Week #1 - 2010 Quilt Project

As promised, this is my first week's quilt square for my 2010 Quilt Project. The goal is to create one 5" quilt square a week, based on how I'm feeling or what is happening in my life at the time.

For the first week, I challenged myself with the following rules:
1. Use only items in my stash
2. Try to do beading for the first time

My original design was going to be a starburst made entirely of beads. I sketched out what I wanted after having picked out the deep, dark blue fabric from my stash. I had some gold and copper beads - the only ones I had - so I had to pick something that would go with that bead color, and I felt a star would work well.

Then, I got sick. REALLY sick. I have been sick for 9 days now, and I wasn't sure I'd get this done. But I promised myself I would, and I didn't want to back out on my first week! I had picked out the fabric and made the square over the New Year's weekend, and then I just thought about the pattern. Actually...I was nervous. I had never done any beading before. I read up on it, and still wasn't sure if what I wanted would turn out like I had pictured in my head. So....I waited. And was sick. And miserable. And quilting something happy like a star just wasn't what I could do with how miserable I was feeling.

This weekend, I decided I had to complete the block. So, without thinking too much about it, I began quilting. And I ended up quilting a sun pattern with yellow and brown thread. I must be feeling better, because a sun is rather cheerful! Once I did that, picking out the binding fabric was easy, and it matches the brown thread and copper beading nicely. And the beading just came naturally after that. I tried not to think about it too much or analyze the pattern....I just beaded where it felt right.

I then added some bright yellow embroidery floss to the lower left hand corner to provide an anchor to the piece. I am happy with the way it turned out (although my photo is a little blurry).

I am beginning to feel better today, and was able to complete the block.