Scrappy Trips

This year, to keep members engaged in the Heart of Vermont quilt guild, I offered to coordinate a block of the month with lottery by mail and a block swap.  For the swap, we settled on Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trips Around the World, and each person was to make at least 21 blocks.   The swap ran from October to June 1, plenty of time to make these scrappy blocks.  I used a lot of leftover binding pieces, stray jelly roll strips, and a few cut strips.  I didn't make a dent in my scraps, of course.

Beginning June 1, people visited into my garage to leave their blocks in the bin I had to collect them.  I didn't get to talk to everyone, but it was fun to see some after all this time without a guild meeting.  Unfortunately, several people had to drop out ("life happens"), so we ended up with 16 swappers, one of whom didn't want any back.   Some made a few extra, too.   I spread all the extras out among those who were left, giving everyone 24 blocks.   

I couldn't resist starting to put my blocks together, and one led to another.  Today my top is finished.  I had made some extra blocks for a bigger quilt and ended up with 36 blocks, set 6 by 6.  I plan to find a less busy fabric for the back and binding, but I do like the result.  Matching the seams was difficult, but as usual, I fudged a lot.

I plan to have my friend Marie long arm quilt it with swirls.  It will make a nice throw for a couch or dorm.  Here's another view: