Yee ha....!

Well howdy! Seems like I've been missing from these here parts for some time. Yep, off chasing, herding and rounding up life every which way, I'd say. Leaving not enough time for quilting...let alone taking photos and blogging about it. However, a couple of weekends ago I found myself in between things and spent a whole day basting. It nearly killed my knees, elbows and the fingernail on my right hand pointer finger but I managed to completely baste three quilts that day. Since then I've quilted two, bound two and finished one. And this is it. My Maverick Star Cowboy quilt!

It's a beauty. I love the simplicity of the design which highlights the retro colours. Essentially it's either a nine patch block of 3.5" squares or a 9 patch with a maverick star embedded.
I really like the back which features two single rows made from some left over squares trailing out of one left over star block and set into a plain stone colour background. It was a real challenge to make sure the back was lined up well with the top but I guess, that's what floorboard joins are for aren't they!

I think I've mentioned before that the foundation fabrics are from a really old range by Benartex called Happy Trails. I've added in some Denyse Schmidt who always manages the right balance of 'old-style' without being 'old fashioned' and various other reds and blues from the stash. The binding is also a DS quilts that features in the blocks. I can't remember what it's called but I managed to pick up a little from Spotlight when it was out. I wouldn't mind getting a little more as it's lovely for binding.
This quilt is heading to the UK as a gift for a friend's new baby boy and will be a nice cot or floor mat size at 45" x 54".

I should also add that I managed to take these photos early this morning before heading off to work and before the rain rolls in around lunchtime today. As I was running around setting up shots on my front gate I was being watched by two council workers trimming the trees on the streets. I'm sure most people who spy a quilter blogger at work must wonder "what the heck is she doing...?". But we smiled, said howdy, commented on the weather making our work difficult and went about our separate tasks.

It's a funny old world we live in, isn't it but I guess that's what makes life interesting!
I'm delighted to have such a lovely finish this week for Crazy Mom's Finish it up Friday and I'll be feeling less guilty about things as I head off to Brisbane (very early) tomorrow morning with Clare to see the Quilts 1700-1945 exhibition at the GOMA. More on that when we return.