Best Quilt Moment of 2012

With the start of 2013 many quilting bloggers have been taking a look back at what they finished during 2012.  I thought it would be too difficult to find it all, but it turns out I actually did a decent job at documenting things last year!  Above is a picture of 27 ‘quilt-y’ items I created during 2012!  There were more but I thought this gave you a good overview of what my year was like.

Another question quilters have been asking is

‘

What was your best quilt moment of 2012?’

That was easy!  It was when my good friend, Kaitra opened the quilt I made for her.  She was so happy and joyous!  It was a response that made me want to make her more quilts!  If everyone I gave a quilt to reacted like that I would never sell a quilt again!

I have known Kaitra since I was a teenager.  I worked at the place her father owned, Port Apothecary.  She worked up front with me one day (working the register and making curled ribbons) and was a shy, sweet, quiet girl.  I’m guessing you have all figured out by now that I’m none of those things.  By the end of our shift I had taught her to whistle.  We have been great friends ever since!Kaitra was a bridesmaid in my wedding and she was in charge of holding my dress when I had to go to the bathroom. She always came to visit and hang out with us whenever she could.  I have so many memories with her that I’ll never forget…

Kaitra LOVES kids so she was so excited when I had my first daughter, Mercedi. You know how some friends tend to shy away once the kids were in the picture – not Kaitra. It was always nice when she came to visit. I knew that she understood that sometimes I had to put the girls in time out when they misbehaved and sometimes that meant I had to let them cry. Kaitra is now a 4K teacher and I often go to her for advice about my kids. She is also the godmother to our second daughter, Capri, and I know we couldn’t have picked a better person for the job.

Kaitra has always admired my quilt and supported my creativeness.  I told her that I would make her a quilt either for her wedding or for her 30th birthday…whichever came first.  I’m guessing she was around 22 or 23 when I first told her this.  Turns out – she has been excited about it ever since then!  This year I made this Celebration Quilt for the Quilts by Barb Quilt Retreat.  I found the fun printed fabric and knew that this would be the quilt for Kaitra.

I’m no good at secrets so Kaitra knew right away it was for her and I shared photo’s of it with her as it progressed.  What she didn’t know was that I decided to give it to her early.  I kept telling her that she’d have to wait for her 30th birthday but I wasn’t that mean.  This December she turned 29 and I wrapped the quilt up and gave it to her a year early.  She was so surprised and happy I’m really glad that I decided to do that!  AND now she can stop telling people that she can’t wait until she turns 30 because that means she’s getting a quilt!

I’m so happy to have Kaitra in mine and my families lives.  And now, every time she wraps up in her quilt she’ll think of us!