Finished piecing 42 x 48

Once again, using precut pieces made piecing this throw a real breeze. It was quick and fun. Now, I'm going to start practicing quilting on my machine and then give this one a go myself!

Let's try this again...the backing

Well, since I'm just learning how to blog...thank you Hannah Lea...I inserted the wrong picture on the previous blog titled THE BACKING. The whole idea of these precut pieces is FABULOUS! I can't imagine paying quilting store prices for the jelly rolls, etc., but it is certainly convenient to have everything already cut!

Piecing the top

I put 3 strips together then a row of 8 5" squares and am in the process of alternating strips and squares until I get enough for the quilt top

Step 2...the backing...

I bought all the charm packs, jelly rolls and layer cakes at Big Lots for a FRACTION of the cost of what I see them for at quilt shops. But, I figured why all this stuff was so cheap....the jelly rolls look like I chewed them apart with my teeth...straight...nope!

My inspiration

Inspired by my cousin, Jimmy Miller (Patrick Miller in the opera world), I decided to blog my way through my quilting experience. He has also motivated me to try machine quilting and I'm going to do so on this very next project. Now, a little more about Jimmy. He and his wife are opera "stars" in New York. Well, I'm not exactly sure they are "stars"...but my family and I think they are and we are supremely proud of them. So, Jimmy is an opera star, quilter and proud daddy. After reading his blog, I decided to start this lap quilt project AND machine quilt it. So...here goes...

First quilt top

I was thinking maybe I would do 1 disappearing 9 patch and then a few days later I had done 30. Before I knew it, my quilt top was done and I'm ready to start another!