Temperature Quilt -- English Paper Piecing Complete

All half diamond shapes in place

Goal number five on my February list was to finish English paper piecing the half diamonds on the other edge of my temperature quilt. 

To meet the goal, I needed to insert one half diamond piece 25 out of the 29 days of the month. I wasn't worried. I started out the month making good progress; but, after the first week, I fell behind. By the fourth week of February, I had pieced a little over fifty percent of the half diamond pieces. It wasn't looking like I'd meet that goal.

Gerite, my inner squirrel, kept whispering to me that I could do it. She told me all I needed to do was piece four shapes each day. 

Close up of lower edge

I couldn't get motivated. Days passed without me stitching even a partial diamond into the top. Daily, I review my monthly list of goals. I look at the calendar. I have talks with myself about which project I could move forward a bit as I approach the end of the month. I also determine what projects will likely languish. I ask myself what is holding me up to work on those projects.

While I had these conversations, Gertie told me that I had
done so well keeping up with this project for the last two years. She said it would be sad if I lost momentum now. The last two weeks, she has been especially vigilant. After all, I was 14 shapes from finishing the lower edge. This week on Monday, I pieced six shapes. Tuesday, I pieced the remaining eight blocks. Wednesday (this morning), I took a photo of my top.

My plan is to applique a border around the outer edge using the purple fabric.  Next step is to carefully remove the papers along one side and place it on the border. Rather than use pins to anchor the edge to the border fabric, I'll use small drops of glue. 

I'm feeling thankful that Gertie kept whispering words of encouragement!!!