The Orphan Train is Ready to Leave the Station

The last strips were put on this morning, the top trimmed to square, and then it was pinned to a wall to have its' picture taken:


It looks like we pulled it a little out of square when we pinned it. Oh well. It looks so good on that wall that I'm tempted to leave it there! What you can't see is that this is an unfinished wall. Has been for about four years. DH has the best of intentions but not the time nor the energy to go with it. (Don't tell him I told you this!)

I took a detail shot of the upper right side when I realized I had forgotten to do that yesterday. Let's see if I can get Blogger to let me add it in...

It's interesting to me that the big Star block looks rounded in the photo. (In both photos actually.) It stands out in person, but doesn't have the pronounced rounded-off effect. Once I had the top together and had a good look at it I sort of wished I had moved that Log Cabin block just under the star from the left side to the right side. When I was composing that bit I was focused on keeping the two halves of the block I had taken apart together to "border" the star, turning that corner as it were. By the time I could really see what I had done I wasn't about to take that out and do it over!

The top turned out to be larger than is necessary for the Quilts With Love project but I'm sure that will be okay. It's only four inches wider and barely two inches longer than their specifications. Now the challenge will be to find or create a backing for it. I doubt I have anything in my stash that will be big enough by itself; I just don't buy that kind of yardage until I need it for a quilt. I'm not sure I have the energy at this point to create a back so I may just go out and buy some of the extra wide fabric that's available these days. My friend Heather has agreed to quilt it on her long arm and Peggy Schafer at Sewer's Dream Outlet donated some batting a while back for charity quilts so I don't have to worry about that either. {whew!}

My design wall looks awfully white and barren now that this quilt top is done. DD liked what she saw of it when she blew through here the other day so I may very well use my bright orphans to make the next grandbaby quilt. I could throw some of them on the wall to lesen the starkness left behind by the departure of my Orphan Train. There's also the Fabric of Life top to put back up. I have to get back to my journal quilt too. Technically I need to get this one done within the week to stay on schedule. It's time to start casting around for ideas for the next one as well...