Quilt in a day

So, this is my sig-a-ret quilt project.  I couldn't blog about it before because the recipient actually reads my blog!  She is having a baby shortly.  His name is going to be Owen.  Best name ever.
I did have it all cut out, but I didn't really get started until yesterday morning. I had to give it as a gift this afternoon......Let's just say I am deadline driven.

So, here are the pieces for the piano keys that go on the top and bottom.  I put these together one morning before my little man went to school.  That is all I had done going into Monday.

Completed piano keys.  Aren't they pretty?

My new project boxes from Costco.  So glad this was a 5 pack of boxes because I will them all full in no time!  All that pretty fabric must wait to get sewn.......

So the first thing I did Monday morning was get the name on.  I must say, again,  I am rather fond of the name they have chosen for their baby.  I appliqued that on the machine.  It took what seemed like for-ev-er, but really, it was the best applique and the hardest one I have ever done.  I was proud.  I even got a "Wow!" out of my husband.  

I pieced the back with scraps and orphans from my Texas theme quilt I did a while back.  It was my 5 year block of the month project.   I love the brown paisley.  

All pieced and pinned.  I started by taping the back nice and tight to the tile floor.  Then the batting and then the top.  I don't get wrinkly backs this way.  I do have to sweep and mop as part of my quilting process now, but I guess that is not all bad.

 In the machine getting quilted.  

I broke the light on my machine, so I had to hang a lamp from the handle so I could see what the heck I was doing.  I am going to have to get that fixed because Lord knows I will never finish a project before the sun goes down!  Quilting around the dangling light added a new element of challenge to the project.  

At 11:00, I sat down with my needle, thread and DVR to do the binding.  I used to hate hand binding, but I have grown to love it.  I woke my husband at 2:30 AM when I finished to snap this picture.  I still had my shoes on.  JUST KIDDING!   I tossed it in the washer and hit the sack.   When I got up, it went into the dryer and got all soft and quilty.  Love that!  This is one of my favorites!   I will take some better fabric pictures on the next one.

Nighty Night Everyone!