Quilting Friends with Great Patience

My best friend/quilting friend and surrogate sister, Cindy, has much patience. She gave me this top to quilt for her over a year ago. Then I moved and started my business in Washington and because she wanted to be sure I had all my customer quilts done first, this one was a long time coming. However, its finally done and on its way home!

We were at a retreat and this top was taught as a double-blind mystery. We told the shop what colors we wanted and they picked the fabric. As you can see, they did a great job with Cindy's fabrics--especially when you compare them to the fabrics chosen for my quilt! (Look here --Note to self: No double-blind mysteries unless you're actually IN the shop to show them what you mean when you say "purple.")

Cindy wanted leaves and was out of ideas after that. I spruced it up a bit with piano keys spaced with the piecing on the outside border, then the leaves, then another round of piano keys following the inner piecing. 

I stitched in the ditch around the center star. I just couldn't go over it with leaves, its way too pretty.

Here's a shot of the back. You can see the quilting better if you click on the picture and then stand on your head to look at it!! (Just kidding--the tweedy brushed flannel makes it tough to see and photograph!)