I can see the finish line!

I really cranked it out yesterday and am nearly finished with quilting up Among the Pines!  Take a look. This is the finished top laid out on the floor.  I was a little worried about the light colored background on the pine tree border, but I think it helps the framed blocks stand out.  In the pattern, the pine tree border was made with a darker, rust colored background, but I'm satisfied with my choice.

Some of the left side of the quilt.

The center of the quilt with the title, "Among the Pines" at the top.

The pieced border went on perfectly!  I'm always a little nervous with a pieced border fitting since even the slightest error in the 1/4" seam throughout the piece can cause a problem. But, once again, my seams must have been okay.

I had the perfect pine tree fabric in my stash to use for the backing and after I'd cut it and the batting, I realized I didn't have a table large enough to lay it out and pin it together.  I usually take my larger quilts to the Rec Center where I can use the tables pushed together.  But I have to get this one done soon, so that meant that I'd have to crawl around on the floor to get the sandwich pinned. Well, my knees and back weren't too happy at that thought, but I forced them to do what needed to be done, and they didn't scream too much about it.  Good boys!

I immediately put the walking foot on my machine and began stitching along each seam line--in the ditch. That's all I'm going to do on this quilt, including stitching in the ditch around each of the trees in the border.  This is a display quilt so I'm not concerned about laundering it and securing the batting as I would be with a quilt that would be snuggled under and slept under. 

I'll finish up the quilting today and get the binding sewn on so I can hand stitch it tonight or tomorrow.  I also have to finish up the embroidered label--about 2/3 done!--and make a hanging sleeve for it. In addition to working on the quilt, I have to gather together everything for the tax preparer and be ready for our session tomorrow AM. A stop at the grocery store is called for, and I need to finish up the laundry--I always procrastinate folding and putting away--and I think that's all that's on the agenda for today. Time for me to get going.