A Very Special Finish

After three + long years, I've finished it!
It's the Cathedral Window Coverlet I made for Mr. LB.

If you would like to see a bit of the progression,
you can look here, or here, or even here.
This was all stitched by hand.
The only machine used was an iron.
If you don't like to iron, don't even begin this project.
It began with origami of 398 blocks of fabric
being folded down to a 4.5 inch square and ironed in place.
That's before you even start stitching.
The other tip is, there are various instructions for this pattern.
Yes, you do need to stitch through all layers of fabric.
If you don't, you will have to go back and restitch every-other corner.
(Ask me how I know that one!)
Mr. LB liked the 3D look of the fabric folding 
so I purposely didn't go through all layers.
It was actually more difficult and caused a lot more work
on an already big project.
I also added a bead in each corner to give it a little more depth and interest.

So here is the finished product.
Please never-mind that the pillows don't match.
That's next.
I did find some fabric at the Baker City Quilt Show
for pillow cases to go with it.
They just aren't made yet:)
Here's what that looks like.

Sorry, it's a little dark.

The other tid-bit that makes this a special finish,
is that having taken so long,
I had shared the progress with my friend Shirley.
She meant the world to me and passed away in March of last year.
She didn't get out for more than the occasional doctor's appt.
in her last year or so.
She would always inquire about what I was working on.
I had taken this a couple of times to show her the progress.
She thought it was beautiful and made me promise to show it.
I promised I would, but not in a judged show.
It is not a show quilt.
Next month, it will be at the Walla Walla Quilt Festival
in order to honor that promise.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
If that is true,
I can't imagine that a hand-stitched quilt is worth any less than a million.
The events of life that unfolded while stitching this
will make it forever memorable.
That's something a "Quilt in a Day" can't offer.
(Note* I don't dislike "Quilt in a Day" quilts, but I do appreciate "slow" quilts.)