Quilting 100

 A few posts ago, I mentioned signing up for a quilt class.  The class is Quilting 100, for beginners.  The focus was just on cutting and piecing.

For practice, I made a few blocks from the book.

When my new desk arrived, it was even more fun as I had an extra 2 square feet to work, and a drawer for storage.

The first night of class, we cut all the squares that would be needed for the quilt and began piecing them together.  Our homework was 20 squares like the one below.  It sounded like a lot, but it went quickly!

By the end of the second (and final) night of class, I came home with this.  It was by far the largest thing I've ever sewn.

The class was only for the quilt top, but I got further instructions before leaving.

Soon, it had two borders and was ready for basting.  I made my quilt sandwich and pin basted it together.  

After watching a Youtube video on machine quilting with a regular sewing machine and reading a few tutorials, I was ready to give it a try.  My lines aren't the straightest, but they're improving and it's starting to look and feel like a real quilt!  In retrospect, I think I would have tried something smaller in size for my first one.  I chose Christmas colors because I really thought it was going to be wall hanging size, but I don't think it's so Christmas-y that it can't stay out year round.  I'm determined that it will be finished by Christmas, so stay tuned!