A Lovely Year of Finishes - Update

I haven't posted since letting you know that I'm doing this.  And I still am.  Last week I got started on quilting the Christmas quilt. I started out trying to quilt 1/4" from the seams.  Without marking it.  With dark green thread.

That?  Did not go well.

For reference, I'm still working on the top quilt in this stack

Why yes, only the bottom quilt in that stack is finished.  It's clear I have a few months of projects for a lovely year of finishes, yes?

So, as an update, I've got the backing pieced.  I've got the quilt layered.

I quilted.  I hated it.

I quilted some more with beige thread on top, using tape to mark my lines.  Better, but I hated the thread.

I bought a variegated thread yesterday, ripped out ALL of the quilting I'd already done and started over, marking 1/4" from the seams rather using a 1" wide strip of tape.  I actually like it.  Even though it's showing me how badly pieced this particular project was.

I don't think I've really liked it since I started working on it.

But I'm going to finish it darn it!

I'm half done with the quilting.  One more set of diagonal lines and I'll be done.  Then just binding and I'll have my first finish of the year.  Hooray.