The scrappy diamond crib quilt is finally quilted and bound. Hooray! I’m wondering how or why I didn’t get around to finishing it sooner. I love it! The quilting is not perfect, but it looks good. I like how the back looks like tile work, and I am pleased with it dimensions – 36 x 53 1/2 inches. And I enjoy the way the colors in the diamonds pop. The pattern itself is based on the Autumn Stretched Star pattern in Nickel Quilts, by Pat Speth and Charlene Thode. It’s actually a great book full of timeless patterns that can easily be done with a fresh, modern twist. Looking through it just now, I am reminded of so many quilty aspirations. *sigh* Before I can start on any of those, I need to finish the “Little Village” quilt, which is tapping its foot at me as more houses and trees pile up on my work table and every visit to the midwife reminds me that I only have so much time to finish it.

On a different note, allow me a moment to gush about how much I love to sew bindings onto quilts. It’s so easy and so very zen. Sure, initially I complain about how long it’s taking me because it does take a while. More often than not, though, I become completely immersed in it after those first 18 inches of stitching while something plays in the background (some episode of South Park that I’ve practically memorized or I just set the iTunes to shuffle), and I manage to bang it out in a night. Oh, the joy when I stitch that last stitch and can admire my handiwork – a nice, crisp, evenly-stitched binding that totally complements my quilt.