A new quilt project

A pattern for this quilt popped up on my Facebook page and it struck a chord.  Don't ask me why, because on all the patriotic days (Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Pioneer Day) it's typically about 100 degrees here, but for a couple of years I've been wanting to make a patriotic quilt.

In the United States, that means red, white, and blue!  This quilt calls for all different reds, blues, and cream/white/patterned fabrics.  I'll have to say the whites turned out to be browner than I expected, but I'm okay with it.

The next step is to see if I have enough of the background fabrics to make 20 squares 6 1/2" each.  I could use creamy muslin and make them all the same.  Then I'll sew the nine-patches together with the squares to make an 18" nine-patch.  Then I'll start assembling the whole thing.  This one has several rows of sashing outside the medallion, which I haven't ever done before.  Something new.  Another thing I'm thinking of doing is having the whole thing machine quilted by a professional.  I haven't ever done that either.

I can't wait to finish it!