WIP - progress report...on a whim, butterfly quilt and the great texta disaster

Time to check in for a progress report.  The pace has been somewhat leisurely but progress has been made.  This week my mantra has been "just keep swimming"  a la Dory from Finding Nemo.

I have been working on my On A Whim blocks in Vintage Modern.  I constructed all of the components of the blocks in a chain piecing frenzy and just needed to square them up.  Even with a new blade in my rotary cutter, as I mentioned in last weeks post, it has been boring work.  So to break the monotony I decided to square up enough to allow me to complete two blocks at a time so it's been a little bit of slicing and a bit of sewing and that has been much more satisfying.

I have been pinning everything as I go in order to ease in the set in squares of the Rolling Star block because, not for love nor money could I get these babies square!  No matter what I did they were 5.5 on one side and 5.75 on the other.  Enter Clover pins and the magical potion that is Mary Ellen's Best Press and I made them bend to my iron will and here they are all straight and square and hanging on my clothes line looking pretty.

I also finished the binding on my Butterfly Quilt. 

You may remember that I pinned this beauty and shamelessly made one exactly the same with Mum's Accuquilt Go! Baby, because I loved it so much.  All I need now is for someone to have a baby girl....come on Alexis McKay - you can do it!

 

Mum quilted it for me using the Simplicity pantograph by Lorien Quilting.  This pattern is perfect for going over applique or stitcheries; it stitches out quickly and is unobtrusive.

I did a simple pieced backing, mainly because there wasn't quite enough width in a standard piece of Moda Bella Solid to go on the longarm.  Fortunately I had some Bliss by Bonnie and Camille left over from this quilt and it blended in beautifully with the colours in Marmalade.

There was a small drama with this quilt.....I had left in on my lounge suite where I was sitting binding it and this evil genius (don't be fooled by his angelic face)....

 

....took to it with a green texta!  

                                          

I stayed calm though and continued with the binding and this afternoon I hit it with the triple threat of Preen, Omo and Sard Wondersoap.  I am happy to report the texta is gone and the quilt is happily drying outside.

So, onward and upward....this week I hope to get more On A Whim blocks finished and to quilt the little tumbler top for Ethan's cushion (not that he deserves soft furnishings after the texta incident) and maybe get a border or two on a quilt.

As usual I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced.  Click below to head over and see what everyone else has been up to.