Sunbonnet Sue Finished

A couple of  years ago while vacationing in Ormond Beach, Florida, Tom and I stopped at an Estate Sale. As we wandered around the dilapidated house, I could see signs of the former occupant's declining health.  A walker, oxygen tank, handicap bars.  It made me sad as I walked around and shopped through the belongings.  I went into one of the back bedrooms and spotted some linens.  I was fascinated to find a neglected unfinished quilt top.  I always look for quilt tops and even though this one was a little damaged, I couldn't help but buy it.  I thought it would be a nice tribute to the owner to complete a project that she couldn't.

A few months after we got home, I took the quilt top to my local quilt shop and found a fabric to add to it for a border and backing.  I quickly added the border, but then didn't get to the next step of making the quilt sandwich and quilting it.  Then, suddenly we found our new home and were packing and moving.  I didn't have any time to think about Sunbonnet Sue or any other quilting project.  Recently, while organizing my newly renovated sewing room, I found the forgotten Sunbonnet Sue quilt top.  I decided it was time to finally finish the quilt. 

And here she is...

Isn't she pretty?  The pink fabric is the new fabric I added.  It is interesting to look at all of the old fabrics and think about where they came from---old clothes or linens?   

There are a few places that have some kind of stains, probably from sitting in a humid closet neglected for years.  I don't mind.   It is part of the character of the quilt.  I quilted it on my regular domestic sewing machine in a meandering pattern.  

I used a pieced binding and later found the binding that I had forgot I had cut out of the pink fabric.  Oops!  I will use that on another project.

One day I will finish another garage sale find.  Here is a peek:

I envision adding a woodsy fabric between these panels and using it in the mountain cabin we would like to someday own.  Or, maybe I will just give it to a friend who owns a mountain cabin.  We will see how long it takes me to finish this project....

Do you ever look for unfinished projects?

Linked to WIP Wednesdays at Freshly Pieced.