Diamonds and A Girl's Best Friend

 Oh, happy day! I have another 'Finish' to show you today. It's a real jewel and a long time coming!

 The pattern was a free one by Tula Pink and, although I can't seem to find it available anymore, it looks an awful lot like this one on Craftsy. Be warned, though, that because of the piecing method, each diamond might turn out to be a different size and need to be trimmed before setting the quilt together. I'm just sayin'.

 Back in 1980, I took my very first quilting classes along side my bff, Jan. Since then Jan and I have sewn many quilts in tandem, this Gypsy Diamond quilt being our last collaboration. Many of the fabrics were purchased off the flat-fold tables from various small town Alco stores in Kansas.

 The outside border, however, is an Amy Butler fabric called Gypsy Mum that I purchased after the diamond blocks were finished. Although I wouldn't call that particular print a favorite, I love the way it incorporates the colors and lends a sort of autumn feel to the quilt. A trip through the washer and dryer turned my all-over leafy quilting into pure crinkly delight!

 The quilt is a large one, 88" x 98". The blocks were finished in 2009 and set aside for about 5 years out of frustration with the size discrepancy. Finally, about a year ago, I got the top finished but took another year to get it quilted and bound. Sheesh!

 The quilt is backed using an extra wide blue batik purchased as a flat-fold in Delta, Colorado (my hometown growing up). The perfect binding was found among my stash treasures: a blue/grey square design by Aneela Hoey.

Last March, I wondered who would get the top quilted first....Jan beat me by a month or two. I'm happy to have at least caught up, finally!