Sharing my second EPP project I am just addicted to EPP. Started this project on October 17, 2017 and finished it exactly two and a half months after but I couldn't share nor post pictures because I didn't want to ruin the surprise for the person who will be receiving it. This is why this blog/post is so late, I had to give it first before I could really share this. Originally it was intended as a Christmas gift but that didn't work out due to some hurdles along the way. Decided to do this project since I though after my LaPass (which composes of 5 different shapes) Wild is the Wind won't take too long since I only have literally 2 shapes to play with plus she wanted blue and grey colors so I said oh this is the perfect design. So after two and a half months this baby was created BUT, don't get fooled I had a more stressful encounter with this than my LaPass.

Here it goes......all pieces cut! as in literally cutting all 2,408 pieces of them. Now let me begin glue basting them to my template. I made acetate templates which made glue basting for me way easier than the paper ones. Here is why, paper templates edges do not withstand repeated usage. Basically, I used my previous Lapass templates for this one since its the same size. So after pulling out the papers from that I realized that the paper didn't hold up well and most of them will not be re-useable anymore. This is when I decided to reproduced it and it worked like a charm. Very easy to work with and easier to remove as well. Edges was intact and quite honestly easier to attach pieces together it didn't really get in the way with my whip stitching. Feeling very excited with the way this was gong, timing wise I was Yes! this will finish way earlier for christmas until a big hiccup happened. The "Stars" mostly the blue tonal color was suppose to be a total of 1,486 pieces and the surrounding shape (blue and grey fabric) a total of 922 BUT I totally messed this up and miscounted and did the opposite count for each consecutive color! Of course, I didn't realize this until I was running out of shapes to connect and was at the last 3 rows of the quilt. Ugh, it was just horrible I think I literally stressed out my husband everyday at work just by telling him that I couldn't find the Blue tonal fabric anywhere else. Well, that was kinda like a given since I bought the materials like 4 months before I even started the project. just like any quilter/craft maker I just randomly visit fabric stores/craft stores then buy materials thinking at the back of my head "oh that will work for such and such pattern". Really thought I had more than enough of the fabrics needed, NOT! I was missing a good number of pieces for the blue tonal (564 pcs) design in which was the focal point of the entire quilt. In between days of trying to find this fabric I was like convincing myself that maybe I should blend in a little of a brighter blue for the lat 3 rows and would look like a gradient effect and was also thinking since she won't know what she is getting she won't be able to tell the difference lol. I thought about it but, I knew I wouldn't be happy with the outcome this is when I decided to  go fabric hunting for this one OR I'll just call it quits.....went  back to the store I got it from and begged them to help me find exactly the same one. A couple days after they called me and said they have it. Quickly drove to them feeling relieved just to find out that it had the same SKU number for the item but the color was way off it was like 2 shades brighter than the original. I spoke to the manager and showed them the original fabric I bought and all  he could say was ' I dunno what to tell you but it is the same item" I was like "how can that be I am showing you exactly what I bought here with the original receipt (for the SKU match) and obviously you can tell its not the same color and you are still trying to convince me that it is the same?" I was beyond frustrated. Then, he said why don't you just use it and see how it looks.  Ugh, I was just thinking this man should not be working in a store/place like this. He has no idea that creative people go to this specialty store for a reason; for materials they need on a specific design; for their creative fix.... I had to step back bite my lips shut and just took a deep breath left the store then got on the phone with my husband to vent. Took me almost 2 weeks to find the exact match of the fabric and since that was the only store that has it....guess what? Yup I bought the entire remaining roll which was like 8 yards ++ and I didn't care at that time if it was on sale or if I would ever use it, I was just happy that I found it. Phew what a relief I think it added more grey hair on my head. Finished the quilt and then sent it off to have it machine quilted since I knew there was no way I could finish in time if I hand quilting it entirely. 

First quilt store I went rejected it only because she was afraid that she would not do a good job and suggested other stores that had computerized long arms. Called the first number she gave and of course 3 days passed and I received no call back.I was going to send it to the people I know from Maine to do it but I just wanted to see and talk to the person before I could  proceed. I just think its much better plus I didn't go through all these issues just to send it off and let them do it on their own without my input. Finally, I found a really nice Lady called her and she accepted me 2 days after our phone call. Her home had a  lot of many many different  and beautiful quilts she made over the past 30 years. She is also a guess speaker on most of the quilt conferences and shows. Albeit she said she is not good on hand quilting her machine quilts are beyond beautiful. I am really really happy I met her. Made a new friend too. She walked me thru the entire process (since it was my first endeavor with long arms). When she said pick a design.....honestly, we were browsing through so many that I got so overwhelmed that I couldn't pick. She laughed and said just let me know if you find something you like ha!, 30 minutes after I still couldn't choose. then to make it more complicated she gave me options.....boy oh boy that didn't make it easier for me AT ALL!. My brain was yelling "SO MANY OPTIONS; SO MAY POSSIBILITIES pick them all!" So, after about an hour and  half talking to her I just picked a simple soft design and went with a different border design you'll see them on the gallery section. Such a lovely person, I even left there with pointers and she told me I need to put my work on shows, very nice of her! Maybe I will who knows. 7 day after she calls me and said its ready for pick up! I was so excited that I picked it up the next day.

Well, that's my adventure with this quilt and even with the hurdles I am still happy with the outcome, enjoyed every minute of it with the exception of the fabric mishap and gained a new friend and learned a lot of new things from her. Enjoy!!!!