Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Leaf Quilt Leaves Quilted

At long last, I have reached a major milestone in the leaf quilt.

I have hand-quilted the very last leaf.

The gaps were machine quilted some time ago, by Ferret.

It took a long time for me to handquilt each of the 33 leaves.

patchwork of random placed maple leaf blocks in two sizes

Actually, it wasn't too bad - 33 leaves, 36 months, slightly less then one a month. That's quite respectable progress. (Although the making of it started before I started the blog.) The advantage of having a blog, I suppose, a way to measure my progress against myself.

The next step will be to work out how to do the borders, and cut out the material and bind it (hand or machine?) and then photograph it, and post it. Hopefully before we redecorate the sitting room, which it is supposed to grace when it is finished.

The other big story of Christmas 2010 is the slight lack of heating.

Our oil boiler ceased to function on Christmas Eve morning, and although we managed - by dint of ringing every number in the phone book - to get someone out to see it in the afternoon, the news was not good. A major part had failed, the kind of part that costs hundreds to fix. However as the boiler itself is about 30 years old, and needed to be replaced soon anyway, we have decided that we won't bother with a repair. Of course, with bank holidays and the like, we haven't even had a chance to talk to possible installers yet (I'm hoping they don't shut up shop for the entire Christmas/New Year break).

On the other hand, we have budgeted for a new boiler, we don't have to worry about the cost of emergency purchase of electric heaters, we are not hungry, or thirsty, or oppressed, or afraid, or any of the other problems that afflict people this year.

And when I left the Church after going to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, the snow in the churchyard made it look like a Christmas card picture. It's sad to see it melting today.

I have much to be grateful for, as 2010 draws to a close.

2 comments:

tea and cake said...

Happy New Year to you x

tea and cake said...

Your quilt is beautful!