Not been a good last week for my quilting…. Seems like Murphy’s law has hit me.
· I did cut double the pieces for my Glad Creations Scrap Tamer’s Mystery (See "Scrap Tamers Problem" in this post)
· My contest entry for the MN Quilter’s show is not acceptable
· Just can’t get ahead on my Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler
I spent today with some members of my quilt group. People I consider friends. I wasn’t feeling 100% - I think I have a touch of a cold or something. I also seem to be having some sort of reaction to something environmental lately. My eyes were watering really badly walking to work though the skyways on Thursday, and starting last night (Friday), I got really itchy. Friday morning, I had a dentist appointment and had a mild panic attack while there. There were also some emotional things touched upon, and I’m doubting my part of the conversation (remember, I’m socially awkward and unsure of myself in many ways). The people in the group are very important to me and I want to fit in.
All that, combined with not feeling successful in my projects lately, just has me feeling blah.
What’s wrong with my projects and what am I going to do?
Scrap Tamer Mystery
Click on the referenced link. I guess I’m making two mysteries this year! Oh well, it will be an interesting study in color. The same black and red main focus colors/fabrics – one with a background of off white and black and one with bright pink. Maybe I’ll have a friend who has twins this year. (Black in a baby quilt?!)
Contest Entry
I’m kicking myself. I thought I read the directions well enough. (see the "Quilting is Social" section in this post for some background). In a nutshell – the challenge contest is: two pieces of fabric that must be used in the quilt (both black and white), can use any other black, white, or black and white fabric, a fabric marker that is to be used to embellish the quilt AND you may use fabric that matches that color. The project can be anything – flat or 3D, must be machine or hand quilted entirely (if a flat quilt) and must be turned in by June 4th (registration form due earlier).
I’ve read and re-read all this. Several friends have looked at it. The form itself says “Quilt/Wall hanging”.
So, why did I JUST notice that it says that the outer edge can measure NO MORE than 160 inches?
That’s 40inches square.
Even without borders, my project is over 50 inches square.
And I noticed this in the directions when I was 95% done with piecing the blocks.
And, there is NO WAY that I can trim, pull in seam allowances, or anything else to make it smaller. It’s just not the sort of design that will accommodate that.
My design is an original pattern using Ranae Merril’s spiral designs. I have copied her (available on CD in her books) spiral shapes, but arranged them in a unique way. Prior to this project, I had not done any of her
Here is a picture of the “test” quilt that I did to learn the spiral technique. I intended to use the same pattern for the contest entry.
Here is a picture taken from the software that I use to create patterns. It shows the lines, etc., of the spirals. The pattern is eight spirals triangle in the center, which create four squares that make up a larger square. The next “row” is eight octagonal spirals. Lastly, there are four accent squares that are each two triangular spirals. Summary: I use 24 spirals in three different sizes and two different shapes.
When I discovered that my design was not a valid entry for the contest, I was a little distressed. My older daughter and husband were both with me and both offered up ideas and advice.
Hubby: Well, why do you do these challenges anyway?
Me: To work outside my box, to challenge myself
Hubby: Do you do them to win?
Me: That’s not the important part
Hubby: So, you really have already completed what you want from the challenge.
Yes, he’s right. I’ve done what I set out to do. All the blocks are now done, and I will finish the assembly of the quilt. I laid it out on the floor tonight and it is really looking wonderful. The green fabric that I used is completely plain and boring on its own. Every other time that I’ve used a solid in a quilt – be it a border or part of a block – I’ve not been impressed. This time, however, the solid is really holding its own.
I’m going to create another project for the contest entry. I have enough of the focus fabrics from the challenge package left. I could also go get another one, and potentially get another focus color that I like better (purple?!). Is that cheating?
I don’t know yet what I’m going to do. It’s going to be a wall hanging, something around 35 inches (so that I don’t get DQed for too large), but not sure what yet. I may design another spiral design since that’s what I set out to do. I am NOT going to resize the design I’ve done. That’s completely doable; it wouldn’t take much. It’s just that I’ve done this pattern TWICE in the last six months. I don’t want to do it again, at least not for some time.
