Update on Gavin's Quilt

I just looked back at the last time I posted anything about Gavin's quilt, and I was surprised that I've only posted one update since I first talked about it in this post.   I showed you the hippogrifs in this post.  Since I'm really close to finishing it, I thought I should give you a real update.   The castles were the next section that I worked on.  I really wanted to add a little color, but Gavin is making all the decisions on this quilt and he wanted brown or tan for the castle.  

I did manage to work in a little red and yellow with the roofs, doors and windows. He likes it.  

It stayed like this for a while.  I think I was a little over-whelmed at this point.  All that paper-piecing, you know.......Since most of the top was dark I had to order black batting, Quilter's Dream and wait for it to get here.   Then it sat there, basted, for a while. 

I finally realized that there was a slim chance Gavin might outgrow this one before I finish it.  That's all I needed to get quilting -- motivation!!

I started in the middle with the BIG Centaur and just stippled.  

And stippled. 

And stippled some more.

I always think a little embroidery helps, so I added a little to the windows.  The owls look better with eyes than without eyes, don't they?

Gavin is doing a great job with color selections, isn't he? 

At this point the entire thing is quilted except for the black background areas, so there is hope that it will be done soon.  Maybe even tomorrow???

Gavin's Knights and Castles Quilt

Little boys.  Ya gotta love 'em!   Gavin got his last quilt from Gramma in 2006.  After that, every time I made a new quilt for someone else he claimed that it was "his turn" again.  When I asked him what color he wanted for his next quilt he said, "I don't care, Gramma.  I love ALL your quilts!"   Awwwww.  Do you think he knows how to play me, or what?  

Last summer it really was his turn again so I asked what kind of quilt he would like.  He was huge into a Medieval phase so he decided he wanted something with knights.  I found some great prints by Timeless Treasures and with no plan in mind I bought some ---- a lot.

I normally don't like working with panels, but these knights were so cool, and since I didn't know what I was doing with them anyway, I bought some. 

I cut the panel into squares and started planning.

Now, I have to tell you that the Electric Quilt program for planning and designing quilts is very, very cool.  Hubby bought it for me years and years ago.  Even though I have upgraded twice to newer versions, and talked him into getting me a laptop so I could take an EQ class, and then have taken a couple of classes I still plan my quilts this way.............

Yah.  I know. 

But, even though I designed it my own way, it turned out great, and I just love the backing fabric.

My friend Angela at QuiltedJoy.com did a beautiful job quilting it for me.  (I decided Gavin had been waiting long enough, so I didn't want to take the time to quilt it myself.) She used a pattern called "Funky Fleur de Lis" and blogged about it here.

I mailed the quilt to Gavin last week, so I don't have a photo of him with it..........yet.  Here's a picture of him without the quilt.  (Gotta show off the grands whenever you can, right?)

Oh, and one more thing.  Gavin has since moved out of his Medieval phase and into his Greek Mythology phase.  But, I'm not worried about that.  He loves ALL my quilts!