Red Irish Chain

Our camera has problems. It takes great pictures in daylight but with the flash everything is completely washed out. So this is the best I could do. I forgot I had a design wall so laid it our on the floor on top of the Lego.

If you had asked me a week ago I would have told you that I had copious notes about this project; so that I could pick it up and keep going. The reverse is true. The envelope that was in the box cannot be read so I don't even know when I did this exchange. I don't know who participated in the exchange, when it was (I'm pretty sure I was living here...so anytime in the last 12 years...although not the first 3 and not the last 5? so I can narrow it down to 2000-2004) or even how big the quilt was going to be. I vaguely remember that it had 3 borders; the first one extends the pattern of the blocks one row, then a plain muslin strip, then 1 of repeated red squares. Actually the only reason I 'remember' that is that I have a black and bright Irish Chain exchange that is put together, so I got it out and looked at it. Using highly developed detective skills I counted the blocks I have started and the number of large muslin pieces that are cut and I've determined that I was planning on making 2 of these. I think I pictured a guest room with 2 twin beds with these on them...

Anyway, years ago I got tired of ripping apart the strips that had been sewn with too large seams and put it away. During retreat's show and tell time I borrowed a seam ripper (couldn't find the 2 I brought with me) and picked apart the offending strips. The plan is to replace the Coca Cola, and large cherry fabrics, cut new 2" squares, resew them and use them. You can imagine that I wasn't real happy to do this ripping but I have been humbled as I made the blocks that many times I have to stop and rip out a seam or two that I had sewn to big and resew so that I can get this quilt together.

I have 32 finished pieced blocks and 8 finished muslin blocks. To finish one quilt I need 32 and 31 respectively...so it's well on it's way to being a top.

Tyler 'helped' last night by picking out what strip I needed to sew next. As soon as he went to bed I sewed the wrong strip on....So maybe I NEED the 5 year old to stand next to me and keep me on my toes.