Time to clear the decks.  There’s only so much crawling about on the floor I can do.

 

 

With the enemy laid out on the table, it was time to beat it into submission with a few carefully placed pins and a steam iron.

 

 

The instrument tray was assembled, with new needles and sharp scissors.  A last minute change of plan replaced the orange thread on the spool with a brighter, shinier cotton perle which had a little more zing.

 

 

In no time at all, the first of 56 buttons was stitched in place.  the other 55 followed on and were all done by lunchtime.

 

 

But it didn’t seem to be enough.  I felt further work was needed to join the layers together and, though I’ve shown you the corners which look like the one above, for every one that looks like this, there is another which is more like

 

 

this.

I’d already been though the cream button collection in my stash and knew I didn’t have enough for the centre of each pieced square.  Anyway, Marianne’s wise advice about overuse of buttons was in my mind as inspiration struck.

 

 

I tied the centre of each pieced square together using the orange thread and felt pleased with the look.

 

 

What’s more, a multitude of quilting sins are concealed in those little ties.  But hey, who’s going to be looking?  This is no competition quilt for sure.

 

 

By the end of the afternoon, all is tied, the edges trimmed and tacked in place ready for binding.  I’ve taken the precaution of applying a tiny spot of fraycheck in the centre of each knot too, just in case.  All the pins are out and it’s holding together nicely.

So am I.