Not Enough

There are some hard and fast rules in my life.  I don't try to hurt people intentionally.  I love my family and friends.  This week I made a new rule.  I do not make quilts for other people that I don't have total control over the pattern (I can always agree with your choice, but I get final say), the amount of fabric purchased (I always over buy, but for good reason) and when it gets done.  Sounds harsh, but for my piece of mind, I must insist.

I have made quilts for lots of people.  Tami has one.  Kim has a Christmas quilt.  I made a king size nine-patch for a fellow co-worker, Colleen.  Sammy has one of my best works--a red white and blue quilt that I hear sits in a closet.  William has a baby quilt.  Mary, Juliana, Olivia and Hans have the most at seven and counting.  Oops, forgot the minkie quilts for the girls.  Jim has two.  Tricia has one.  Baby quilts were made for all the mothers who taught my kiddies.  There was a quilt for a wedding gift for Mrs. Stockman, the darling daughter's third grade teacher.  One day my daughter comes home from school and tells me that Mrs. Stockman is getting married over the school break and could we give her a present.  I'm sure you got the picture. 

So, my friend Sandy tells me that I need to make a quilt for her.  I love Sandy like a sister, so of course I would be happy to make her a quilt.  She picked out the pattern.  Half square triangles.  Not so interesting.  She bought the fabric.  Blue and White.  I really love scrappy quilts, but the colors were very striking and the fabric was really nice.  That was a while back--2005.  I avoided putting it together by hanging the fabric in my closet for a couple of years.  Then I couldn't bear to make all those half square triangles without triangle paper.  To her credit, Sandy has been really patient.  She only brings it up once or twice a month now.   Last June I went to a quilting retreat in Auburn.  I brought the project and began putting it together.  I cut and stitched and then put it back in the box and I occasionally looked at it.  Now it is Thanksgiving break and I am hit with a bit of guilt.  Sandy is out of town and wouldn't it be great to finish it up and surprise her?  Not so much.  I found out that there isn't enough fabric.  Not enough of the white fabric that was purchased in 2005.  I will never find more.  It is a really BIG problem.  If it was all under my control, I could do multiple white backgrounds and cover up the lack of fabric.  I never looked at the pattern to see how much fabric (six yards) I needed to make this quilt.  I am screwed.  WHAT AM I GOING TO DO??????  If it was just the blue fabric, it would be fine.  I have a lot of it.  I really liked it.  The white is a different story.  I guess I will just have to confess that there is a problem.  Hmmm.  Stay tuned.