Not In The RESTRICTED Section...

 

It only took 30 years, but my Harry Potter Bookcase quilt top is complete!!  You heard me.  COMPLETE!  There were a lot of days that I was certain it was never going to be finished.  It came down to these 3 blocks...the tea cup, Trevor, 

and Bertie's Every Flavor Beans.  I decided against embroidering the book names on the bindings for 2 reasons.  1) I would have wanted different fonts and I don't think I'd be happy with my workmanship, 2)  It would have taken another 10 years, 3) The printed bindings would have made it too hard to read.  Okay, that's technically 4 reasons.  But, you get my point.

Then, I used the Harry Potter fabric I've been saving FOREVER for the outer border.  It wouldn't be my first choice today but I've had it stashed away for this purpose for so long (at least 10 years) that I just can't make myself choose something else.  Quilting it is going to be a disaster, I'm sure.  My PP abilities improved greatly over the years and my older seams are not awesome.  Still LOVE it, though!  This may be the quilt my kids fight over when I die.

To celebrate, I started a new project.  This is the first block for Barbara Brachman's Hospital Sketches.  Periwinkle Wreath?  Something like that.  It was a nice change of pace from the overly complicated Baltimore Album of Roses project I've been working on.  I finished the wreath while watching Season 2 of Game of Thrones, roughly 10 hours.  10 hours to do 1 block of hand applique and I say it was easy.  Make me spend 3 on a paper pieced block and I'm whining like a baby.  I know, I make NO sense. 

Oh, I forgot to post this.  It's from a class I took last February?  Barbara Olsen's Cosmic Spiral.  I just happened to have the day of the class off and thought it was divine intervention propelling me to take a class that expanded my repertoire.  Perhaps the universe was urging me in a new and bold direction with my life.  It was not.  But, I did eventually finish the spiral...

Also, from Barbara Brachman, Stars in Her Crown blocks 3 & 4.  I'm really digging Barbaras, aren't I?

I accidentally left them on the pressing table together and look how nice they are together!  I considered combining the 2 projects to make 1 quilt but I think I've changed my mind.  I'd like to do a Circle of 9 set up for Stars in Her Crown and the swirl will mess my numbers up.  Now I want to bead the swirl and keep it as a small wall hanging.

Next time, we'll take a look at my Barn Sampler thing...I forget what they called it...