Simon top finished and Benjamin Biggs Wedding Quilt

Simon - the top is finished:

The final borders are a little different from what was planned but I am very happy with it.  I am not entirely sure what happened to the measurements but do know there was some considerable "user error" with a tape measure! 

Last post I had the centre top finished and the outer pieced border strips finished , and was debating the fabrics for the narrow joining borders. After auditioning a few, and taking note of your comments (thanks!)  I decided the paisley fabric was the way to go...

Paisley fabric just auditioning for two narrow outer borders - not stitched yet

So I carefully trimmed the top and the pieced border strips. All EPP papers had been removed and seams ironed open ( they needed trimming as I don't cut seams precisely before using the papers)...

Squaring and trimming with 1/4 inch seam allowance

Then I fussy cut my border fabric and machine stitched them to the quilt top. This is where the "user error" occurred - the strips were way too narrow. By then I had stitched them on and I was not undoing it all....

So I added another narrow strip all around  - cut from the same fabric :

That fitted fine so I stitched on the pre-prepared pieced border - phew:

At this point I had a look at the pattern again and read about 'traditional Dutch binding' - it is not visible on the front of the quilt (all the binding is folded over to the back). With that in mind I decided not to add a final border of paisley as I felt the quilt needed a dark outer edge. So ... am just going to finish on the pieced outer border. Besides...I am rather tired of sewing on borders LOL!

I am planning on domestic machine quilting this one (it is a manageable size at about 60" by 72")  and I am looking forward to giving this Dutch-style binding a try. 

Benjamin Biggs Wedding Quilt: I could not resist signing up for this free block of the month from Just Takes 2 (Gay and Brenda). I'd been itching to do a large reproduction applique project, tossing up between a few options. So many nice ones out there. Another reproduction antique is just my style and the gorgeous swag border on this quilt won me over - charming and a bit quirky, without being too challenging. Famous last words?

Picture from Just Takes 2

There is a Benjamin Biggs Wedding Quilt blog created for posting progress and there are already several wonderfully different blocks to look at there. I leaped at the chance to use reproduction reds and poison greens (having all these already in the stash just waiting for the right project). Here is progress so far:

Block 1- back basting needle turn applique

 OOh it is nice to be using red again!

Fabrics selected for my blocks

Medallion quilt:

Just to show this has not been abandoned - here is a peek at the final border progress. More on that next time....