Dot by Painful Dot

Despite my efforts and desires to have this quilt on the frame by now, I decided it was better to take my time and be happy with the finished product.  Part of me assumes it will go only to my bed, but the other side of me suspects that I will pull a fast one and send it to a few shows next year first.  We'll see...  

So, here's my modern green Dresden quilt.  You remember, the one that I ditched last summer/fall when I realized how many other thousand blogging quilters were making one.  I chose this design on my own, and even made my own pattern, completely independent of the Modern Dresden crew.  But still, I hate when I am making something that many, MANY others are too, even if mine is considerably different.  

So, I decided that the outer border needed a punch of the deep rose.  It needed 106 half inch dots, to be exact.  To date, I have all but about 15 of them stitched on.  The corners were a problem all along, and I have been mulling over thoughts to disguise the bulk where the prairie points and mitered joint come together.  My first thought was to applique a larger circle over the area.  It seemed so promising that I actually did it.  And until I did it, I liked the idea...whoops!  Good thing I did not cut away the fabric beneath the applique!

So, I played around a little bit to come up with something I liked better.  Hopefully this is it.  I like the scallop edge because it ties in with the Dresden centers better than the plain circle did.  Then because I totally ran out of the kelly green of the 2nd border, I chose a small check print instead for the 2" button center.  It accomplishes what I need, to cover the bulky area so I can cut it away beneath the applique.  I think it also gives the corner a little character.  Three more corners to go, and 15 small dots.  Then I think it will be ready to quilt. ...Unless I decide that the Dresdens need bright green centers too...

I had planned to show some more quilt pictures from the Maine Quilt Show, but time has gotten away from me.  I get little done with kids home (can you say 3-1/2 more weeks??!), and I've been watching what I can of the olympics via my computer.  I will leave you with a good link of a blog where she's shown a whole many show quilts from this annual Maine show.  Her's are way better than mine.  Have a look...

Last weekend, I sent 2 of my quilts to a machine quilting show in WI...Machine Quilting Today Show.  One of my quilts, a small one only 40.5" square, took a 3rd place!  I was pretty surprised.  This quilt has not gone to too many shows because it's ever-so-slightly too large for the small quilt category, and probably not effectively competitive with larger quilts.  I also sent my Meet Me at Giverny quilt, but it didn't place.  Perhaps the judges comments will shed some light on why, or perhaps it was just in a stacked category.  I don't know.

Time to go chip away on the many applique projects I have in the works while the kids veg in the cool house to Roadrunner and Bugs Bunny.