a UFO tale...

into our 3rd dreary day, 2 of rain, and almost done with the gift quilt (finally!), so pulled out an ancient UFO....you might remember this...

it's the 1861 healy quilt...had avoided getting sucked into the hexie craze for a long time until this came along...could i do it?  why not?  i did give it a determined try...spent a lot of time on these tiny hexies...3/4" ones....here is the proof...

take-along bags filled with tiny pieces and papers, all cut from free magazine inserts....

a drawer filled with various sections....the quilt itself required 192 of the size rosette seen here in the pink, not to mention joining sections and rows.  life changes as it does and my fascination dwindled, sitting in the drawer with a twinge of guilt each time it was opened.  but no longer!  the tiny hexies are now being repurposed--the pink and blue ones--into an applique for a border on my dutch chintz wall quilt.  

have been trolling the 'net looking at di ford style medallion quilts for border ideas and saw this.  it's perfect!  not all the hexies will be used so the finished rosettes will be repurposed into a wall quilt of some sort, but the time spent isn't totally wasted.  i can feel the guilt dissipating as my plan is put into action.  the weather stinks but it's sunshiny in my studio!  ***  and now to avoid other guilt, i'm off to the gym!