Almost finished!

Since I got bitten by the quilting bug, I've finished a quilt top - I never thought a week ago that it would be so quickly transformed. And it's huge. Oh my goodness. (for a baby quilt, anyway..)

I did most of the blocks a few years ago and had so many done, I didn't have to do much more than cut out the black squares that go in the middle. I decided at the last minute to add a few and made two more rows to make it more square. I should have stopped while I was ahead, but knew I wanted to add an eye-catching border and then something that made it pop! on the outside.

Here's a shot of the entire top:

A close-up of the border:

I knew I wanted to do something that really stood out - and once I saw that orange polka dot, I was hooked. Then I had to find something black and white next. I picked this one - called "Hothouse Garden" - but I call it "Sha-ZAM!" in my best Jim Nabors voice, because it reminds me of a graphic novel or those old episodes of Batman or something.

Border pieces in progress. I sewed strips together and cut them to the width I wanted the border to be, and then sewed the ends together.

I had all those orange fat quarters that I bought several years ago to do I don't know what with, and had always wanted to a rainbow border like this. I decided to buy more orange instead and do all orange and yellow. The black fabric in the middle has circus balls on it, and the name of it is very fitting for a three-year-old boy with lots of personality: "Under the Big Top." I love it!

Now, for the back. Stay tuned. I want to use the rest of the "Sha-ZAM!" and orange polka dots for that.