Sylvia’s Bridal Sample
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this project before. Some basics about the Bridal Sample can be found at this site: http://www.sylviasbridalsampler.org/. My quilt group – like many other groups – has organized a club inside the club to do these blocks. We meet every couple of months.
Some of the group members have already created full sized quilts. This project for me is my “five year plan” project. Each block is different and is only six inches in size. I am doing my blocks in all reds and using the same fabric for the background. When the background is all used up, the quilt will be done. I don’t know how blocks I will do. I will almost certainly NOT do all 140, probably closer to 100/120.
I have all the fabrics in a recyclable grocery bag (nice to carry), along with a small ruler, a tiny cutting board (the six inch ones), one of my many rotary tools and a pin container with pins. I take the bag to quilt meetings when I know we’ll be sitting at tables. I cut out all the pieces for blocks at those meetings and baggie them up. I also took the bag on a couple vacations and cut some blocks during the evenings while hubby and I watched TV.
So, what’s going wrong there?
Just another thing to whine about since quilting seems to be at a low point right now.
We had a Sylvia’s sewing day today. It was schedule for 11 – 8 at the church. I went to my TCQ Block of the month at 10 today, met up with several of my group, and then went to the church. I was unpacked and semi organized by 11:30, which is when I noticed that while I remembered all the peripherals and small things I wanted to bring – including a quilt to show for another projects – I had forgotten THE BAG. As in the bag with all the blocks, fabrics, etc….!!!
Arrgh
So, I had to run home and get it. Home was close, and I acted as the lunch runner for everyone also.
Normally during a Sewing Saturday, since I have many blocks cut out, I can get ten or so assembled. Not so today, I only got five done, and one of them was incredibly simple (five pieces). It would have been six – still a low number – but that one totally didn’t turn out. Usually when one doesn’t work up right, it’s simply a little small and you can work around that most times. Not so with this one, it was fully two inches too LARGE. Not sure what I did there.
So, at 5:30, I gave up in frustration and went and had my nails done. Nothing like a little spa therapy.
New Format for the Project List
My project list is going to continue. Only things on the list will be worked on. However, I’m instituting some new “rules” for myself. I was originally going to complete list one, and then create a new list. Now, it’s going to be a living entity.
· When a project is done, it will be crossed off, stay on the list for one published update and then be deleted
· New things will be added. Until I feel that I’ve significantly addressed my backlog (moved to only one large project box), the only things that can be added are: classes, new block of the month items, new block of the months.
· For each item added per the above rule, I must add something from my backlog of projects.
· No brand new projects can be added until my backlog is fully addressed.
· Backlog projects added MUST go in order from my “storage” areas
v First – from the cardboard box floating around the living room
v Second – from the wicker trunk that will be the ONLY project box eventually
v Lastly – things stored in the basement (yeah, I stash things too many places)
Project Boxes
Another organizing step is that I’m going to get some nice boxes/containers for my ongoing projects. I’m taking a cue from my friend who has nice clear boxes with handles. The “normal” projects will still be stored in the (soon to be one) project trunk, but all blocks of the month, scrap tamer’s, etc, will each have their own box. Each box will have the fabrics, instructions, finished pieces, etc. I’m going shopping tomorrow for boxes.
The Project List
Mariner’s Compass quilt
· Assemble blocks
· Cut sashing pieces
· Assemble quilt
Scrap Tamers
v Assemble quilt
v Quilt
v Bind quilt
v Cut out blocks
v Assemble blocks
v Assemble quilt
v Quilt
v Bind quilt
· Add Item 1 - Month 5 clues
· Add Item 2 - Month 5 project
v Determine project
v Piece blocks
v Assemble quilt
v Quilt
v Bind quilt
Contest entry
· Assemble blocks
Add Item 3 - Contest entry Redux
· Determine color scheme
· Organize fabrics
· Cut fabrics
· Piece blocks
· Assemble blocks
Add Item 4 - TCQ New BOM
· Month 1 block
Add Item 5 – Ranae Merrill BOM
· Month 1 block
Add Item 6 – Storm at Sea
· Cut all fabrics
· Piece blocks
· Assemble blocks
Add Item 7 – Lemoyne Star
· Determine layout
· Piece all blocks
· Piece quilt (sashing)
New Item 1 – Irish Mist Quilt
· Border quilt
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