Portrait Quilt finished!

At last, after nearly a month, I have finished my quilt. Uh-huh, oh yes, it's true. Loads and loads of hand stitching. I machine stitched the background quilting though as I didn't fancy hand sewing all that! Anyway, here's the finished quilt. See how I have all those pretty red buttons in my arms? That's my latest passion that is, red buttons! :0)

Tomorrow I start on a challenge quilt for my web group The Fibre Pirates. I have sent a package to the coordinator in the US which contains lots of lovely scraps of fabric, ribbons, threads and beads. Yesterday I received a similar package from the States (from a mystery donor) and I have to see what I can make from it. When everyone is finished we get to find out who got our package and then we send the finished piece back to them. I'm really looking forward to making my 'thing' and I already know what I am going to do, but it has to remain a secret for now! So you won't get to see the progress I'm afraid. I'll have to report back when the challenge is over in two months time.

Stitched Portrait Update

I have now stitched all the main outlines on the portrait quilt. It came along much quicker than I expected. I am jolly proud of all the hand stitches because as Bry knows, I am not very patient with hand sewing usually! I am a bit miffed though that Gary reckons my nose looks like an erect penis! Now that's all I can see!!!!

I'm not really sure where to go from here. I wanted to stitch and embellish it to death and I feel like a need a day or two to mull over the next step. Here's my favourite bit in close-up: