rose's third year.

69 x 69 (2025)

Although finished in 2025, the journey of this quilt began back in 2022. A little over three years ago, we had just welcomed Rose into our lives and lived in our first home, the place where I had mustered enough courage to make my first quilt with little to no sewing experience. At this time, I was working with a handed down, starter machine, equipped only with the basics to get my dreams going. This was my original first ever quilt I had planned on creating for Rose's first birthday, and on a whim decided to buy random fabrics at Hobby Lobby that spoke to me as a new mom to a baby girl. I had cut all the fabrics and sewed near 4 of the 15 sashes when we moved unexpectedly in a matter of days less than a mile up the road. That move was enough to derail this project and quilting entirely for me as a hobby for over a year, regardless if my sewing machine was up and running before any room was unpacked.

The beginnings of this quilt was tucked away in a cabinet drawer for years until I pulled it out a few months back for a "simple" project to get me out of my quilting rut. What was meant to be simple turned into my worst possible nightmare as I have since upgraded to a more capable machine and my skills have grown. Each sash I created was either longer or shorter than the last by a mile and I spent more time ripping seams and reconfiguring on the fly than I did piecing this quilt in a manner that made sense. I can't count how many times I wanted to give up and scrap this project entirely, especially as I have limited time to work and I actually do this for fun! Although it seems like just another quilt, I will always look at it and remind myself that in the midst of every limitation, God has equipped me and made me capable to do hard things, even if I don't have to do them. What a joy it is to tether myself to Him as I work in this medium, conversing with Him through stitches and learning about myself and building my love for others and connection with Him through the process.