For all my griping and headaches I have finished the 365 Challenge and it doesn't look half bad!
Except for one major wrinkle (and a couple of minor ones) I can't even see where the battlefield was. I fixed a couple wrinkles by hand (take the machine stitches out for a few inches, go back and hand quilt the lines. Yes, there is a difference but better than wrinkles and no one but me is going to go over this that closely.)My 365 Challenge was started in May of 2007 after a couple blogging friends suggested we do this together. The original link is Leanne's 365 Challenge. There was a group to join that I didn't join so I have only come across a couple of finished 365 Challenges. The original instructions were to use beige fabrics in a larger size but I knew that would get much too unwieldy in my small house. But somewhere along the way I decided that even with dyed fabrics I was using (instead of beige) that this wasn't going to be a very spicy quilt so I added borders around each week. (I saw that idea somewhere but I don't remember where.)
It was so easy to forget to write the daily entries that I almost gave up on the whole thing a couple of times but you can see that I managed to go to the end. My 52nd year of life (started on my 52nd birthday.) I love all the colors. I love the fact that I used fabrics in the borders that I was using at that time for other projects. There are fabrics from Thelma and Connie and Nancy and Cassie and Amy and Liz.
2007-2008 marked the year of Leiya graduating from high school, the passing of Lemi. I can see I used bright colors when recording Leiya's milestone and dark colors when writing the last days of Lemi.
Friends are amazed that each of those blocks have so much writing in them. They laugh and say I have a journal that is open to everybody but no one will read (too much trouble to read all that English). Another comment was that at least I wouldn't have to worry about ghosts. WHAT?!! I don't know what you are talking about!
It seems there is a Japanese legend about a Buddhist priest who was visited by ghosts. In order to protect him, his friend wrote the Buddhist sutra all over his body which made the priest invisible to the ghost who was bothering him. Except that the friend forgot to write the sutra on the priest's ears so the ghost saw the ears, ripped them off and took them away. The priest remained earless but he was never bothered by ghosts again.
I'm not sure I appreciate the analogy of ghosts and Buddhist priests and sutras to my quilt...
Do I have to make a label for this?
18 comments:
I would just add the information you'd put on a label directly on the back: your name the date, etc. I would also say something on why you did this quilt. HTH.
It's so wonderful! I did all my journaling for the year but along the way some of the strips became crooked and the top wasn't square. It is folded over a coat hanger and I am unsure what I'll do with it. Seeing yours I'm inspired to get it out and see if I can adjust it somehow. Congrats on your finish.
Congrats on the finishing. What a novel way to journal on a quilt! Wish I had known about this earlier and I would have joined in ;p
BTW, I like your version of using colored fabrics better.
way to go! it turned out wonderful -- and all those memories together for ever :-)
I am very impressed, but from your blog I can tell that you like to write and tell stories. The quilt turned out beautiful. It must feel great to have it completed. Might be a good idea to put a label with the story of how the quilt was born.
the quilt looks great, glad you have so much color in it, and i hope my suggestions will spur you to quilt using a walking foot again, it can be so rewarding !
love from Italy
Well done you - trumpet fanfares!! You must be feeling so pleased to have this complete, and it looks great. I'm very bad at putting labels on, I've several quilts that need doing - and I've just remembered that I gave one as a present without a label. Hey ho!
Well is so wonderful this quilt.
ciao ciao
I love your quilt, and your blog, which I've been following on Planet Textile Threads - I'm so impressed that you manage an entry nearly every day. I enjoy reading about your daily life in Japan - and the cats!
Marcie in Australia
congrats on the finish - woohoo. yes you most defintiely have to put a label on it or write on the back with permanent marker.
Congratulations on a great finish! It looks wonderful. I would think that the ghosts would be too busy reading the quilt and not bother you.
You should definitely have your name somewhere on the quilt, so that when people read the journal, they know whose journal it is.
Tanya, Your quilt is beautiful. I encourage you to give it a label. The quilt has such a wonderful story, you don't want it to be forgotten.
The back looks wonderful!!
The one thing about machine quilting is that the preparation - i.e., the stretching, basting, etc. is time-consuming compared to hand-quilting. You make up the time when it comes to the actual quilting. Doesn't it feel GREAT to have your quilt quilted?!!! You should be feeling an immense sense of satisfaction!
Tanya,
You have won the Award of the year, "Perseverance In Action". Your quilt looks wonderful as you have done a great job....the colors are bright and the borders do add to it. Yes, it needs a label to describe how it came about. :>)
Love all of the fabrics.
Liz
That is an amazing quilt. I would put a label on it if I were you. :-)
Wow - what a great quilt! I've never seen one like that before. And yes, after spending all that time on the quilt and having it come out so great, do take the time to make a label - your quilt is worth it!!! :)
What a wonderful quilt...and won't it be fun reading all those entries years later!
Your quilt turned out beautifully - yes, you should put at least your name and date on it.
Nina
Congratulations on finishing your 365! I know what an accomplishment this is and how much time and energy goes into it.
And of course you have to put a label on it!!! LOL
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