In Volume 8, Issue 2 of the Missouri Star Idea Book you will find the pattern for a Hearts & Kisses Quilt. I knew as soon as I saw this quilt that I wanted to make it for my Mom. I decided to use Flea Market fabric by Lori Holt, which I purchased on July 16, 2021. The idea was to complete the quilt by Christmas and by buying the fabric in July that seemed like a doable project.

Then life got in the way as we decided to sell our house which ended up taking longer than we expected as our first buyers deal fell through after three weeks in and we practically had to start over. Meanwhile all my sewing stuff was already packed up so it would be December before we closed on our sale and then purchased a new home in another state.

My Mom's birthday is in January so I got started right away trying my best to get the quilt top completed in time to get on the longarm machine. 

On January 1st I started getting all the fabrics cut out and laid out. This process ended up taking much longer than I expected. The pattern calls for using 10" layer cake.

By the 12th I was sewing the X's together.

By the 16th, the quilt top was complete. My Mom's birthday was the 20th, so I knew there was no way I could get it quilted and delivered by then and boy was I right about that.

Earlier I mentioned that we had moved into a new house and this would be the first quilt put on the longarm machine since getting settled in. My Moxie was working like a dream machine when I packed her up to make the move, but not so much when I unpacked her. I had issue after issue. Ended up on a zoom call with someone from Florida who walked me through all types of scenarios. In the end, she finally started working, and knock on wood I have not had any big issues since. 

I would not finish the quilting and binding until the 28th of January. I cannot explain how fulfilled I felt to have this quilt completed.