Bella Skill Builder - A big finish!!!!

I did it ..... I dove in and managed and finished.



In March 2017, I started the Bella Skill Builder quilt designed by Sherri McConnell and hosted by the @Fat Quarter shop on their blog (insert link). The explanations were very well done and I enjoyed the journey, learning new blogs, designs that I would not have dared to try so quickly after discovering quilting if on my own.

To ensure that I would progress, each month became part of Elm Street Quilt's OMG, the final sewing of the top was my November 2017 OMG.

And then no more progress, no idea how to tackle the next steps. I looked up quite a bunch of videos on youtube ..... still no progress. Sending the quilt to a long-arm quilter is not really an option, did not know where to find one, and wanted absolutely go through all steps, especially as this quilt is all about building skills. Throughout 2018 I made a few baby quilts to practice and some decorative small quilts. Confidence grew and in November I decided that I had to finish before the end of the year. No more postponing, no more being scared, time to dive in. If I was to finish one WIP, the BSB it had to be, also because my daughter had stopped asking when I would finalize her quilt. The only option to ensure that I would actually finish BSB was to make it my December OMG.

I brought my (new) sewing machine to the kitchen and for a few weekends FMQ-ing was all I did. The kids knew not to disturb me if it wasn't important. For lunch and diner all was put aside, only to go back on the table to continue. I was on a roll. For the quilting itself I used the circular pattern, following Patty's instructions on her website.

It wasn't easy, the quilt is huge, however I was determined to finish before Christmas. The first circulars were difficult, and the thread would break and the quilt would fly in all directions. So I changed to my walking foot and this was better. Also imperfection is ok, if looking at the quilt from a distance the imperfections do no really show up. And the circulars go perfect with the graphic design of the quilt.

Proudly presenting my December OMG.

Linking up with FAL 2018 project 2, four out of 10 done.