Blogger's Quilt Festival!!

I missed out on the Spring festival because...well, I was moving, enough said :)  But, I've made such great progress on this current quilt, that I definitely want to participate in the Fall Festival!! So, if you're here from the Blogger's Quilt Festival, welcome :)  I can't wait to peruse all of your beautiful work too!

I am so excited to be able to finally share this quilt with you all (almost) in it's entirety!!!!!  I finished the main part of the hand quilting last night and have only the borders left to do, then the binding, obviously.  I started this quilt for my oldest daughter, who's five, after completing this quilt for my other daughter, who's three.  I suppose now I need to get working on one for the little guy :)  So, without further ado...

This is the Strawberry Fields pattern from the book, Material Obsession, which I absolutely love and would like to make every single quilt out of :) It's the first ever quilt that I've quilted completely by hand and I really love the effect.  Thankfully, Natalie has been very patient with me ;)  Here is a close up of the star quilting in the middle of each block:

And there is a heart in the middle of each corner piece.  (Don't inspect too closely--it's not perfect :)

So, what makes this quilt even more special, is the fact that my dear friend Jenn is visiting me this week for my birthday (yes, I'm 29 today!) and we are both making this same quilt!! Jenn and I met 9 years ago in Georgia, just before both our husbands left for Iraq.  It was a God-ordained friendship, we are both convinced.  9 years and 5 kids between the two of us later, we still try to see each other once or twice a year.  This is the two of us at our Harvest party at church last Friday (no, I don't usually dress in pig tails and a clown costume, hahaha)

Anyway, Jenn brought her quilt with her to work on the hand quilting (she is making this for her oldest daughter too!) Today, we hung them side by side.  I can't believe how different they look!!

Aren't they beautiful????? I can't wait to finish it and put it on Natlie's bed and see what it looks like with Layla's!  Maybe that will inspire me to paint and finally decorate their room! (By the way, Kelby's room is all done and awesome! I'll share pics later this week, I can't wait to show you :)