100 Quilts for Kids--done!

Just in time, too--today is the last day of the last link-up!

This is the Storytime Squares quilt-along pattern. I LOVE this pattern, I LOVE how quickly it comes together, and it will definitely be a go-to pattern in the future!

I've already posted about how much I loved putting together the quilt top. I also used this quilt as my first attempt at free-motion quilting. 

Here are a couple of close-ups of the quilting. It's not nearly as bad as I expected it to be--I'm going to continue practicing with the Free-Motion Quilting Friday project. It's a LOT easier now that I'm using the appropriate foot on my machine, that's for sure!

I backed the quilt in a puzzle print fabric that supports autism awareness:

The binding is a black fabric with rainbow stripes that I had in my stash--I think that it came from a garage sale where a lady was selling quilting fabric by the pound. I'm glad I had enough!

I did not take a close-up picture of my binding, because it does NOT look good. I machined on the binding on both the top and the bottom because I was short on time, and I don't think I'll be doing that again. This is the second time I've done that and I haven't been happy with it either time. Maybe I need to try binding clips instead of pins and that would give me a straighter binding on the back, but I think hand-sewing it on would have looked a lot better. Also, there were a couple of places where the backing fabric got folded over and the edge stuck out, and that wouldn't have happened if I had been hand sewing. I will take the time to do the hand-sewing next time.

This quilt, along with my Sunkissed Squares quilt finished a couple of months ago, are both going to Newborns in Need, which provides quilts to sick or impoverished babies. My local chapter is doing a Moses Basket project to encourage safe sleep--this area has a really high infant mortality rate, which has been linked to lack of a safe place for babies to sleep. Hopefully both these quilts will be going to babies and families that need them!

I've not had tons of time to sew recently with everything going on at work, but I've been working on a mug rug for a swap and a couple of blocks. Today on the agenda is finishing up the mug rug, and FINALLY getting back to the Skill-Builder Sampler quilt-along, I hope! I also need to get back to quilting my Supernova quilt. I'll do that while listening to the FSU football game--we don't have cable and it's only on Sun Sports, which we don't get, but I like the radio announcers better anyway. Then it'll be time for my school's football game--it's homecoming! And we're hoping to win our first game of the season... we're 0-4 right now. It's a unique experience to have a pep rally at which the football team is not mentioned in the slightest. :)

Part of homecoming is spirit week, of course! I don't always dress up for spirit week (I'm not particularly a fan of Wacky Tacky Day, which we seem to have EVERY year) but I got into it this year. The best day of all was yesterday--Dress like a Celebrity/Movie Character Day! 

I'm the one on the right :) I dressed up as Hermione--one of my students lent me the Gryffindor robe, though now I want one of my own. The tie and wand came from Party City, and I wore a white button-down, black skirt, black tights and flats. Not pictured is my 2001 Florida Statutes book wrapped in a brown paper cover to pretend that it's Hogwarts, A History. :) I had a great time.

And just to leave you in the mood for Halloween... I am one of THOSE dog owners. 

Peanut is wearing candy-printed pajamas, and Izzy is wearing a t-shirt with a ghost on it. They were less than happy.

Love those puppies. :) Have a great week! :)