Weekend Progress

I had a very productive weekend behind the sewing machine.  My weekend began with finishing up my blocks for the wedding quilt.

After piecing the top, it felt very chaotic.  I ended up framing the top with a thick navy border to help give the prints a boundary.  I'm typically not a border kind of quilter, but I think it works well here.  It gave the quilt top a better finished.

I also pieced the back with fabrics from the Belle collection.  I had a jelly roll on hand that helped bring the prints to the back.  I used half of the jelly roll in the back and the other half I used for a scrappy binding to finish off this quilt.

I haven't purchased my batting for this quilt yet, so this will continue to hang up on my design wall until next weekend. 

In the mean time, I started working on a new sewing machine cover.  I made a smaller sewing machine cover about a year ago that works well for my smaller Bernina, but my Juki has been neglected long enough.  I had some scraps left over from my Arkansas Traveler Quilt that has been sitting in my fabric cabinet just waiting to be used.  I started working on the piece that will make up the sides and the top of the cover.  I just love the braided herringbone look I've seen in so many quilts and wanted to replicate it here.

I attached the pieces directly to the batting and quilted as I went.  I've seen this technique used on lots of bags and thought it would work perfectly for this cover.

I used the scraps off the braided herringbone that I trimmed off and created this strip along the front panel of the sewing machine cover.  Again, I attached it directly to the batting.

The front panel is complete and I will be working hard this week to finish up this project.  I want to have this done before my parents arrive from out of town this coming weekend.  They are bringing LOTS of sewing room goodies that I can't wait to share with you.  I'm so excited!