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Tuesday 17 January 2012

First happy dance of 2012 and an overdue ORT report

I have finished something!!!! And not just anything, but the Bedfordshire lace butterfly I started back in May 2009! I am unbelievably proud of this little bit of lace, I have learnt so much during Christine Springett's courses, and it really shows in the pieces I am producing.



I'm also very proud to say that I have finished my first quilt top. Of course I've not finished the quilt yet... I have no idea how I'm going to successfully quit it using my basic sewing machine and my very small dining table... But here is a photo of the top as it was when I completed the pattern.



I decided that I wasn't entirely happy at this point. When I started this I somehow misinterpreted the pattern and used the plan cream in the setting triangles in the blocks as well - instead of another pretty print. So there is WAY too much plain cream. So I decided the play a bit. But I didn't take a photo of the quilt top once I'd made my additions - so that will have to be a surprise! Since then I have pinned by batting and backing cloth to the quilt and folded it up carefully. Hopefully I'll be able to start the quilting process at the weekend.

And now for a very late ORT report. Last year I took part in the TUSAL - the totally useless stitch along. I religiously collected all of my ORTs (old ratty threads) into a pretty vase, and at each full moon posted a picture of the vase and my collection on my blog. Until September, when I went temporarily AWOL from blogland.... BUT, I did remember to take a photo of the ORTs before I cleared the vase out to start my 2012 collection:



I am VERY late with my first ORT report of 2012, but here it is. The green at the bottom is from Peacock Firescreen, the red layer is a surprise, and the browny-gold layer is from a little Mill Hill Christmas ornament kit - a mandolin - that my mum popped in my Christmas stocking this year, and that I expect will be my second happy dance of the year.



Happy stitching everyone!

5 comments:

Blu said...

That really is a gorgeous butterfly!

And you're actually early with the TUSAL. The new moon isn't until the 23rd.

Stitchabilities said...

Lovely butterfly, and quilt, well done!!

Giovanna said...

Congrats on the two finishes - they're both lovely!

geeky Heather said...

WOW that lace butterfly is amazing!! I can see there are a few difficult techniques in there (not that I know the terminology enough to know what they are called, LOL!) and it looks perfect!!

And the quilt...well, let's just say the sewing machine and I can't work together without one of us coming to blows (hint: it's me), so I'm super-impressed!

Sandra said...

Your lace finish it just amazing, so delicate and beautiful, well done. Your quilt top looks great too. When I quilted my first (and only!) quilt I used my ironing board set down at a low height as an extra table because I had barely any work surface. Be sure to take lots of breaks, it's all too easy to lose track of time and end up with very sore shoulders/back