Another weekend ahead, and I don't know how much sewing I can do; I've got to do some long-neglected bookwork, and once the paperwork is spread out on every available surface there's not much room left for sewing.  I probably need a break anyway, I've sewn madly all this year, achieved a lot of finished long-term projects, and it will be therapeutic to put on my accountant's hat for a couple of weeks.

My latest finish is a big one.  I ignored everything else yesterday, and used every available moment to sew the Triple Irish Chain into one piece. 

It seemed like it was never going to end, just one endless seam after another.  There was a small break when I went round to pick up Mereth and Pippi for the nightly walk; Mereth had to put up with me complaining that my neck hurt from so much sewing, and I was silly to have done so much, and I was going to leave it for a while.  Not.  I went home after our walk, skipped dinner, and sewed even more frantically till 11pm.  Then I hung the finished top on the design wall and went straight to bed.   I am more than a little insane; however, it feels very good to get things over and done with.
I felt triumphant this morning, seeing it hanging up.  I'm very pleased with it, and quite chuffed that it lays as flat as a tack, with all those hundreds of seams and itty-bitty squares.  It took ages, but it was worth it.  

The emphasis this year seems to be on completing things that have been on my list for a very long time; all those ancient UFOs, and now this chain quilt which has been on the to-do list for at least 8 years.  How amazing to look at the photo of the antique quilt, and then at my copy, and think, 'I did it!  I made it!' 

I love that feeling of accomplishment; those three little words are very powerful, like a thumping great pat on the back.  I remember my DD as a very small girl, pushing the buttons on the microwave to start things cooking, and her triumphant 'I did it!' afterwards.  Kids take such joy in achieving things, I think adults should be more like that, instead of immediately trudging onto the next job on the list.  Every time I sit down at the machine to sew now I get that feeling as I hear Beloved humming away; I did it, I fixed her.  I finished those UFOs, and this big top.  A little bit of quiet elation is in order.

Next on the UFO list are these two tops, only needing borders.  

I was stumped over them before, hopefully this time I can dredge up a few ideas.  I think I may have to make string borders for the Spiderweb, which will be a lot of work but would fit in well with the centre of the top.  

I will let the ideas simmer while I tackle the bookwork.