Flashback Friday #9: Two Weeks’ Notice

As you may have surmised from reading this blog, I am no speed quilter. I am amazed at all the quilters I see online that can finish quilts in a matter of days or weeks. It usually takes me months or years. In one case, though, I finished a table runner from start to finish in less than two weeks!

When one of my co-workers at a previous job learned about my hobby, he started asking me if he could buy one of my quilts. I told him that I don’t sell quilts. I really enjoyed working with him and didn’t want to let him down by promising something I might not be able to deliver. Then one day, in the spring of 2008, he gave his two weeks’ notice. I was sad for me, but happy for him. On a whim, I decided to make him a table runner as a thank you for his mentoring.

I had no WIPs that would suit him and no time to order fabric online. I had been eyeing the Box Lunch Table Runner pattern in On a Roll Again by Heather Mulder Peterson and had a stack of jelly roll strips left over from the Diamond Runner. I picked out some brown, blue and green strips and set to work. I worked on that runner every single day until it was finished and was able to give it to him on his last day. He was pleasantly surprised to receive it. I really enjoyed the pattern and have it in mind for a certain jelly roll in my stash, so you may see it again soon.