Two Down, One to Go!

I had three goals for spring break: finish the four patch, get something sandwiched and basted, and get a border on this quilt. Well, the four patch is to the flimsy stage and I finally got the border on this quilt.

It may not be my oldest UFO, but it's darn close. I started this way back when my daughter was in high school, in the fall (can't you tell?). I don't even remember what year it was. I just remember driving through the country to get to one of my daughter's cross country meets and seeing the wonderful fall colors on the trees in the hills and carrying that picture in my mind as I hunted for fat quarters in the quilt shop.

Like one of my typical projects it started out without much of a plan. I liked the two blocks. I liked them together, despite the quilt police edict that different blocks in a quilt should have the same grid, or some such nonsense. I happened to have just enough of the lattice material to get all the squares together; I even had the border material bought, washed, and ironed. And then...I put it away! With the border it is double-bed sized. I think when I saw how big it had gotten I knew I probably would never find the time to hand-quilt it.

But, at our last quilt retreat I met a long-arm quilter who said she would put me on her list. I'm going to get this thing quilted and ON A BED! (My husband often comments that with all the quilting I do, I never have anything large enough to put on a bed.)

This block is called "Toad in a Puddle." Don't you love that name?

And, I went out today and bought enough batting to sandwich the mystery quilt. The living room floor is cleared and ready. Sandwiching is going to happen tonight!

I saw a tip (I think on the Fons and Porter website) about putting a marble under the backing after it is taped to the floor so that you don't keep stabbing the floor with your needle while you are basting the layers together. I'm going to try this--our hardwood floors don't need any more scratches!