Finally A Finish for "I Love to Fish"

I finished quilting my son's quilt Tuesday and got the label and binding finished Wednesday night.  That's when I got to wondering what I would use for a box to present it to him.  Then I remembered that big Whitman's Candy Sampler box that held 74 pieces; he and his wife had given it to me for Christmas.  I knew where the box was in the garage, so I went and got it.  Sure enough, if I fold the quilt just right it will fit in that box.  So that problem is settled. 

After I finished the last stitch on the binding, when I was doing the experimental folding, I realized there was red blood on the label!  I knew a pin had stuck me, but I didn't realize I was bleeding to death!  Sure enough, blood was in several places, front and back!  I panicked, of course, but grabbed the bottle of Peroxide from my sewing closet and doused each spot of blood I could find.  Fortunately, the next morning, there was no sign of blood anywhere except one place I had missed.  So it got doused with Peroxide, and it disappeared too, with no damage at all to the quilt, thank goodness!

Here's several pictures I took this morning while the sun was out.  It measures 62" x 52", perfect for use in his recliner.  (The words are from a panel from Home a la Mode, Denison, Texas.)

Perhaps the pinkish squares look a little feminine, but they match perfectly with the pink in the fishing lures.
He works at Academy in Fishing Dept., in addition to his frequent fishing, so I think he will love the fishing lure fabric.

I decided to put this strip on the back so he will see it when he pulls his quilt up in his chair.
Label is also in the corner to the right of this strip.  

The backing worked out much better that I had predicted.
It started out perfectly centered, top and backing, but by the time I got to the other end,
it was off center 1/2".  It barely shows in the row of fish I quilted in those two narrow outside borders.
I can live with it, and so will he.

Now I'm having to wait until he has a day off from work so I can give it to him.  I hope he will like it, and I think he will.  All of the sayings in the blocks express my feelings for him precisely!  I love the two in the last line:  "You are my Sonshine. my only Sonshine; You make me happy when skies are gray.  You never know, dear, how much I love you.  Please don't take my Sonshine away."  We used to sing that together when he was a little boy, and he is 57 now!

Needless to say, I love my son with all my heart!

---"Love"