My May UFO is done

Actually it was done Tuesday but what with 3 of the DGKs coming in and out of our home, it's been hard to post let alone quilt or sew anything.  But yes, finally got DH to hold the quilt so I could take some photos.  Here it is:

Have no clue why the border looks so blue.  It is actually a deep purple.  Oh well.  This was a kit I bought at a Judy Sisneros lecture to a local guild.  It was a nine-patch pizzazz kit.  Went together easily.  Have no clue why it took me years to quilt it.  I'll probably put a sleeve on it and hang it in the living room.  The back is a batik.  I usually use a busy print so that my quilting mistakes won't show.  This time I had to use this fabric and decided I might as well do something other than an all over.  I came up with these feathers in the corners and the setting triangles and diamonds for the nine-patches.  It's a start.

Here's a close-up:

Progress Report

To keep me going, here is a progress report for this week.  I've sandwiched and quilted that first row of three blocks on DD's ufo.  It is here on the right: 

I like this method of QAYG since it lets me quilt right up to the edge.  These are mostly done with stitch in the ditch quilting except for the first one.   And here is how it looks on the back.  I'm so glad that my DD picked a busy print for the back - makes my advanced beginner quilting mistakes disappear.   I always fret over what pattern to use for the quilting  - would love some suggestions for sampler quilts.  I've also started sashing the next row of three which you can see in the first picture.  Now I have to go do a mission or two, and then I'll let myself quilt a little more today in what is turning out to be a dreary looking day.  It's not giving us much rain, but it is cutting the fire hazard in the local mountains and for that I am grateful.