Love beads top finished

I realized on Friday that I had Martin Luther King Jr. day off.  Why I didn't plan ahead, I don't know.  Sometimes I get so into the groove of work that I forget about the rest of the world.  Anyway, I took advantage of my day off to do some sewing!  I put together the blocks and voila!

This is the "Love Beads" pattern from The Modern Quilt Workshop by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr.  I really like their idea of slicing off the halves of the circles on the sides.  They call it "engaging the edge" and my husband agreed that it makes the quilt more dynamic--like it's continuing off the "page".  This one is for a coworker who is having a little boy in February.  I wanted it to be somewhat neutral, as the first quilt I made for her little girl was super girly.

I also started quilting the other baby quilt here.  I got about 1/3 way in before my needle kept hitting the foot.  Argh!  See below--see where the needle gouged a hole in the plastic?

I've since realized that I should just get a new foot.  This one is made of plastic, so it wobbles a bit, and then the needle hits the plastic and frustration ensues.  I just ordered a new one.  Take note if you are thinking of purchasing a darning foot: the more metal, the better.  It will wobble less and probably just plain last longer.  Now I have three quilts (love beads, this one, and this one) that are basted, waiting to be quilted.  I'm just waiting for the foot to get here.  Of course it'll get here on Friday, right before I leave for a family trip to Texas.

So I guess I'll have to get started on another quilt while I'm waiting for the foot to finish quilting my tops!