I started working on this quilt last year, hoping to send it with my son as he headed off to college. Now, after spending some time on it, he will likely see it when he gets married. Some day.

Just kidding. Sort of.

I’m in the final stretch, but it has been quite a journey. Thankfully, my son loves the pattern, and has been patient.

It starts with hundreds of half square triangles. The pattern is Les Petales from French General. I managed to scrape up enough of their fabric to use as well. I’m not even getting into the hours spent cutting all the fabric before a single stitch is sewn.

Here is a look at it from above, before it was completely pieced. At this point I thought I was getting close to being done. Nope.

Once the bulk of the quilt had been assembled, I went to work on the border. How hard could it be, I thought. Ha.

Have you ever pieced a quarter square triangle border? There is just not a single intuitive thing about it, and the pattern did not give any specific instructions.

An acute angle sewn to a right angle SEEMS like it would be an easy and quick thing to do.

Not so. Or not sew.

Every piece needs to be measured, marked and pinned, almost like a Y seam. On the acute angle, you must measure 1/4 in. from each side, and the pin goes at the intersection. Same of course for the right angle…which is much easier.

In the next step, it’s the mirror of the process, and so on, and so on…

Here is a link to a video that I found very helpful from Fons and Porter.

At one point she refers to part of the process as an “idiot check.” I’m not going to take that personally. No, I’m not. And if you try it, you won’t either.

A quarter square triangle border is a lovely thing.

But it takes forever to piece. And even when you are working very hard to get it right, you will still have some points that are not perfect. But you can fix them as you assemble as long as they are not off by too much. Don’t ask me how many I ripped and redid.

Finally, I am at the quilting stage. I want the quilt to be soft, washable and survive a lot of uses, so I am going with a simple quilt pattern.

I’ll give you another peak once it is complete.

I hope you are challenging yourself with new patterns and new techniques. It’s all about process, isn’t it? When it’s done, it’s just done. But the learning journey and the persistence to follow through…that is the thing.

Happy stitching, my friends! Spring is coming!