Happy Birthday Mum!

The colours are much brighter in real life.

 I have finished the quilt top :)

The pattern is from Blue is Bleu (quilt along 2010).  I only changed the centre panel.  The original pattern uses scraps.  I used 20 fat quarters and had little left over.  The yellow solid is Klona Young Yellow from Backstitch.

The instructions were really easy to follow and the quilt came together quite quickly.  However, I found pressing the seams open a real chore (I usually press seams to one side) but it does make a real difference and hasn't put me off doing the seams that way again.  Also trimming the dog ears off all those HSTs was another task that I didn't enjoy all that much.  The worst task however, was removing all the loose threads from both sides of the quilt.  It took the best part of an afternoon.  I think in future, I must remember to do it as i go along and not leave it until the quilt is finished.

I had the perfect backing - a vintage green striped sheet, but sadly it wasn't big enough.  So I dug out this 100% cotton duvet cover that I bought from TK Max for my upcycled linen quilt (longterm UFO).  The colours go but I don't think the pattern is the perfect match.  However it has to do because I need to get the quilt posted off to the professional quilter today, to have any chance of it being ready before Mum's May Birthday.  I hope that I don't regret my backing choice later on!

The pattern said that the quilt is a generous lapsize but it is far bigger than I imagined.  More a single bed size.  it measures 70X83, four inches bigger than the size given with the pattern (66X78)  I have no idea how I managed that!  All my blocks measured the appropriate size.  Just to give you an idea of the size, the fence panels that I have pegged the quilt onto are 6 foot.

So now it is on it's way to Chris at Father's Heart to be quilted.