Binding in Secret

I am finishing the strip quilt before the end of the year, and want it to be a surprise as a Winter Solstice gift, so its being done without being seen by anyone else for now. I had to put a stronger dressing on my finger, rather than just the bandaid because everytime I bumped it, the darn thing hurt REALLY bad. Not to be a baby about such a small wound, I know that I sliced off a lot nerve endings there and am not taking anything for pain. Some people have to deal with worse so I am just on my own with it.

The strip quilt machine quilted nicely almost making it look like channel quilting in the back, though it was, in fact, stitch in the ditch. As I looked at my 2.5" strips, at first it seemed to go with the top if the binding was all varied. However, back in the cutting days, I had cut strips out of some scraps that were a sort of Summer Island print of white, teals, purples and a dash of gold. They had been joined in a contiguous set that was rolled and ready.

Funny thing, I kept looking at the variety of 2.5" strips trying to decide, saying to myself that I should keep this for a quilt. Wait. What? This is a quilt. It went all the way around with less than a foot overage. It is perfect. What surprises me is how it picks up the colors from some strips and also looks good with the dark gray back.

Half of it is done now, and I would like to devote the remainder of the day to cleaning papers on the desk in the studio.  The doc initially told me it would take to the end of the year or the finger to heal. I am thinking this is correct.