This is my tenth quilt.  When I decided to buy a longarm quilting machine, I knew that it was going to take a LOT of practice.
I also knew that I wanted to have a lap size quilt for my family that would be a sampler and showcase some new techniques for me to try.

When I decided to get back into sewing, I started buying fabrics for my “stash.”  These fabrics were good quality quilting cottons that I purchased quarter yards of.  When I decided I wanted to piece a simple top for practicing, I chose four prints and a solid.

 Once I had the top pieced, I started thinking about how to quilt it.  I wanted this to be a quick and easy project in between some larger ones – so I wasn’t really wanting to do a lot of marking and pre-planning.  I had recently made a doodle in my sketch book while dreaming up possible quilting motifs.  I thought this border turned out well for a first attempt.

 I’m sure I’ll explore this more on future quilts.  It was a lot of fun!

 

And I decided to really have fun with the backing fabric on this one.  I fell in love with this rooster print, and knew right away it was the right one for this quilt.

 I used Hobbs 80/20 batting, which has more loft than Warm and White Cotton, and will be a bit warmer in the winter months.  After all, this quilt is all about snuggling up on the couch.  I’m excited to see how it looks after it’s first trip through the washer and dryer.