Mopping up a UFO

To ease myself back into quilting I thought I would pull out a UFO and see if I can just get it finished.
I don't like having UFOs yet from time to time I get one that no matter what I do,  I spend more time reverse sewing than going forward -
THIS quilt is ONE of THOSE!

It was started as a 21st Birthday gift for a very special young lady almost 3 years ago and I should have realised from the very start it was going to be a challenge.

Apparently, Spike decided that the fabric (with Oriental Goldfish design) was too good to use and did everything in his power to stop me making the quilt-
including trying to eat the pattern!

But despite many protestations from him - I persevered and the quilt finally was ready for quilting -
and unpicking -
and quilting
and ..
it just didn't want to get quilted.

It probably didn't help when I decided to quilt a Japanese Screen design over each feature block - which involved a lot of "sew, stop, pivot, sew".
(I really must learn to FMQ).



My Sashiko stitching leaves a lot to be desired yet the last one was definitely better than the first -


So, it is now on to doing the binding and a label.

Then, this very belated Birthday gift, can finally be wrapped up and given to the one it was always intended for.


(Sorry Spike - that is not you!)




Update:
Shortly after this post was written, The Young Lady this Quilt was intended for landed her Dream Job at Microsoft in Seattle and unfortunately never received her gift.  It is now being enjoyed by someone else!