My favorite sewing machine is in for repair, so I was looking around for a project that doesn’t require any special stitching/feet/fooling around. I found this foundation paper pieced pattern I had cut from a magazine long ago.
This is enlarged 150% from the original, and I used David Sirota’s method of making just one foundation and then using glue rather than sewing through the paper. If you need instruction, go to his website.
The blocks finished about 12 x 16 inches, so I added 3″ borders when I had made all the blocks I cared to make. And incidentally, all the plants and pots were made from scraps. The background was yardage, but left over from another project.
Then I searched the stash and consulted the oracle (oops, I mean husband) and selected red fabric for the sashing and border. 
These little quilts I’ve been fooling with are small enough that I may quilt them myself. However, I remain less ambitious in that area than some of my friends, so the bigger ones will still go OUT to be quilted!
What do YOU do when your favorite machine is not available?
Zippy Quilts 
I only have one machine so need to have some hand stitching or knitting lined up when my machine goes in for service.
I love your plant quilt block though. There are so many things you could do with that. I’d be tempted to do a table runner with out the sashing and just have all the pots next to each other with one big border round.
Until quite recently I had only one sewing machine, but I was very much in the minority among quilters here. I got the little all-mechanical one because I don’t totally trust the computerized stuff on any advanced machine. Thanks for liking my plant block!
This quilt must be even more striking in real life, given the size of the blocks. It’s a winner!
I hand stitch when my machine is out of range. Ha!
You are a wonderful hand stitcher. Me, not so much. Of course, practice probably would help…
Thank you.
I have two dependable machines: a bigger Bernina, and my trusty Featherweight. I’d just use my Featherweight if the other is in the shop.
I have a big smile on my face with your using mirror ball dots as that background. As I type this, I have a quilt made with nothing but that fabric, but in all colors. And I think your Oracle nailed the fabric colors, too! Love this little quilt — it’s wonderful!
The really funny part is that Steve is colorblind (the common red/green type), but I suspect that makes him especially helpful because he’s seeing values more clearly and depending less on color. Gotta use what we have!
When the favorite machine is not available then it is crochet or English Paper Piecing for me 🙂
The succulent quilt is adorable! Nice find to work on while your fav machine gets fixed.
Hi Tierney! As you can see, I’m a little behind…thanks for your comments!
Love the quilt! That would be so fun to custom quilt. When my favorite machine was out of commission, I had a backup machine that is my daughter’s. I gave it back to her (she lives in a different state) so I’d be in a pickle if that happened now.
Since it’s small, this probably will be “custom quilted” by me, so we’ll see how that goes!
It will be so good! I’m sure you will have fun with it.