Why work on just one queen size quilt when you can work on two at the same time? Thanks so much for all the love here and on IG for the Modern Fans Quilt (post here and here). Indeed I loved making that quilt (but then I can't remember the last quilt I didn't enjoy making) but all the new components of that project required focus. Making this Trip Around the World quilt was like therapy. Everything about it was lovely, calming and relaxing. Even though it is the biggest quilt I've ever made (just a few inches larger than the Modern Fans) I was a little sad to have it finished. The pattern is of course the tutorial by Quiltville. This is the second quilt I've finished using that pattern (the first is here) so I was familiar with the technique. Digging into my stash for low volume fabrics with a gray leaning created a colossal mess in the sewing room but was quite rewarding. That is, until I realized that even with the fabric requirements of a queen size quilt I was barely making an impact on my low volume stash! See my 2019 goal post for more on that challenge! Calculating the number of blocks I would need for a queen, I cut over 400 strips of some of my favorite fabric. Over a month or so I would sew up 10 blocks at a time and unpick the seams (see the tutorial as to why this is done) while relaxing at night watching TV. And soon enough, there were 72 beautiful blocks. Keeping with the therapeutic nature of this project, I just placed them on my design wall and didn't stress too much about the adjacencies of each block. This picture is the layout in process with my not quite queen size design wall. Table basting to save the back and knees!! Ah then the quilting. Over several days I quilted a leafy pattern completely covering the quilt. The flowing, repetitive movement of the leaves was so enjoyable to quilt and it adds a lovely softness to all those little blocks. Several hours of hand sewing the binding later, the quilt was finished. At least I know the quilt went to a good home and I can visit it whenever I want! My son and daughter in law loved the quilt and we had fun photographing it on a gray Christmas Eve outside their lovely antique home. Let's talk about the backing. It's Charley Harper Birch organic Western Birds and the best part is that it was a wide backing piece that I had in my stash! It takes a lot of hands to hold a queen size quilt up. Those birds are almost sitting on the leaves in the quilting. Sorry about all the pictures but I do love this quilt!! Although I had plans to finish three bed size quilts for my three sons for Christmas, I ran out of gas and gave one son an I.O.U. in the form of fabric selected for his quilt. He knows I'm good for it! Have a great day, Kathy