Return to Paradise

I have just completed adding the final border to the Return to Paradise.  This is my version of Dawn's - Collector with a Needle - Calico Paradise.

Next week it is going to the machine quilting lady to be basted, so I can start the hand quilting.  I tried to lay it out flat to take a good picture for you, but it is so big, I could not find a space on the floor without moving too much furniture.....so you get little snaps of it.

I have had this border fabric in my cupboard for a good few years now, waiting on the right project.  The colour is madder, the same as the other reds in the quilt, so it is really perfect.  I cut the borders from the length of the fabric, and cut them a 1/4 of the width.  Whether or not they stay that wide, I have not yet decided.   The original quilt has 12" borders, but I am pretty sure it will look just as good with them a little narrower.

 While I had it on the ironing board, for the final press, I thought I would take a few close ups.

 I cut away from the back of the larger pieces of applique like these birds.  I don't always cut away, only when I think there might be lots of quilting on the applique shapes.  Makes nicer stitches.

I love these blues!  They are some old Smithsonian prints I have been hoarding for years.  No point in keeping them just for the sake of it.

Dawn said the original quilt had a purple backing.  I found this one, which is not really a reproduction fabric (that I know of) but it looks like it could be.  A lot of Henry Glass fabrics fit in with reproduction quilts.  Using such a dark backing, and a printed background fabric, I have not been quite so fussy about trimming the stray threads on the back of the work.  I figure no one is likely to notice :-))