Happiness is . . . finally finishing a quilt started over a year and a half ago. Back in the summer of 2014, The Quilt Show with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims offered its members a limited time access to an instructional DVD by Jacqueline de Jonge. The subject of this instructional DVD, How to Make a BeColourful Quilt, was her "Happiness" pattern. Jacqueline de Jonge lives in the Netherlands, and all of her quilts are truly stunning.
I remember being so excited when I found just the right background fabric; I already had a pack of rainbow colored batiks. After working diligently to complete the top, I was then too afraid to quilt it for fear of ruining it. It has been laying on a spare bed waiting for me to get up the courage to give it a go. That happened the other day when I realized that the design and the colors were strong enough that I really only needed to stitch in the ditch, and so, that is exactly what I did. (For non-quilters, that means I stitched in each and every seam line.) I finished quilting it in just a day, and I would love to show you the back, but the thread blended so well with the fabric that I couldn't get a good photo of it.
The piece measures thirty-two inches square, and yes, it is square although this photo cuts off the edges. It will be one of the pieces that I will have in the Herring Run Quilt Show in Norwell, MA this fall. Mark your calendars for Sept. 17 - 18th as you won't want to miss seeing all of the beautiful quilts by guild members which will be on display!!!
