AVQ BOM UFO for MCM

Quilting acronyms may playfully be the bane of our existence and may make this post title a puzzle. In clearing up my sewing in preparation for doing some FMQing (Free Motion Quilting) I discovered a UFO (UnFinished Object) from my Amador Valley Quilters guild's Block Of the Month drawing which I won at some time in the past year but I do not recall exactly when. The collection of blocks was in a gallon zip lock bag and so was not technically a PIG (Project In Grocery-bag). The blocks were of two color ways, one containing red and the other focusing solely on blue.

In order to be totally random in the assembly, I had to first lay them out on my design wall in an orderly fashion, of course, blues on the left and reds on the right.

Then I rearranged them, making sure I alternated red blocks with non-red blocks. I moved blocks around within their red or blue color family and rotated them as needed by 180° so that the seams alternated direction as much as possible. Seams are one of the challenges with a group exchange. Not everyone presses seams in the same direction and a few folks even pressed their seams open.  I was somewhat impressed though in that the ¼" seam allowance was fairly consistent throughout the blocks. I did not bother to trim the blocks to the same size instead easing or stretching them to fit each other. That practice is a no-no, I know, but the blocks were close enough in size that the adjustment was not by much. Sewn together the top measured 32" x 32".

I had an appropriate one yard length of fabric in my stash for backing which was sufficient. With my slightly approximately one half yard of the mottled print, I made the binding. Sandwiching the top and quilting it should go quickly since it is relatively small. Then my husband asked the dreaded question, "What are you going to do with it?" 

I was quiet for a moment and then replied. "See if one of the grandkids takes a liking to it as a doll quilt? Give it as an outreach baby quilt? Use it as a table topper? Use it as practice for my FMQ? I don't know! You are not supposed to ask that!" I perhaps I was a bit defensive because those sixteen blocks that once stacked neatly within a gallon size zip lock bag will soon be a quilt with batting and backing that folds up into a much larger volume consuming space. True, it is still a UFO until quilted and bound but hey, I enjoy the process! Finishing it off will make a small, pleasant,  rainy day project when I want to play in my sewing room and not think too much. Linking up with MCM (Main Crush Monday) #146 to share my stitching antics with others...