top section complete...

**UPDATE - This is going to be helpful to anyone making the top so I added it in after the post. Here is the "map" for laying out the top section. it didn't arrive with my bom package, but I got it from another person and I think it's in the original pattern, so it's likely to come next time. However since it goes with this post, it needs to be here.

These are the measurements for the top section with the strips you need to add to make the blocks all fit together. Hope this will help when piecing your top section together. ***

I got my top section completed and all done!! I know the top is ragged, but I'm leaving it until the whole quilt top is done...it will make trimming easier with no miss cuts.

I got all the embroidery done on the sections and I already put all the button eyes on the quilt. I know most say never do it before quilting, but I'm very careful when I quilt and I also plan to quilt in the ditch anyway with hand quilting added for some of the appliqued blocks. There's no problem of buttons appearing in the seams!

Close-up of the left side....

and the right side.

I hope that some of you do start this quilt soon. It's a wonderful quilt and I know that some people get overwhelmed when seeing the whole quilt and get scared. Don't think about the whole quilt at once. Just pick one block, read the directions and start slow. I know the instructions are a bit crude to some who are used to being lead by the hand with most patterns, but these patterns are this way so you can add your own personality to the design. As long as YOU like the way it looks...it's perfect!

Now I'm moving on to get all the rest of the economy blocks done for the right side. We finally got another package from Homestead Hearth that has fabric for all those economy blocks. Since they sent lovely fabric for economy blocks I'm happy to use it.