Make & Listen Along ~ Scrappy Trip Along Quilt :: Number One

I am joining Dawn at Simple Things Notebook for the first time in her weekly  make & listen along. I love her idea.

Here is what it is all about:

"~ On Thursdays I will post what I have been making and listening to as creations grow. If so inclined post, on your blog or flickr, about what you have been making (on your own or with little hands by your side) and listening to while you create. It can be new music, flash backs, a song or a whole album... whatever you like. You can be stitching with needle & thread, yarn, paper crafting, painting, cooking... and beyond. Share what you are making and the tunes that are fueling your creativity. Then come back to my Thursday Make & Listen Along post and leave a link in the comments so we can be inspired right along with you! ~"  from Simple Things Notebook. 

My teens are on break from school, it's March Break here. We have had a nice break so far. Yesterday, I was very fortunate to be able to spend most of the day with my sewing machine. My husband was off and the kids were content. I have older kids (15, 14, 8) which usually allows me longer pockets of time for myself. They took turns playing Ni No Kuni and then played cards most of the day!

~  progress photos posted on Instagram while I worked ~ 

Yesterday was the Spring Equinox, but not on our little island... We had a snow storm!  

I worked on my scrappy trip along quilt. I had pinned the quilt and was ready to be quilted. I started quilting by following each block and stitching along both sides. It didn't seem like enough quilting, so I then quilted again along both sides at the centre of each block. The quilting went well, besides a few hiccups, for such a big quilt. 

I was at the sewing machine, on and off (but mostly on), for almost eight hours. From mid-morning to after dinner. It was pure delight. I finished all the quilting and then couldn't decide if I wanted to add more quilting with diagonal lines. I haven't quite made it my mind yet, but I will soon because I want to move on to the binding and finish this colourful quilt so we can enjoy it! 

While I worked, I listened to my family. The sweetest sounds are their laughter. While they played the video game, I could hear bits of the soundtrack of Ni No Kuni. It is played by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and was composed by Joe Hisaishi. Most of the time, my sewing machine is all I could hear.