Roots/Blockheads sampler

I finished putting the "Back to our Roots" swap/Moda Blockheads sampler quilt together over the weekend and even made the binding.  After I took some photos, I hung it and the binding up in the closet in my sewing room.  I can't decide whether to quilt it myself (it's about 60" x 75") or has Marie to use her long arm on it. 

If I do it myself, I'll need to take it to the Old Labor Hall to pin-baste, and then I'll do every block individually.  With the black sashing and borders, I guess I would use gray thread to do the whole thing.  If I have Marie do it, she'll use an overall pantograph, but she is very careful and likes to pick something that would complement the quilt.  So it will come down to how much time I feel I have.  This makes three quilt tops hanging in the closet which is about my limit.  It makes me uncomfortable to have too many just waiting, although I don't have any particular people or places to give them to at the moment.  I still have to piece backings for all three quilts.

I would like to come up with another name for this quilt, too.  My online swap group is an international one, and every year we do a swap that nearly everyone joins in on.  We started as a group swapping blocks from Jennifer Chiaverini's Sylvia's Bridal Sampler, and some of these blocks come from that group that did a "Back to Our Roots" swap this year.  Some of the blocks not in that book are blocks of the week by designers from the Moda fabric company.  Some of them were quite difficult so I made a few 9" rather than the usual 6".  When I laid the blocks out the three star blocks seemed perfect accents.  Maybe a star-related name will come to me as I give myself a little distance.

My Elna machine is going to be going in for its much-delayed annual service and cleaning, so I am working on a wool applique project for the next few weeks.  My old reliable Viking 100 is good for basic sewing but probably won't fit into my new sewing table.  The holidays will help me avoid work-arounds!