New Toys

I've been playing with my Christmas present! Hip, hip, hip, hooray! I tried to tell you about it before, if you remember, but I was having relationship problems with The Laptop. Now that we're best buddies again, I can show you in better detail.
The Husband bought it.......technically anyway, as he footed the bill!....from www.machinequilter.co.uk and it is their NEQ2, And it is fabulous!! Up until now, I've just been doing test runs on old sheets and random bits of wadding, but today was the day that I was rolling out the big guns. Well, a quilt top, at any rate.
Normally, I try to avoid machine quilting as it brings me out in hives. And short temper. And aching shoulders. However, I'd tried the NEQ2 at The Festival of Quilts, and felt that with it's help, I could possibly manage to make quilts on a more commercial basis. Basically, it allows you to use your domestic sewing machine as a long arm quilting machine. It even negates the need to crawl around on hands and knees, for AGES, basting a quilt (my least favourite part!). What's not to love??
There had been a very slight hiccup with the Nifty Grip handles, but the Brilliant Martha and Wonderful Paul, who are at the business end of The New Love of My Life, had it sorted in no time....in spite of the fact that it was between Christmas and New Year, and Paul had been poorly. I cannot praise this small company enough. The craftmanship of the actual frame is second to none, and the customer services are astoundingly good. I truly recommend that you take a closer look.
So. Back to the quilt top. I was so nervous! It's one thing practising loops and swirls on a bit of old sheet.....quite another to loop and swirl on something that took you time and effort to create. But I did it! Yay!
Would you like to see? Of course you would.

The top is a generous lap quilt, or perhaps a cot quilt-either way, it only took me a couple of hours to quilt. With no loss of temper. Or aching shoulders. Hip, Hip, Hip, Hooray!! Now, all I've got to do is find a binding to set it all off.
Thanks for popping by. See you soon. xx