How could I have forgotten?

I had just finished that last blog, when I received this from Shanti, who came to our Charm Pack weekend in the spring:

"Here are some photos of the applique quilt I learnt to make at your workshop.  I only finished the project last week. I quilted the pieced centre by machine, doing three or four concentric squares, and hand-quilted around the applique. I used the old-fashioned method of finishing the quilt by bringing up the excess backing fabric, folding it twice and hand-sewing it in place. It saved me cutting binding strips! I had originally intended making it larger with another pieced border, and perhaps another appliqued border to make a lap quilt. However, the friend for whom this is a thank-you gift (for the loan of her sewing machine, yes, the clunky thing I brought to the workshop) wanted it at this size to hang on her wall. "

 

 

I think it looks lovely.

 

However, it was what she said next that rang a bell:

 

"Speaking of sewing machines, I bought myself a new Janome at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, and this was the first quilting I did on it."

 

How could I have forgotten?  My main purpose for going to the NEC was to finally get what many people would call a 'proper' sewing machine.  My £100 price drop TV machine has done the best it could, but  the Country Compass in thick, Japanese fabrics was just one ask too many.  So, and it wasn't an easy step to take, I have finally bought an up to date, proper sewing machine - and it's changed my life (in a way).  I don't have to force fabric under the foot, and keep holding on to the machine as it tries to walk across the table - I can even walk out of the room and leave it to work on its own if I want - well, almost!

 

I couldn't bring myself to spend a fortune, so it's not all singing and dancing, but, I am absolutely thrilled with it!