Diamond Tiles Border - Decision made and implemented

I agonized a bit over what to do with the Diamond Tiles quilt top... the borders were too plain... even with the square in a square corners.... I thought about taking them off and piecing them instead... but finally decided on some applique.  I drew the shapes, blew them up to 2 more sizes, then traced them onto fusible (eight times for each size), fused the black fabric, cut out the shapes, and then agonized a bit more over the thought of actually fusing them to the background... what if I put them on and hated it????

Finally, I took the plunge, heated up the Rowenta, placed the motifs and put iron to fusible-backed fabric.   I did the opposite (bottom right) corner as a mirror image to this top left corner.

I think I love it!  Whew!!!  What a relief.  Just have to sew all the pieces down, and I can call this one done, and ready it for quilting!

Piecing progress

I made 12 blocks from a pattern given to us during the 'Get-to-gather' at Quilt Emporium in Woodland Hills, CA... instead of using their civil war colors, I used something that appealed more to me, however.  The block is called 'All Roads Lead Home' and each block is 16".  I added piano key borders and mitered the corners, because I think that (or cornerstones) looks best with piano keys.

I also finished another top, including the borders this morning... no picture yet as I'm too short to take down the one above and hang the new one on the design wall...

The second quilt is made using Bonnie Hunter's Diamond Tiles block pattern, with a feline theme... fussy cut all these kitties on point to set in the tiles and chose some pawprints for the borders.   The white outer border might be a little stark, but didn't have anything else that looked remotely good with it.