My least favorite part about sewing is cutting. Quilting is A LOT of cutting. This is the reason I haven’t done much quilting beyond my two rudimentary quilts and a few table runners. The Cricut Maker cuts fabric. And there are two free ready-to-make patterns in the Cricut database. I opted to try the slightly spicier of the two, the “half-hexi” quilt.

But lets first rewind.

This past week I went to my local JoAnn store to get canvases for my Girl Scout troop to do some painting with. I got talking to one of my favorite people (who happens to work there) about the fabric. Specifically the super clearance fabric. Then she mentioned the remnants were 75% off the sale price. FRIENDS. My mostly yard sized remnants were LITERALLY pennies on the dollar, my priciest clearance fabric was 97 CENTS. It was originally tagged at $12.99 a yard. Significantly less expensive per yard than $1 fat quarter sales! I spent less than $15 for a HUGE BAG of quilting fabrics- including the soda I impulse purchased.

I had all the fabrics for my quilt (and some extras that ultimately didn’t make the quilt cut). So I decided that it was an auspicious time for making my first Cricut assisted quilt. In my stash, I have a few yards of cotton seersucker I can use as backing, a queen sized quilt batting, white premade bias tape, OR more seersucker for the bias tape.

This morning I laid out my strips. Telly helped. Those cotton strips were IRRESISTABLE! He made a huge jumble. Then I laid out the strips again. And again- for good measure. Today was my 2nd least favorite part: the pressing open of the seams. Frijoles. It takes as long as the sewing! Then I managed to sew some of my strips together in not they way I intended to. So I have like patterns abutting now. But I don’t mind. That much.

I decided after laying out my piece that I want to add two more rows. Then I’ll add the end pieces to make it square, and therefore easier to bind. By the end of February, I feel I can finish the sandwiching of the batting and backing, quilting trimming and binding. And the completion of my most complicated quilt!