I love it!

Free motion isn't the only way to machine quilt. I used to handquilt all of my quilts, but, now I quilt a lot of them in a diagonal grid. All you need is a walking foot and it is a really nice affect. Google "diagonal grid quilting" and you'll find pictures and tutorials.

beautiful quilt

I think it is very pretty and I think having someone quilt it for you is not cheating. You did everything, but the quilting - no biggy. I did do part of a quilt on an embroidery machine and decided if I ever really wanted it finished I needed to send it out. Remember long armers need lots of overlap on all ends - it needs to get attached to the leaders. I did send out a partially finished quilt and almost had heart failure when she charged me what she did. She asked for a $35 deposit and I thought she wouldn't charge me more than $100. I had embroidered a quilt design in the middle of each block - she did some stitch in the ditch to fill in, and she did the border. Sticker shock - $300+ she charged me - OMG So just send it out and leave lots of fabric 4-5 inches all edges - you'll be happy. You say you've not done a binding. Go to youtube and look up some techniques - very helpful. One of the best tips I ever got was Not to iron the binding in half. Just folding is easier.
Good luck

these days for larger quilts, i'm trying to quilt them in sections. Quilt as you go method. my throat space isn't that large and it kills me to stuff my quilt through it.lovely quilt!!!

I understand the satisfaction of doing it all yourself, and yes, it is a big quilt for a smaller machine, but if you cut the batting into thirds and just add in one section at a time, it will be much easier....there are tutorials showing how to do this. I did fmq on a 112" square quilt and on a small machine. It wasn't easy and certainly not my best effort (first attempt at fmq) but I finished it and my sister loves it! I would make a bunch of small (12-18") sandwiches and practice your fmq at lots of different patterns (hearts, stippling, meander, loops, etc) before I started on a large quilt....it is harder than it looks. Check out Leah Day's website....she has great fmq patterns to practice and use on quilts. Binding is relatively easy compared to fmq, but check out the videos and tutorials as there are many different methods. Then pick one and bind your practice sandwiches. By the time you've done them all, you will be a pro and ready for your large quilt!

I love it... I have a quilt that I am hand quilting as well... and it is taking FOREVER... have considered having it finished by machine, but thinking that would ruin the look... but this is YOUR quilt, and if it is only started, I think it should turn our really nice. Talk to whomever you think you would get estimates from, and see what they say...

Sorry I am no help with the quilting I do not handquilt, really beautiful quilt!

Color choices an pattern hint that your sister likes simple designs. I would quilt this to bring out the star design.
choose the batting carefully; one that will not need to be quilted densely. Stitch along all the seam lines so design elements puff up. You could also echo quilt in the white/background areas to be sure the batting won't bunch-up when quilt is washed. Also, be sure to tell the owner that the quilt should be washed cold water, gentle cycle in big load machiine at laundrymat, dry on low heat. It is worth the laundrymat cost, trust me. This can be done on your home sewing machine! I suggest using basting spray and safety pins to hold the "sandwich" together for quilting, and take your time. GOOD LUCK.

It's beautiful (I love sage green!) but I certainly understand why it'd be a bit intimidating, to quilt. I tend to stick with twin-size or smaller. For something like that, I'd probably learn how to do QAYG (quilt as you go) and quilt each block separately, then fasten them together.

However you decide to finish it, it'll certainly be loved! :thumbup: