Here is my version of the Sarah Johnson Quilt. I started hand piecing a few of the stars while on holiday in the US in October 2000. Very slow going indeed. I then shelved the project while I finished Loulou's fairy quilt. Once the fairy quilt was finished, I was back into this in earnest. Rather than piece the stars by hand, I've been machine piecing them using some speed piecing techniques, and spending time making the applique blocks by hand. I've used mostly reproduction fabrics, with a few others that fit in along the way. Below are some pictures of the centre medallion as at 9th March 2001.

The two pictures above are two of my favourite blocks in the centre medallion. I really like the appliqued melons on the block on the left, I'm finding after a break from applique that I'm quite enjoying it again. The block on the right is one of my favourite stars. There are quite a few I like, but this colour combination really appeals to me.
 

The above picture shows the centre medallion at the stage I'm currently at. I still have a lot of melons to applique around the border, and then two more borders to add after that. After the centre medallion is completed, the rest of the quilt will be much easier!
 

Above is my progress as at the 16th April 2001. As you can see, I've completed the centre panel, and have added the two rows of stars and the first of the borders. The border I've chosen is much darker than the one used in the AP&Q magazine, but I love the way the darker print compliments the darker fabrics in the stars! 

 Above you can see the completed quilt. I finished it in August 2001. I was working madly to a deadline so I could enter it into our local Guild show in September of the same year. I was so pleased when it won the prize for 'Best Hand Quilting'. This quilt was based on a pattern in the 1998 Annual edition of the Australian Patchwork & Quilting magazine. I have used a Jinny Beyer border print in my quilt, rather then the actual 'Sarah Johnson' border print used in the magazine. I think it gives my quilt a much more dramatic look. This quilt now lives on my bed in the warmer months. I'm so glad it's finished, and I love the way it looks!