Key Lime Butterfly Complete - Things I've Learned

The vintage Schnibbles from my quilt-along is finished. I added the border of the white fabric with script, and the black and white hexagon patterned binding made the other fabrics pop.

The back is pieced with vertical panels of leftover fabric along with a coordinating swirl fabric.

The final size is 30-1/2 by 30-1/2 inches.

I finally worked up the courage to free motion quilt, and after all was said and done, I am pleased with the way it turned out. I cut a template for a butterfly design, marked it on each block with a Frixion erasable pen, and used my darning foot to stitch. There was a bit of pesky "eye-lashing", but only on the back. I did straight line quilting on the lime green bordering the blocks. I added a butterfly "body" with one of the embroidery stitches on my Janome.

Things I've Learned:
I learned that joining a quilt-along gives me the discipline to complete a pattern from start to finish with a deadline. No one pressures me but myself. On the day of the "parade", it is not only fun to see the variations but also to "meet" other bloggers and read their ideas and tips. I almost didn't do this month's Schnibble, and I'm so glad I decided to do it.

I learned that I can overcome any fear in quilting. Free motion quilting should have been fun for me, and up until this project, it wasn't. I finally began to get into a rhythm and feel the instant gratification and pleasure that comes from quilting a quilt. This feeling of "I can do it!" prompted me to enroll in a paper piecing class at my LQS.

I learned that even though I try not to be too hard on myself, perfect points are still very important to me. I found this tutorial about a positioning pin on Connecting Threads, and it worked!

Here are some photos of fabric I bought from Pink Chalk Fabrics, (shipping was fast!) and fabric from my LQS for my granddaughter's birthday quilt.

Here is all the loot from Pink Chalk.

I love these polka dot Petit Embroidery Scissors. I saw them on another gal's blog and had to have them!

Fabric from left: Lida Enche Painted Summer Butterfly in yellow, Trenna Travis Bekko Swirl Orchid, and Valori Wells Wish Treasure Patience.

Brejer Mon Amie City Multi. I have visions of using it for a bag.

Kate Spain Honey Honey Lavender Violet, which I picked up to go with the grouping below this one.

My youngest granddaughter "loves periwinkle", and her birthday is in August. For her quilt I purchased coordinating fabric along with a Dessert Roll in Honey Honey from Quilt 'n Sew, my local quilt shop in Katy.