Flimsy!

I do believe this is the fastest quilt top I've ever constructed.

Over the weekend I cut 3.5" strips from various black and white, red and black, and white and black prints. Monday I sewed the strips together in pairs until I had about 25 "rows" started. From that point on I just cut a strip free from the machine, added another strip to it, cut another strip free and added a strip to it, etc. Before too long I had this:

Some strips were longer than others. I found the shortest ones and brought them up to the size I wanted for the width of the central panel of the quilt.



Then I started pairing up rows. By the end of the day I had the bulk of the quilt top done!

Yesterday I put a 1" frame around this center bit and began working on the borders. I'd used most of my pre-cut strips by this time so at this point I started auditioning and cutting prints as needed. I had to fold the quilt top in half and pin it to my design wall to work on one side at a time.

This morning I put the final pieces in place and...


TA DAA!
This is the best picture I can get of the whole thing without going outside.

My plan is to go get batting and backing today and have this quilted by the end of the week. For the quilting I think I'm finally going to use the stitch on Ruby Blue that was the driving factor in her purchase. I tell you what, she sure gobbles up the fabric when it come to long, straight seams! (In a good way.) No wonder she's such a big girl. ;- )

If you discount the time I spent cutting fabric, and if I hadn't had to stop sewing last night to accommodate family needs, this top would have been created in two days' time. Whew! I know others do that regularly but for me it's a first. :- )