Dresden plates lap quilt

Now that we are back home (and back at work), I've decided to give my mother the Dresden plates lap quilt. I had only made the Dresden plates before we left, so I've been busy piecing the background and appliquéing the plates on. Last week I spent the night, with mozzies around my ankles, basting it, as I want to give it as a Christmas present.

I stitched "every stinking seam" (thanks Cindy Needham), even around each of the blades. I must have done a lousy job of basting, as to my dismay, there are lots of puckering opportunities on both the front and back of the quilt!

I'll be quilting it quite loosely, so I'm hoping I'll get away with if for five of the plates, but the second last one I did is bad and I'll have to pull out the trusty seam ripper.

I'm still trying to decide what to quilt and have started off with fm feathers in the blocks. I've confirmed that I can't work my way down from the top, as my feathers start to look really odd. I still haven't decided what to do in the sashing and borders. Maybe I'll try the December video Fmq challenge.