This Quilt is Talking

I started working on this quilt WEEKS ago. It has been really slow going due to other things happening. I spent 3 days with the Quilters of South Carolina at Fall Retreat. There have been numerous Guild meetings to attend. Planning and preparation for One Loose Threads Fall Quilt Camp. Then there is Fall Quilt Camp: 4 days of constant laughter and loads of fun. After which there is the time to recover from 4 days of constant laughter and loads of fun............

Back to the quilt. I put it on Olivia's frame and basted it down. Then I spent several days 'ditching' around all of the applique with Superior's mono-poly thread. (not one thread break!!) I did experience 4 broken needles until I finally figured out that I had the backing---a beautiful batik---cranked to tight and that was causing so much needle deflection that even titanium would not stay together.

The entire time that I am 'ditching' this top I am thinking what else it will need. I have decided to do my own 'McTavashing' as the background filler, so constant practice on paper is going on. However, the quilt sort of whispers............"What about my border? I think I want you to stitch something special there." So, once the applique is ditched, I started work on the border. It comes together one element at the time.

I got this much done and something told me that wasn't enough so I added additional lines above it.

So now the border is pretty much finished---except----I will need to stitch something into this diamond and will have to stitch something into the corners because currently they look like this:

While I was in the process of doing these things I thought about this:

So that has now been added at the intersections of all of the blocks.
I have reached a point that I have to start working with the background fill. This can be absolutely, the most terrifying thing to me. I am much more comfortable with templates, but, here we go.

I'll let you see later how things are working out.
Have a great day and stay warm