Nines and Vines - Friday update

I can't believe it's Friday already. My nines and vines is coming right along. The the 56 double 9-patch center blocks are all together and pressed. The 2 sets of outer borders are all cut out and ready for the vines and star flowers. The applique flowers are all set to be sewed to the recycled dryer sheet foundations before turning.

Today I did a practice sample of the vine border using the stitching with invisible thread. The ladies who I'm making this for, are very traditional and have always thought of applique as being done by hand. Machine applique is going to be a bit hard for them to swallow, but they've been dying to do a raffle quilt with applique on it for a change. So, after I did the sample and did a trial of 2 or 3 types of machine stitching the vine and other applique parts down, I took the sample to the head quilter... Rose. She was thrilled to see the quilt - in its almost done state... She looked at my sample and was pleased with any of the techniques. She couldn't believe how invisible it really was. We chose the bias bars method of setting the bias down, and it will be stitched on both sides. It's hard to see in my picture, but it is really quite invisible. Rose said the ladies will be pleased. So now that Rose is pleased, I feel more relaxed about finishing the borders.... I'm still on track as far as timing goes.... and plan on bringing this finished top to show and tell at Guild on the 20th... then delivering it to Rose on the 21st.

Then what... On to different and fun things...