April Progress and May Goal

I didn't get a post done for the One Monthly Goal for April but I did make progress.  Grand Illusion (Bonnie Hunter's 2014 Mystery) is now a completed top.  It was stalled for several years as I used the wrong greens originally for the checkerboards that form the sashing so it was a very busy quilt.  The value was wrong.  This winter at the guild retreat, I finally remade the checkerboards in very pale greens and it works much better.  Scrappy pink binding is ready for this once it is quilted.  I need to pickup some backing and book a time to go quilt it.

I also finally got the stars sewn together and added to the centre of Common Bride. (the link goes to the designer's pattern page, no relation just an easy way to look at the complete design)  I'm not sure whether my stars are too small or the centre is too big but the coping strip I originally added made the centre too big for the stars.  I did need a small strip but it really was very small.   I have the half square triangles for the next border made and the flower heads assembled.  It needs the stems pieced then I can start the applique.  I keep looking at the next step trying to figure out how to do the applique without working with the bias edges as the next border is inverted triangles.  Since I hand applique, I'm afraid the edges will be stretched out of shape.  Not sure if I'll stay stitch the edges or see if I can piece them a bit large for trimming afterwards.  I'd like to piece two triangles as a square, applique and cut them apart but I'm not sure that is going  to work.  I'll need to play with the math.

Linking up with the May Monthly Goal.  This month, I want to get the stem blocks made for Common Bride and figure out how I'm going to do the triangle blocks.  Can I do it as a big square which will be cut apart for two triangles or do I do them as individual triangles and be careful with the bias edges?  I also have a challenge due at the end of June that I need to start but think I cant post pictures of that until later this summer.  I'd also like to purchase the backing for Grand Illusion and book the quilting time but the main goal is Common Bride.