Finally quilting again.

I blame it on peer pressure. I'm really easy to overwhelm and really easy to be talked into doing things. I hadn't touched my sewing machine since late July, but Instagram and Flickr and "everyone is doing it" are really great motivators. I love that all my favorite bloggers were doing the #scrappyquiltalong using the scrappy trip around the world tutorial from Quiltville.com so I convinced myself that I should do it, too. The blocks are really easy and even thought I thought I didn't like scrappy quilts, I figured I should give it a try. Most of the fabric I used was leftover from my previous quilts. I used up some fat quarters that I bought just so I could have them if/when I needed them. I did do a bit more shopping, though, to round out the colors so it wouldn't just be pink everywhere.

I knew I needed to service my machine, but I went ahead with my piecing. I think I got about 2 blocks in before I felt and heard my little Brother start to give out. My husband got it for me from a big box store 2 Christmases ago and I guess they are not meant for heavy duty usage. Yup, I broke it. It was going to cost almost $200 before taxes to fix so I left it alone. What happens when you can't do something? You want to do it even more! My local sewing machine retailer had lots of options, even a few sales, but I was going to have to wait until we got our tax refund to make a purchase. Boo hoo! I think I waited 5 days. I tried another branch of the same retailer and I was about to walk out empty handed when the sales lady mentioned that the Babylock Grace (that was already about $300 off regular price) was available for financing. Oh, it will cost me a week's work of tip money a month for 12 months? AND I can take it home today with no money down?! SOLD! I can be very easily persuaded sometimes, have I mentioned this yet?

So, newly armed with a Grace sewing machine, a 4 year old who sometimes naps and 2 weekdays off a week from work, I launched into my #scrappytripalong. (I never made a new name for it. I feel it fits). Most of the bloggers and more experienced quilters had finished their quilt back in January when the whole fever started. It took me into March to finish it, but I think that's my fastest finish yet! I even quilted it all in one day. It turns out I'm not a great free motion quilter, but practice makes perfect. I'm also a bit impatient and need to slow down so I can get the kind of result I'm expecting. Since Tubby experienced this project first hand, he asked for this quilt to be his. I was just making it to be making it, and I didn't have a quilt planned for him yet, so I was very happy to gift it to him.
It is about 60" by 72". I used a numbers fabric from Ikea plus a scrappy border on the sides to make it wide enough for the backing. I quilted it with a swirly pattern and bound it with a gray chevron fabric from Simply Color by V and Co. for Moda.
And now some of the pictures:

 

Now that I've caught the Fever again, I'm making sure that I spend at least a little bit of time each week working on a project. I still have 8 Swoon blocks to make for our King sized bed. I also have Poops' pink and gray Zoology quilt for which I've made maybe 4 saw tooth stars. AND I bought a Poseidon fat quarter bundle for my mom's quilt which I'm 97% sure will be a Pineapple Blossom quilt from Quiltville.com.

Wish me luck!