Two years ago, the FatQuarterShop asked me to test of a new free pattern of theirs:
Layers of Charm. While I was very tempted by the prospect of new Cotton+Steel fabrics, I opted for a red flannel with black and white front. The quilt was a cinch to pull together! Just a charm pack and a layer cake and couple Saturday afternoons (more than one only because I enjoy being distracted by Netflix and such) and I had the coziest quilt ever! Did I mention that I used high loft batting for extra squish?
Well, when my sister felt my quilt, she got a little jealous and has been bugging me to make her one ever since. This fall, I walked into Joann, saw their crazy soft flannels, and knew what I'd be making my sister for Christmas. With a buttery black and white flannel in hand, I went home, ordered the precuts, and then set about sewing. So many times I thought about keeping this quilt for myself and giving my sister the original. I debated with myself about giving a "used" gift, and then I debated whether you could really call a quilt "used." In the end, I decided to be the bigger sister and give away the cozy new one. But that was just the beginning of the saga of this quilt.
The night before my early flight home, I had packed everything but the quilt. Before zipping my bag, I went to tuck the quilt in...and I couldn't find it. Anywhere. I realized that I must have left it at school because I had been hand-binding while I worked a couple days earlier. Since it was nearing midnight, I vowed to get up early and retrieve it. However, when I arrived at school, the quilt was in neither of the labs, nor my office. I double and triple checked to no avail!
Dejectedly I went back to my apartment, unpacked the needle and thread I had tucked in my backpack to finish binding on the plane and waited for my friend to pick me up for the airport. I packed up my quilt to give to my sister instead. When my friend arrived, I climbed in the car and told her the story, how I was trying so hard to remember when I'd last seen the quilt that I literally couldn't remember anything about Thursday afternoon anymore. We were part way to the airport when she asked me if I had stopped in the bathroom before headed home.
"YES!" I exclaimed. "I remember setting the quilt on the shelf in the bathroom and thinking, 'Wouldn't it be a bummer if I left it there?'" She turned around the car, racing back to school, and I found it on the shelf!! When we arrived at the airport, I unpacked my quilt from my bag and tucked my sister's inside (much easier to fit hers since I used regular batting for hers, and as you might remember I used high loft for mine).
Unfortunately, I had unpacked the thread and needle to finish the binding on the plane, but luckily (?) both of my flights were delayed. I had time to check out every news stand in the airport to find a sewing kit and then sat contentedly in multiple airports binding up a storm.
Needless to say, this quilt had quite the adventure, and as you can see below, its new owner is very happy to have received it.
