behold, the end draweth nigh

You know?

I'm thinking I might actually finish this thing.

2 weeks ago, 

I wasn't so sure....

(And Tyler was considering grounding me from quilting, due to my negativity.

I was just deep in the throes of What  The Heck Was I Thinking?!

Incidentally, a freak-out stage I apparently go through on all major undertakings,

so should not be a surprise to any of us...)

a daughter-in-law and grandkids aren't the only recent additions to the fam :-)

All 'white-space' hand quilting is finished,

and all of the marking for 'white space' machine quilting is done!

I still have several plates to add a bit of quilting to

(both machine and hand)

and a few more to mark,

but I'd say I'm probably 50% done with blade quilting.

And probably 80 - 85% done with the quilting the white space.

I think I want to add circles of my favorite fabrics to those empty 16 pt stars / invisible dresdens

I added to help fill the white spaces.

I've decided on architextures cross hatch print in black for the binding 

and need to get that ordered right away.

I'm trying to get the backing for my next quilt figured out so I can order both together and get free shipping.

I'd really like to use lawn  - I think it'd be lovely for the handquilting I've got planned,

but I have 2 concerns:

what I want will cost $63.

which is a lot of cash for a back....

And,

I'll be doing a QAYG for the first time, 

and I'm wondering if my seams allowances will be too obvious through that thin (solid) cotton lawn....

(experienced thoughts greatly appreciated!!)

I may need to just order the binding by itself and pay the darn shipping...

look ~ they're playing the telephone game ;-) heehee

We have a super busy week,

with lots of extra stuff going on so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to get accomplished quilt-wise.

(kids have testing tomorrow - which means, in addition to everything else,

 my annual calculator shopping trip.

Why, oh why

can't I set the darn things aside every year so I can find them when we need them?!)

Linking up with purple paper-piecing  Lee.

And just maybe,

the next time I post about Ties That Bind,

I'll be able to share it at Finish it Fridays, too :-)

....off to the next thing on the list....