Celebration - a Two for One Deal, or is it Three?

When my DIL picked out the material and pattern (shown on page 40 of Quilt Sampler Fall/Winter 2008) for this quilt last July, I didn't realize it would take me almost a year to finish.  I did tell her to "expect it when you see it".  She loves red, white and blue colors so naturally I thought of patriotism, waving the flag, (etc.) and this fit right in.

While working on this quilt, I was interrupted by other things....3 or 4 baby quilts, a couple of grandchildren who had to be appeased, and life in general.  There was also the fact that this afforded me the opportunity (?) of working with half-square triangles.  It was a lesson well learned.  I have several extra HSTs now in plastic baggies which ended up too small for this quilt and are awaiting their day in the sun. 

Late last year my SIL helped me lay out  the pieces on my design wall.  By that time, all those HSTs started looking alike.  To my amazement, it looked pretty good.  Realizing that I might actually be able to finish this thing, I decided on the name Celebration, not only for the July 4th feel, but also for struggling through HSTs. 

Fast forward to April of this year...a now pregnant DIL was informed that she would have the honor of quilting around the middle square.  She has sewn on buttons and could thread a needle, but never had quilted a quilt before.  But she sat down and did a good job.  I finished quilting 'in the ditch' around all those HSTs.  This last week I worked on little diamonds in the outer border while waiting in the hospital for my newest grandchild to be born.  I will be giving the finished quilt to her next week when I go back down to visit and help.  So even though this may not have been intended to be a baby quilt,  it could be a Celebration of a new life as well.