Penny Sanford Porcelains: DROOL over this version of my quilt project

Well! If I had seen this colorway of Botanika by Robyn Pandolph, I might have gone with this version. Those golds and reds really talk to me!

However it is possible that this winner of a ribbon (white ribbon = third place?) at the Smoky Mountain Quiltfest at Pigeon Forge Quilt Show chose her own fabrics for this pattern.

Quilting friend Pam McRae sent me this picture she took when attending that show after reading that I was making such slow progress on my Botanika quilt. Pam, you're an angel of motivation! (Pam is the webmaster of the Mississippi Quilt Association website.)

The border must be a personalized step beyond the original pattern, and I really like how it ties the blocks together.

The second picture is a close version of the quilt block- of-the- month by Stitchin' Heaven in Quitman, Texas.

I still love the colors in this version of the quilt (see my September finished block).

I adore how they tend to the smallest detail and provide generous and quality fabric for their block of the month programs, so this is the third BOM I've done with them. (Another BOM I've signed up for through Stitchin' Heaven starts this month...details in a later post.)

As you can see, I finished August, September and October blocks, and I am managing to crawl along on the December block. I jumped over the November block, and now I can't remember why I put it off.

Hey, today I managed to squeeze in stitches for 1/2 of a leaf on that December block!

If I want to put a border around my quilt similar to the border in the first picture, then I need to find more of the background fabric Stitchin' Heaven is using... that I adore! Sanctuary by Two Sisters for Moda.

The third version of this quilt uses a strong pattern for the border. It uses a palate of purples.

The fourth version of this quilt that I found some -where online was in The Road to California Quilt Show. Note the heavier quilting inside each block. The border (not pictured) had a shell quilted pattern. The back- ground appears to be a solid cream. I like the extra blues in this quilt also.

So, what do you think? Which border treatment do you like best? Which colorway do you like best?

I would really value your thoughts. One day soon I will run out of leaves to applique on my current block, and I will be ready to move onto the next block.

If you know who made these specific quilts, please let me know and I will be delighted to give them credit in this post!

By the way, you need to read this exciting article from the The Wall Street Journal about the growth in the quilt and fabric industries and how quilts have revived the economy of Paducah, Kentucky!