Too late now!

Dad would say "you bit off more than you can chew"  As is often the case, he would be mostly right.  As is also often the case, I won't listen, I won't learn, I won't mend my ways, & I'll probably "chew" my way through - but it might be tricky.


I'm not talking about September.

I'm still pretty excited about the challenge I've set myself to do something on a sewing project each day.

That part's ok.

It's this one project.  You know, the bargello quilt I'm making for the manchild's guild buddies who are getting married next month.

I've never actually done a bargello before (although ikat weaving uses some of the same ideas and I've done that).

And I could have chosen a simple undulating pattern.  One that uses the exact same strata in all the columns.

or this

something like this

But does that sound like my style?  Of COURSE not.  First time doing it, important deadline ahead, go big or go home, right?

I'm on about the 5th excel spreadsheet to map this out.  It's way beyond EQ7.

So September 2nd (last night), I made more strata, reviewed the spreadsheet.  Again.  Labelled things and got little bags ready to go.  Tonight I'll be at the lovely Katrina's for Project Runway night, so I had to have everything portable.  My goal for tonight is a little baggy for each column with all the bits inside - ready to sew.

Wish me luck!

It's MAY! It's MAY!

This is my boss, Joe:

 

He's a super nice guy. I've know him for over 20 years.  

We have a good work team & build beautiful homes.

He also has a swell dog who keeps me company at the office: 

When we were looking for an independent living situation for my dad (who celebrated HIS 95th birthday in March):

Joe told me about the place where his mom lives.  We checked it out, it's close to my house & it's in dad's budget.

So my dad became my boss's mom's downstairs neighbor.  They also became Wii bowling buddies & just sorta hit it off in general.

Well, Joe's mom is celebrating her 90th birthday this month!

So my May goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes is to turn this pile of Lovely Fabrics into a lap quilt in time for her birthday.

See - it actually is called "Lovely"!

These Lovely Charms plus this background fabric from Northcott will become an XOXO quilt (Jacobs Ladder blocks).  

 Like this.

  Or this.

  Or some other setting I'll figure out when some blocks exist.

  With a border maybe.

Or not.

And to give equal airtime to MY sweet doggess, here's Sparki!  (Yeah - I need to vacuum the sewing room.)

Happy New Year!

- sash

Going Modern

Mondays seem so much better if there is a little bit of sunshine & the mailman brings NEW FABRIC!!!

Check out this BEAUTIFUL bundle of solids from Kaffe Fassett.

The texture is so rich and deep.  LOVE this fabric.  This is the dark fat quarter set - 34 different colors!  There is also a light set.  What a great line.

Anyway, I will be taking this bundle to Fabric Depot to pick out a coordinating white (gotta hunt for something with a weight and texture to match the shot cloth).  Then the fabric is destined for this quilt: Solid - Wedge - Star. 

Full disclosure here - I'm not going to use the technique in the video.  I adore Jenny from Missouri Star, but her assembly on this one really misses the boat.  Oh - we'll match up through the HST's, but then she uses a layer cake and wedge template to make the white parts.  So cutting around the template, ironing in 1/2, line up, sew, trim.  And you get 2 little angle bits from a 10x10" square?  That's too complex & pretty high waste ratio to me.

I'll try to remember to take pictures as I go but, basically, I'll be using 4" strips of white.  I'll iron the HST triangle to get my sewing line, use the diagonal of my HST to line up the strip.  After trimming the 1/4" seam allowance (with my add-a-quarter ruler and a piece of cardboard), the rest of the white strip gets flipped around onto the next square.  (Seriously - watch that video about 3:30 in.)

I know.  Show you the pictures.  OK.  Drawings and pictures in a future post - I promise.

Another fun thing?  I put this into EQ7 - to figure out overall dimensions and yardage for the borders.  As I flipped the sub blocks around to make the stars, there were several other cool patterns you can make from the same technique.  In particular, a cool check mark effect that would be neat as a monochromatic.

I'm glad I've committed to finishing the quilt for KT by the end of January.  Otherwise I'm pretty sure this fabric would be on the cutting block tonight!!

- sash

Progress without Sewing?

I know I'm on a crazy deadline.  MC's quilt (at least the top) by 10/11.  Two other quilts (completely done) by beginning of November.  The raffle quilt somewhere in between there.  Sometimes it's hard to go step by step when I feel like I should be SPRINTING AHEAD.

Last night was Project Runway with my sister.  She's still nursing a broken foot so we both needed some chilling-with-my-sister time.  Roaring fire, tons of candles, and a couple sleepy cats - it was just the ticket.

But that whole deadline thing.....

I have most of the squares cut for the MC's carpenter's star but I'm seriously dithering over background, borders, and color placement.  Since every half square triangle is unique, I can't just sew then position.  I had to get it all sorted before I could stitch anything.

I loaded up all my scraps, a print out of the design (Thanks EQ7!) and some scissors.  For every 9" square, I created a 1" stand-in.  Armed with a glue stick, I cut all the little squares into tiny triangles and glued them on the pattern.

Mock-up of ManChild's Carpenter's Star

I have to say, this was loads of fun.  I may have to make some Christmas cards or something this way.  Very satisfying - all those little bits of color & the instant gratification of glue.

It was also a GREAT process for my quilt.  I discovered that

1. I was totally over-thinking the color placement.  I have to be precise (so the triangles merge into diamonds) but those diamonds looked pretty great in a random arrangement.  OK - not exactly random.  I can't actually do random.  But the evenly-distributed-non-symmetrical arrangement that passes for random in my brain.  And
2. The scrappy background I planned was too busy for the design.  It made the star just fade away.  Using one neutral made the star really pop.

I'm so glad, in the race to the finish line, that I took time to get that sorted.  Now I can charge ahead with piecing and assemble.  Best part - I figured it out without having to take (or rip out!) a single stitch!

- sash