I’m not sure what prompted me to get started so early, but I began this quilt in January 2021, finished it in May, and finally gave it to my in-laws for Christmas. It’s double sided because I couldn’t decide between a solid version and a print version so I did both. The color palette came from a bundle of solids that I’ve had on my shelf for years (it’s Pond by Elizabeth Hartman). I tried to match the colors of the prints to the colors from the bundle. On the print side, I used a paint by number print and as many florals as I could cram in, both nods to my mother in law’s hobbies. I went with a simple sawtooth star pattern because I think it’s so classic and I wanted to make something that would look good in my in-laws’ beautiful house. I quilted it by hand, using a Baptist fan motif and some perle cotton thread. Jim and Deb have always been so good to me, and they’re the last members of my family who didn’t have a quilt from me. It felt good to finally give them one! Measures 48”x58”. Pictures by Mitch Hopper.