May already

Life has got in the way of quilting in the last few weeks but I have managed to finish a quilt in time for competition this summer. It has taken twice as long as usual as I kept adding more bits to it.



I have just got a new sewing machine too but haven't been able to play with it yet!

It arrived yesterday and as I unpacked it and set it up to have a couple of hours to acclimatise , the weather changed and the thunder started to rumble round. The computer had blown in the thunder the previous day and dented the purse so didn't want another repair bill! Think there are storms forecast for today too! I will just have to read the manual I guess!
Yes it another Bernina! :o)

Flower Garden quilt.

I have started the quilting now. It will look better when it has all been through the wash and the marking pen doodles are washed out. I quite like how the hexagons take on a different look as you get close enough to see the stitching. All the central rosettes are quilted, so now it is "just" the area outside the central medallion and the borders to do, and then the binding.

I am stitching with my Bernina 200e and variegated Valdani 50 weight cotton thread in needle and bobbin.

UFO progress.

There are only a few edge pieces to sew in before I set this onto the base fabric but I am very undecided about which fabric to use.

They all have their merits.
The plain fabric will set off the quilting very well.
The small print is very like the character of the other patterns used.(mainly Laura Ashley)
The dark, larger flowered fabric sets the piecing off, but any quilting will not show very well.

Usually in a situation like this I can make my mind up when I see the pictures lined up next to each other but this time I am stumped as to which way to go.

Perhaps a different colour would be better?

I really did hear correctly!

This weekend was the Great Northern Quilt Show in Harrogate which was on for three days starting on Friday. On Thursday I had a phonecall and even though I wrote down what was said I didn't take it in until we went to the show on Sunday. It felt as if I sent emails about it or told anyone that it would prick the bubble---- but it really was all real!!!!

The theme competition for the show was "Butterflies and Blooms" and I entered this quilt with coneflowers and butterflies seen in the garden.

It won the competition!

As if that wasn't enough it won the Machine Quilting award too and the Overall Champion award and prize.

On top of that my entry into the Hoffman Challenge won Second Prize.

I am still pinching myself!