Thursday, May 28, 2015

Two Steps Forward, One Step Backward

I am slowly working my way toward several finishes on my sewing and stitching projects, but the going is neither smooth or without setbacks.  That is real life, and it’s sometimes frustrating.

On my black and pink (etc) CQ project, the front is all completely stitched together. I had a backing and batting, which I finally realized was WHITE and totally inappropriate for the inside of this wallhanging-to-be. I don’t need much loft, just stability and the assurance that the inside will not beard through the needlepoint. Also, I didn’t want to order an entire batt or a complete roll of black, so I went off to my LQS and compared options.  My choices were a lightweight generic black batting (90 inches wide), fusible Pellon 911F interfacing, black knit interfacing or black felt.  I chose the black felt and got 1.25 yards. The facings were both too lightweight, and the batting would’ve had so much waste (and I don`t see myself using the leftovers in another small project in this lifetime).

So now I can begin construction. I am tempted to make my quilt sandwich and quilt between the squares and around the needlepoint.  Then I can add a few embellishments over the seams on the top, bind it, add a sleeve and be done. I may finish this by the end of the month. If not, then next week for sure.


This next project, the Brucie’s Blue Banjos (or whatever we end up calling it; right now I’m calling it 4-letter words....) is where the One Step Backward comes in. And that rightly should be several steps backward.

I had 6 rows of 8 sewn together, then began my sewing session yesterday by pressing the top. It was puckered, and I stopped to figure out why. It turns out that in my last two rows, my sashing strips were 2.5 instead of 2.0 inches wide. I had to rip out 2 rows of fat geese plus three sashing strips AND every sashing piece between the geese.

BSR (Before Seam Ripper)
But I am pleased, to tell you the truth. It would`ve been much worse had I finished stitching in oblivion (who knows where my mind goes....) only to realize the problem later. Problems. The other issue was that the 2.5” strips were a different white.  In looking for the rest of the white from this quilt - well, I couldn’t find it. I could have SWORN I cut all the strips out ahead of time, but maybe I ran out. So I had to go to 2 LQS’s to find a passable white. In the end, it too is different, but oh well!

And now it all sits innocently next to my sewing machine, waiting to be re-sewn. Those strips there will go into my scrap bin where they belong.


Farm Girl Fridays - this week’s blocks!
These were the blocks assigned in our sew-along last Friday, and I have finished them in anticipation of the two new ones tomorrow. I had a BALL with these blocks - choosing the fabrics, cutting and sewing. They all came together delightfully.  These are from Lori Holt (of Bee in my Bonnet)’s new book Farm Girl Vintage.  It is packed with great blocks, ideas, patterns, etc.

Chicken Foot Block

Canning Season Block
Lori Holt will be teaching at a local retreat nearby in June, and I am signed up to attend. I am so looking forward to it! Besides her obvious talent for quilting and writing, she is also a Pyrex collector and loves the mid-century farm aesthetic. And you know me, I worked at Wheeler Farm for 4 years (and loved to pretend it was my farm. My cows. My chickens. Their weeds....)

And speaking of local fabric celebrities, Joel Dewberry has invited us members of the Salt Lake Modern Quilting Guild to his home tomorrow for a fabric buy.  I cannot even tell you how cheap the fabrics are going to be, (not quite as cheap as the bolt of Riley Blake fabric I found in the thrift store last month), but hey!  I can’t wait to pick up more Notting Hill in tangerine to finish the quilt blocks I started a couple years ago.  I actually have plenty of that fabric, but that is my excuse and I’m sticking to it!
 


That’s it for now. I will probably have a post on Saturday for Scrap Happy Saturday; three wonky green log cabins made.

See you soon,
Cathy maroon

4 comments:

  1. I've been doing the forward and back two-step too....definitely frustrating, but the end result is worth all the effort.

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  2. Wow! You have been busy. :) Your crazy quilt is gorgeous. I cannot wait to see it when it is done. I am so sorry for the frustrations with the blue banjos quilt. Ugh. It will be lovely when you finish it though. I have another friend working on the Farm Girl Vintage quilt. It is fun to see how the blocks look with different fabrics!

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  3. The crazy quilt is just stunning with all the blocks together now! Stunningly gorgeous is all I can say about your quilt. Sorry you had such a rough time with the blue banjos quilt that can be so frustrating. Wish I could be at that sale with you! Hope you got lots of wonderful fabric.

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  4. Hey, it's all looking good despite the set backs. And that's why I usually use a variety of white on white fabrics and other neutrals if quilt is not all white background. Or I just use Kona Snow and keep a lot of it on hand so I remember what the heck white it was I used. I should have participated in that Farm thing since I love the blocks you've made and live on one.

    Anyway...keep up the good work. As I said, it's all looking good!

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