Valedictory Top Completed

I finished adding the border with swag applique today. The quilt is very strong with strong colors and design. Most of the fabrics are from Moda's Lorraine series because the young lady who is the intended recipient speaks fluent French and dreams of Paris. The dark green (which is primarily black) is a Windham Fabric New Colonies reproduction fabric by Nancy Gere. It is not the norm to use a large patterned  background fabric but it suits this quilt. The block where that makes the biggest difference is the laurel wreath with cherries and I inserted reverse applique in the vase handles and in the inked areas. As previously described, the blocks are from a variety of sources but none is as originally drawn in the patterns I have. Each has some element changed to suit my overall scheme. The border, however, is pretty much as drawn by Bonnie Browning in a 1998 book called "Borders & Finishing Touches" though a third smaller than the original. 

  No quilt is without errors but this is nice and square with only one, to me, glaring issue. I have to decide if I will fix it or leave it be. I plan very simple quilting so I expect to be done before the end of August when she goes back to school. NB--I did fix the errant element and I am probably the only person other than my husband who will know which one it is.