To India with Love - Take 2

I know it has been forever since I updated and there is a LOT to update, but I'll get to all of that another day.  For now, I am just over the moon excited to finally be sharing something again!

Way back in June 2012, I made this quilt for my sweet friend Sujay, who lives all the way across the world in Pune, India.  I was so excited to get it mailed off to him.  The USPS told me they didn't know how long it would take to arrive so we waited... and waited... and waited... and unfortunately, we are still waiting.

After about 4 or 5 months it became apparent that quilt was never going to arrive, so I got to work on another one.  I finished the top at least 2 years ago now.  This is made from all scraps, with each square of strings sewn on to muslin to avoid a billion seams on the back when I pieced the squares together.  I eyeballed the placement of the dark blue strips through the diagonal of each square and worked my way out from there.

After the top was finished, I got it sandwiched quickly... but it took another year before I finished the FMQ and the binding.  There is sat forever (again) while I procrastinated on making the quilt tag. (Below is not the best photo, but you'll get the idea.  Part of my absence from blogging has been photo challenges but I've decided to go with the "something is better than nothing" approach from now on.")

In January I finally got it mailed to him (and it arrived!  yay!).  Cost about 2 weeks' salary to do so, but totally worth it.  Of course I forgot to measure it before I packed it up, but I think it's around 48" x 60" (each block is 12" square). 

No photos of the back, but it's a plain blue.  Definitely not as gray as it looks in the photo of the quilt tag.

Very happy to have this one done and safely in India. Finally!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Blue Brick Quilt

I had really big sewing plans for this week.  (What else is new?)  Alas, my day job has been acting up (as it does from time to time) and 14 hour work days (including weekends) don't leave much time for sewing or blog reading.  For as much stress as I often get from my job, though, I have received so much more from the friendships built during those stressful times.

 

This quilt was inspired by one that Sarah made, using a tutorial from the Moda Bake Shop.  It is going to a very dear friend of mine, all the way in India.

See my "helper" peeking through the window?

I "met" Sujay last summer, at 3am (my time) during a conference call for a project we were working on which was (obviously) not going well.  I am the Project Manager, he is a tester.  Most of the testing is done offshore (while I sleep) but from time to time, issues arise that mean I'm (semi) awake and working for crazy, overnight hours.

 

The issue we were having was not Sujay's fault, but he stayed in the office for more than 24 hours straight to help me get it resolved.  Wasn't his responsibility to do so, but he refused to let me (who he didn't even know, except as a voice on the phone half a world away) struggle through it on my own.

We have gotten to know each other better over the past year or so, and I just adore him.  I would adopt him as my own if I could.  He's had a rough year for a number of reasons -- things that I, as an American, won't ever fully grasp.  I wanted to make him something to let him know that even though I'm half a world away, he'll always have a friend in me.

The top to this quilt was done in April.  The quilt tag was finished in May.  The quilting and binding took forever, and I'm hoping it gets to India in less time than it took me to make.  

Sujay, if you are reading this, know you are loved and hugged and appreciated every single day!

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Linking up with: 

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

Sew Many Ways for "Find a Friend Friday"

Pieceful Life for "Show Off Friday" 

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~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~


Thanks for stopping by!
~ Kat ~