It's finished!!!

Please read the title in a sing-song voice 'cos that's how it sounds in my head!

Last night I (finally) put the final stitch in the binding of my Stained QAL quilt.  I got up this morning to take some (really bad) photos before putting it in the washer.  I then went back to bed to read doze until the washer played its tune and I got up to put it in the drier.

My apologies for the bad 'before washing' photos (and, now I've uploaded the 'after washing' photos, I can see that they're no better!) - I waited until it was as light as it was going to get (it's been one of those 'lights on from 9am onwards' days) but they're not brilliant mild understatement and the colours look so washed out compared to real life.  Even faffing on Picmonkey didn't help but I wanted to get my 'ta da!' post in before the year was out so I haven't got time to wait for the sun to shine!  I really need to find a better place in my house/garden to take photos - how do the rest of you manage?!  These were taken in my front room, with me hanging over the banister, holding the camera out at arm's length and hoping for the best.  Which didn't happen!

The front

The back

And a close-up of the quilting and some of the slightly dodgy intersections, which aren't as evident in this photo as I thought they'd be but I've probably got my picky knickers on when I look at the quilt!

The colours still aren't right but they're closer

And, after being squeezed in a very small tumble drier for a good part of the afternoon, this is what it looks like now...

The front

The back

And another close-up:

Beautifully wrinkled and crinkled...and not quite dry!  The colours are much more like they are in real life though!

Here's a much better photo of four blocks to give you a much better idea of the colour.  This is how rich they are in decent light/real life:

It's not the flattest quilt I've ever made but neither are people and it's intended to be a snuggling quilt.  I also think that being squashed in the drier hasn't done it any favours and, after a couple of hours in the airing cupboard, it's looking distinctly less bumpy but you'll have to take my word for it as there's not enough light to take a photo!

I don't usually name my quilts (other than 'the blue and white one', 'the big one', etc.) but I feel this needs a name.  As it's made from the leftovers of this quilt (also made for Mam and Dad) and given that at this time of year we're all eating leftovers, I wondered about calling it 'Turkey Sandwiches' but I can't see my parents going for that so I suspect it's doomed to being called 'Leftovers' for the foreseeable future...if you have any better ideas please shout!

Quilt stats:
Size before washing - 48" x 72" (12" blocks)
Size after washing - 46" x 69" (ish)
Fabric - (not prewashed, unusual for me!) leftovers plus three metres of Klona Grey
Piecing - machine
Wadding - two layers of Warm and Natural/Warm and White
Quilting - QAYG by machine in random wavy lines
Pattern - based on a design by Sarah@Narcoleptic In A Cupboard (see the Stained QAL Flickr group for details) and adapted to make the best use of the assortment of odd-sized leftovers I had available.

Thanks, Sarah, for hosting a marvellous QAL, I really enjoyed it, even if I'm almost (but not quite, Annabella!) last! 






That's about it from me for this year...thank you for all your support, kindness and thoughtful generosity this year, I think you're all marvellous!

It wouldn't be an ATWD post without a photo (or eight) of his Lordship though, would it?!

Taking centre stage, as usual:

Are you sure this isn't for me?

And putting those big brown eyes and expressive ears to good use:

Then this is surely for me, I'll give it a good sniff to be sure.  Maybe if I close my eyes it'll open and reveal a giant biscuit...nope  *sigh*

Happy New Year - I hope 2013 brings us all good health, peace, happiness and lots of stitching time!