love your quilt Michelle, great fabrics! Congratulations on getting it done in time for V Day 🙂
Pretty stocking too! Hugs to Othello, I hope he’s feeling better soon.
I love your quilt Michelle, great fabrics! Congratulations on getting it done in time for V Day 🙂
Pretty stocking too! Hugs to Othello, I hope he’s feeling better soon.
Congratulations on your quilt finish! It looks wonderful! And cute BBD stocking finish too. Hope Othello is feeling better!
Congratulations on your quilt finish! It looks wonderful! And cute BBD stocking finish too. Hope Othello is feeling better!
It was fun to hear how you started out quilting – it’s nice to remember how and when we started. Your birdy is so cute. Glad you are making headway on ATS – just a page at a time – enjoy the journey! Mel
It was fun to hear how you started out quilting – it’s nice to remember how and when we started. Your birdy is so cute. Glad you are making headway on ATS – just a page at a time – enjoy the journey! Mel
I love Indulgence! Such a pretty table topper for Valentine’s Day, and congratulations on getting it finished. Be Mine is so pretty! So is Othello!
I love Indulgence! Such a pretty table topper for Valentine’s Day, and congratulations on getting it finished. Be Mine is so pretty! So is Othello!
Your Valentines quilt is so pretty, Michelle! Congrats on finishing it! Love the BBD stocking too! Yay on Othello coming home — hope he recovers nicely and gets back to normal.
Your Valentines quilt is so pretty, Michelle! Congrats on finishing it! Love the BBD stocking too! Yay on Othello coming home — hope he recovers nicely and gets back to normal.
Othello is such a handsome boy – I hope he’ll be home with you very soon!
Othello is such a handsome boy – I hope he’ll be home with you very soon!
I love quilts on tables! Yours looks especially nice with the reds and chocolates. I also enjoyed hearing of this quilts “story” and the memories it invoked in you.
I hope Othello is home soon and very much on the road to a quick recovery.
I love quilts on tables! Yours looks especially nice with the reds and chocolates. I also enjoyed hearing of this quilts “story” and the memories it invoked in you.
I hope Othello is home soon and very much on the road to a quick recovery.
Beautiful quilt, Michelle…I love the chocolate print fabric, although I don’t know if I could have something like that out where I could see it every day, I’d be heading straight for the Whitman display at Walgreens! Hope Othello is home and feeling better.
Beautiful quilt, Michelle…I love the chocolate print fabric, although I don’t know if I could have something like that out where I could see it every day, I’d be heading straight for the Whitman display at Walgreens! Hope Othello is home and feeling better.
Big hugs and cuddles for Othello! I hope the vet figures out what’s going on and makes him better.
Love the finishes too!!! Hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s day.
Congratulations on your finishes, they’re all gorgeous
I’m so sorry about Othello. I hope he gets better soon. He looks like such a sweet kitty.
I love the table topper and the BBD stocking! Both are beautiful!!
Othello will be so happy to be back home to you! Love your quilt and what a sweet little finish too!!
Oh my, your Othello looks like my black kitty, Matthew. He’s been gone for several years now but I still miss him — snif. I hope Othello is okay.
Yummy quilt!
I’m sorry to hear that your Othello has been so sick. He looks warm and comfortable in the photo. Love each day that you have with him.
Your quilt is beautiful! Lovely fabrics! I can almost smell chocolate as I look at the picture.
Love the little stocking finish too!
Congrats on both quilt finish and the stocking finish!
Happy Stitching!
Michelle, I love your quilt. I am wanting to try and make a small table top or runner to see if I am interested in quilting.
Hope Othello is better soon!
I hope your boy is better and home now. The Valentine quilt is a nice piece of art. I love the story of quilting in your apartment. Brought back my own sewing memories. Your finishes are very pretty.
Its a lovely quilt!! I am so glad you finished it, and it looks great on your table. I am so thrilled that you are getting those Wips knocked out.
Your quilt finish is gorgeous, those colours are so rich and they’re making my mouth water lol.
I love your stocking finish as well, very cute.
Your table topper is beautiful!
The fabrics are fabulous although I think they would have me craving chocolate the whole time 🙂
The little BD piece is very pretty also.
Margaret