Sometimes a “dawning”…………..

Can be startling! Yup. Yesterday it ‘dawned’ on me that I had volunteered to demo the quilt basting technique I’ve been using these past few years at the next guild meeting….which is coming pretty quickly—and, well, a little prep would be really advised! I’m doing it in a ‘mini’ version because the boards I normally use for regular size/large quilts just won’t fit in my car easily (their length is 8’!) but I do have a set of boards that are 40” long and perfect for this. Next….just what to sandwich??!! I initially thought of using a seasonal panel and call it good. Hmmmm…….how ‘bout piecing something, of the smaller kind, that would be a good Christmas gift (thinkin’ dual duty, here!!!). Enter this table topper pattern I got at a quilt shop in Virginia in September. Needed: 1 charm pack (or 37 five inch squares), backing, batting and, oh yes…some border fabrics. The pattern……    Those last dark charms (I marked “do last) are inserted as 4.5” squares and there may be others remaining in the charm pack that you would prefer to use to complete this top. It says “Easy”…..we’ll see…….. Now, to do some stash digging…………….. I could not even begin to tell you how long I’ve had these pieces!!!!! sigh   Not really much cutting needed. A scant 1/4” seam really gave me almost perfect 4.5” half-square triangles!!!!! And I had this in a short morning of piecing…………    Note to self……..the next time I will make the light, medium, dark fabric better defined! I do like it, though. Now…….it just needs at least one border!!!! Auditioning……………..      The outer/paisley fabric has all the colors but that gray just doesn’t ‘cut’ it!!!!! Try again……………….   Yup, I must say, the red is better! Onward…………………..   Borders on and done! OK……now what for backing (think “gift”!)………..    My stash came through for me…..yay!!!! Am thinking that would work for the binding, too, and would use up every scrap!!!! Definitely a good thing!!!! All set for the demo……just need a few more items…………..