Lightning Strikes Twice . . . Quilt, That Is

Lightning Strikes Twice quilt top

 Quilts in progress . . .  I have 10.  No.  I have 20.  No.  I have LOTS of quilts in progress.

I LOVE to make quilts.  I want to make all different kinds of quilts.  That's part of my problem.  I find a quilt or get an idea of what I want to make and I start it.  Then a quilt with a deadline (a custom order, a class sample, event, birth of a baby, birthday) comes in and pushes something aside.  Or I get a little bored with my current project.  Or I need to go get something for it, but I can't go today and don't want to lose my sewing/quilting momentum and set the unfinished project aside to pick up something else.

My friend Jacquelyn is really good at finishing quilts.  Check out her quilts at her blog here.

Our friend Sheryl makes quilts, too.  And purses!  Take a peek at her blog here.

Anyway, this post is about the Lightning Strikes Twice quilt that I made.  Well, the top is made.  It's not quilted yet.  So, it's still a UFO.  Big sigh . . .

First you start with the pattern from Scrap Therapy.

  I chose the version that takes fewer scraps and makes larger blocks.  Fits my (lack of) patience level.  The pattern calls for scraps cut into squares.  I bought a couple of new fabrics (from the Michael Miller Southwest Monument Valley line), but used quite a few fabrics from my stash.  Then you sew and cut and sew some more and you end up with some small blocks that look like this.

Then you trim these blocks to the correct size.  Keep those pattern instructions handy.  And maybe draw a diagram for yourself so you can keep it straight in your head. 

Then you arrange the little blocks and sew some more until you get larger blocks that look like this. 

Then you start putting your blocks into rows.  Can you see the lightning bolt now?

Then you add sashing and borders and you get this quilt top. 

It's hanging up now in the local quilt shop where it's a sample for my classes on this quilt. 

Of course, as I mentioned above, it's not quilted yet since it had a deadline to be in the shop--before the newsletter announcing the classes.  When the classes have run their course, it will come home to me and wait to be quilted.

So . . . quilters . . .  what are your ideas for how I should quilt this baby?  I'm thinking I might follow the path of the red lightning bolts.  What do you think?