It is finished!

Friendship's Garden was my oldest UFO dating from 2005 when I went on a course to learn how to applique. 

It was a great pattern to choose as there are straight lines, inner and outer curves but it is not so complicated to put you off.  It is a Blackbird Design by Alma Allen and Cherie Ralston.  

This is the original from the book - I moved the pineapple block into the middle so I could turn my quilt around anyway up and made a block from a different Blackbird design as my ninth block.

I had a very patient teacher in Julia Illman - she still teaches and has her own shop called the Patchwork Cabin in Great Bookham in Surrey.  Perhaps I should send her a photo of my much belated finish?

The thing that frightened me back in 2005 was the HST sashing...

 And then when I finished that it was that swag border that made me delay further.

And then the block to getting it finished was how to quilt it.  I have talked it over with Helen so many times but then we talked about stippling (again - I'm sure). 

The stippling was the right decision without a doubt  - thank you Helen - but it nearly drove me to tears!  So very boring but just what was needed to make the applique on this quilt pop.

And the wreaths are crosshatched with my quilt label information in the centre!

And now the pain of birth is over I am totally delighted with my baby!

And the moral is: don't give up on those 9 year old UFOs - sometimes they can grow up into beautiful quilts....