More of the same... and that is a good thing.

Oh my, its been a while since I've gone a whole week with no time to post... I've been busy sewing so that is a good thing!  I have been working on this teacher gift quilt to try to get it done so I can drum up interest from faculty and staff and parents. I would love it if they would be willing to "go in together" on this retirement gift so I can have it professionally quilted. It has gotten quite large.

To the right is what it looked like Friday night. I had a big sewing day planned for Saturday that never happened due to bailing out an absentminded and less than totally organized 11 year old, but that is another story. I worked a little Saturday night and a bunch Sunday afternoon and evening and this is where I stand now, after adding 3 borders this morning. Those borders look plain, but they are actually parchment colored with about 16 point Time New Roman capital letters scattered all over it - very appropriate for a teacher.

It needs one more border with a single 'light' block in the upper right corner to make the numbers come out right for the student names from 13 years of teaching 2nd grade. I have one made that is very low contrast so it won't stand out too much.  The vine and leaves will extend all the way around. I am not sure that will be the final arrangement, but something like that. What do you think, alternating leaves like it is, or opposite? Should the wave of the vine be longer? I would like to add a few flowers to give her fellow faculty a place to sign if they want to. What style flowers? I am thinking a pretty primitive look similar to the red flower on the left. Any suggestions?

So that is what I am up to. Keep your fingers crossed that I have enough of the green fabric to make the vine... I did the calculation but it seems like a ridiculously small piece of fabric yielding an unbelievable amount of 1" bias strip... I am skeptical. To see what others are up to head over to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

EDITED TO ADD:
Oh, oh, I just did a little trial on a scrap piece to see how I would do a bee buzzing around a flower...

Squee! I am in love with this little guy! I definitely need some tear away stabilizer before doing too many more of these. Oh, and this gives you a better view of the border fabric. That is all, nothin' else to see here citizens...