An evening spent meandering.

Goal 3 for February was to quilt and bind this baby quilt.

So this evening I set up my machine and for once decided to check the manual for the instructions on the settings for FMQ. It was a while before Christmas when I last did any quilting so I thought it a good idea. Anyway having set it up as instructed from the manual I run my test piece and it came out a perfect stitch. What no complaints from the machine, no broken thread, no swear words from me? Maybe I should check I've got the settings right more often as it would save a lot of grumpiness.

I had decided to keep it simple and just do a meander along the white and elephant stripes. The red and blue stripes are narrow so don't really need quilting. I had chosen another Michael Miller fabric for the backing which must be part of the same collection as the elephants since it co-ordinates so well.

I still need to trim the quilt and then add the binding. I haven't cut the binding yet but that will happen tomorrow morning. Last Tuesday I started teaching a quilting course. I was supposed to have 4 ladies but one had to go to a hospital appointment with her husband and two were ill with the flu. That left one lady who used to dressmake but has never done any quilting. She also hadn't used a rotary cutter before and I had quite forgotten how long it takes to gain confidence in using it but she went home very happy having mastered the technique. Tomorrow I will introduce the remaining ladies to rotary cutters and I thought I could demonstrate the technique and safety aspects by cutting my binding. It seems a good use of time and the binding will be ready for when I get home.

Whilst I was pulling my pink scraps yesterday in preparation of making my blocks for this months Rainbow Scrap Challenge I realised that I now have two more WIP's. Having finished up all the nine patch blocks from last years challenge I need to decide how I am going to set them and work out if I have enough or need to make a few more. I have two months to catch up with on my hexi blocks and then that will need to be made into a top as well. Quilting really is a never ending cycle - buy the fabric to make a quilt- keep the scraps for a future project- use the scraps in blocks,-make into a top,-buy fabric or use some from stash to make the sashing borders and backing- keep the scraps for a future project and so on. Sharon at Vroomans Quilts talks about the fabric food chain and I think that describes it perfectly.

It's getting very cold here in London. As I defrosted the car this morning the thermometer was ready -4C. I know that's not particularly cold for some of you but it is unusual here in inner London. We may even get some snow which is always a little exciting because we don't get very much. When I used to live out in the country we would be snowed in at times. So if it's winter for you stay warm and safe.

Lyndsey