Quilt Update #1: Topper pieced!

My quilt project has officially started and I've made some decent progress:



I like how the topper is turning out. Next I'll start cutting out the fabric pieces for the appliques. I need to find some easy to copy fish, starfish, seaweed, etc. for my stencils. I have to wait for some items to ship that I ordered online, but I'm excited that they'll make the project easier. I'm getting the fusible interfacing and a rotary cutter (and more machine needles).

The topper is four colors (bottom three are ocean and the top one is the sky), three squares of each. I made them 11 1/2" square. I made a template out of some paper and tape:



I like it very much.

I realized as I was creating these things that I need boxes to store my stuff. I almost bought some plastic bins online until I realized it was more economical, fun, and environmentally friendly to make my own. I plan on covering some shipping boxes that we have in magazine and newspaper cutouts and reinforcing/changing them into usable storage boxes. So they won't be clear, but maybe they'll look way cooler. Once I start making them I'll post pictures. I don't even have any glue yet.