It has started!

this hole in the wall is where my wonderful new wardrobe is going to be in the sewing room. It will be right along one wall, floor to ceiling.  My dear John is building it himself, but he well need to get the doors made by someone.

Two months ago I started looking at quotes for shutters on all my windows.  It has taken ages, but they were installed yesterday.  This is the sewing room window, which faces North, and I get all this wonderful winter sun.  I do not even have to turn the light on to sew!

I feel like I am in a tropical paradise - Singapore at the very least.  I love the look of this room.  It is so exciting to see this done, after so many years of doing very little except maintenance about the house.  The vines are wisteria, and in the the spring they hang down like bunches of grapes.  I can't stop admiring.

While the lovely young men were here, I could do nothing but sit and hand sew.   I am trying something different - using the backing fabric as the binding.  I know is an old style, but it occurred to me when I realised the backing on the quilt was quite compatible with the border.  This is my Mystery quilt for our class next Friday, and Saturday, so I can't show the whole thing.

It took a while for me to get my mind around the concept, but you make sure that you quilt right to the edge, leave 1/4" batting, then at least 1/2" of  the backing, turn under and under again onto the front of the quilt, and slip stitch in place.  I am taking the stitches very slightly into the back of the quilt to hold in all in place, and so far it looks ok.  This is great if you are in a hurry to finish something, and you have compatible fabrics.  

 

Once again, the machine quilting was done by Elaine, at Quilting in the Vines at McLarenVale

Thanks Elaine, for such a great job - so fast! (I know she pops in from time to time)