Full steam ahead!

I'm delighted at the progress I'm making in finishing up my various UFOs and PIGs and haven't got sidetracked (much) yet.  With the Bonnie Hunter mystery for this year started, it spurred me on to finish last year's quilt, Allietare.  Allietare means to gladden in Italian, and it certainly makes me glad when I see it. 

I made half the blocks, as usual, and it makes up at 66" square.  Big enough, I think.  I quilted it mainly in the ditch, as I think the quilting should enhance the design, so I wanted the geometricity to stand out.  I'm happy with that. 

My patchwork of the crosses quilt is finished too.  Just four blocks which were teaching samples, but they make a nice Linus quilt.  

Even nicer with this Michael Miller fireflies fabric on the back.  I don't usually splash out on such fancy fabric, but when I was in Manchester recently I paid a visit to a shop called Abakhan.  It's near the city centre so well worth a visit if you're in the area, as they sell fabric by weight!  It's remnants, not yardage, but some of the remnants were 3 or 4 yards, so not small pieces.  The quilting fabric is £22 a kilo, and for £24 I bought about 6.5 yards.  Good value I'd say.  The shop also has an extensive range of beads, sequins, trims, feathers and lots of other things you've never seen before, but are very covetable!  

So, what now?  I have pulled out my challenge blocks, as they will be easy to sort out. 

A bit more modern than my usual quilts, but the blue/green/white palette looks very fresh and clean.   I think it needs another row of blocks, so it will be 48" square.  A simple green or blue binding will set it off.  I just need the four extra blocks!