Since returning from QuiltCon, I’ve had so many project ideas that I honestly haven’t known where to begin. There were of course the projects that I had in mind or in progress before leaving for Austin, but there were also new ideas that I wanted to sketch, create, and make happen. As the saying goes: when it rains, it pours; but sometimes it’s hard to find your way when it’s pouring.

Then yesterday, while chatting with my daughter’s preschool teacher at pick-up about a raffle basket they are putting together as a fundraiser, the teacher casually asked if I could make a quilt or blanket for the basket. Each class is putting together a basket to be auctioned off as a fundraiser to help cover the costs of travel for their year-end field trip. The preschool teachers had chosen Dr. Seuss as a theme, thinking that it would be easy to fill a basket with Seussical fun stuff. Parents have been struggling to find anything other than books, one movie, and a package of Dr. Seuss pens for the basket. With only 9 kids in the preschool class, they knew the basket would be smaller than the other classes, but still were a bit bummed at the turnout.

My daughter’s teacher knows that I quilt, and so mentioned that there must be some Dr. Seuss fabric or something, and perhaps I could make a quick blanket? When she said this, I remembered that indeed there was an entire Dr. Seuss fabric line, and what’s more–I have it! I had bought it years ago, when I first started quilting, planning to make a diamond quilt for the kids to drag around the playroom. I had quickly abandoned it, deciding that I really didn’t like it. The last time I pulled it out of its work in progress bin, I had the thought that maybe I’d just sell the fabric and precut diamonds since I wasn’t into the idea of finishing it. Well, duty calls. It looks like this quilt will be finished after all, only a bit smaller than originally planned, and on a high-speed timeline (they need it by next Thursday). The pattern I’m using is a child-sized version of the Must Stash (Diamond Quilt) from the book Modern Designs for Classic Quilts by Kelly Biscopink and Andrea Johnson. *Amazon affiliate link*

While this project doesn’t really fit my aesthetic, I think it will make a wonderful snuggle quilt for a special child to curl up in as (s)he reads his Dr. Seuss (or other) books. How could I resist a chance to make a quilt for a child, while at the same time helping support my daughter’s preschool class?

I plan to use white sashing since that was my original plan years ago and I already have the Kona white yardage. This will be a project entirely pulled from my stash. I’m using only the diamonds that have already been cut for the sake of time, so next up is to sew white sashing until the cows come home. I’ll then square up the quilt and most likely back it with fleece so that it is super snuggly.

I love the black background prints in this fabric line, and if I were to plan out this quilt again, I would probably use the black stars and/or dots as sashing. Many of the other prints are very white-heavy, so the white sashing might make them fade out a bit. But, with a donation project with a timeline of a week and a budget of nil, it is what it is. I have a feeling the recipient will love it anyway.

Just like that, my next project has been chosen for me. I would never have guessed my first big sewing project upon my return home from QuiltCon would be my oldest, long-abandoned work in progress. But when duty calls, Mommy must answer.

I’m linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WiP Wednesday. I thought I might be exhibiting some of the great inspiration and modern quilting knowledge I learned from Lee, but not yet!

I’m also claiming this as my March goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes. I MUST finish it!