In November last year I revisited some hexagon flowers that had languished in the back of my cupboard for just over a year. I was working to replicate an antique quilt, that was mostly browns, blues and golds. I think it was the restriction of colour that was causing my dislike of the project, so I decided to abandon the idea and work on something else restrictive.
With the goal of the Australasian Quilt Convention in sights, I set myself the challenge of having a quilt finished by March 2019. November, December and January were quite productive, but our annual harvest on the farm, Christmas and the summer school holidays did slow my work rate. By February panic set it. There was so much to do; if only I had worked harder earlier. By this stage the fussy cutting was getting challenging, I felt I had used all my best fabrics, but some new arrivals into the shop spurred me on.
With some late nights, and early mornings, sewing in the car, at the hairdressers and the school bus stop, I managed to complete the quilt top on the train, just before my meeting with Helen Hayes who had kindly agreed to machine quilt it for me.
With some more late nights writing the pattern, then printing and packaging them, I was delighted to finally release Maggie Maguire's Garden at AQC yesterday.
There are a total of 168 hexagon flowers, 4232 individual hexagons. Despite the exhaustion of the last month, it really has been a lovely project to work on. Lots of 'Oh Wow' moments when fussy cutting has produced a lovely flower, and lots of family discussion about what flower was the nicest.
If your coming along to AQC, pop by my stall #73 and take a look, I'd love to see you.