Of Quilts and Other Things

I missed getting a post in for Design Wall Monday - there's nothing ON my design wall except a photo and the Dresden Plate block that's been there for months - both pinned to one far edge, along with a dozen or so pins.

Finished piecing is Bella Luce.  It now goes into the UFO black hole.  But I'll share some pics of it first:  

The finished top.  Should I ever do another of this quilt, I will make it square and add another row on the left that matches the row on the right.  I like symmetry, and this tweaks my brain.  I suppose if you cock your head to the right and look at it that way it could be symmetrical.  I like the inner border fabric even though I still wasn't sure while at the store.  I think I may use it as the binding too.

Hey, wait, who's this having a ball on the quilt top? Flame says "it's MY quilt, mom, see, it even matches my color, and I love it!".  She truly behaved as if it was made just for her.

"Oh, no wait a minute, there's black in this quilt too!" says Raven.  "Maybe mom made it for ME."  Funny kitties :)

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We entertained endured the final contractor bid appointments (Contractors #3 and #4) this past week.  We also had a cabinet man through Contractor #3, stop by for precise measurements, and are now awaiting their bids.  It's truly amazing how in talking with them they can give such contradictory comments as to the city code requirements etc.  I made a 3-D graph paper model so they all KNOW what I'm wanting as to general layout, but each has their own opinions too.  I do not care for any of this and am in awe of those who've survived the process (I know, we did the bathrooms in 2012, but we were absolutely crunched for time, and knew nothing, and got great bathrooms, but at a price that may have been too high but the quality and workmanship are great - just not sure it was all 'right' for this old house!).  I marvel too at those who may have built a home from the ground up and have dealt with the whole process too.  Personally, I'd be really thrilled with a magic wand and have it all done in an instant, but I guess it's true - No Pain, No Gain, and I wouldn't learn much by just waving a wand now would I?

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Marty got his new (to him) vehicle (his Camry was indeed totaled).  A Toyota 4Runner, 2008 model, bright red.  His area of 'buyer's remorse'?....it reeks of cigarette smoke.  Oh the joy of trying to get that out.  I haven't offered much advice except to keep the windows down to air out when it's in the garage.  Maybe Fabreze?, vinegar? alternate fragrances?  I'm open to suggestions.

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My back doctor referred me to a pain management specialist who in turn wants to inject my back with something and burn the nerves, and I'm really wondering if I should be getting a second opinion.  I wasn't crazy about the back doctor, and while the pain doctor examined me fully, I just don't know that I want to go that route.  He wrote his info in doctor shorthand which I can't even make out, and I've already forgotten what  he called some things, so can't look up on the internet.  Oy!

January NewFO

I'm taking part in the NewFO Linky party over at Barbara's Cat Patches.  I figured since I enjoy piecing more than quilting, this would be perfect for me, but then I'll have to address my UFO problem ... some where... some day.

For January, I've been working on two different NewFOs, not to mention working on Easy Street during that time.  Easy Street is at the 'finished up to but not including borders (opt.)' point and that's where it'll stay for a good long while.

#1:  I've posted snippets before on this project:  

From the pattern: Bella Luce by Pressed For Time Quiltworks (Pattern designed exclusively for Pincushion Boutique, Davis, CA. c.Mary Hubka May, 2008)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this picture, you are seeing the full size of the main body of the quilt sans borders other than the strips on the left which are the correct width for the borders.  I've mentioned in a previous post that I'm not happy with gold border selection and will be scouting for a new fabric choice, but currently have nothing in my stash that works.  Note in the upper photo that there is an additional fabric that I pinned up this morning - bottom half of the gold border - it is an FQ that I have in a 'kit' for another project, but that's all I have, one FQ, I need 5/8 yard, and I have no name or other identification for it - I would be very happy with that one! Don't you think it looks better than the gold at the top? Oh well.  The main section measures 36.5" x 45.25" raw.  When finished with both borders all around, it should measure 53" x 60".  

I've enjoyed working on this quilt.  It's challenges were in matching numerous straight and angled seams.  The other challenge I faced was being accurate in cutting.  I don't mean that necessarily in the sense of cutting was a challenge - it was easy - but there was NO room for error as I'd purchased an already coordinated fabric set of FQs and if you made even one mistake, you'd be in trouble.  My suggestion, would be if anyone were to make this pattern, or if I chose to make it again at some point, instead of FQs, buy yardage and a little extra just to be on the safe side, especially if you're like me and buy project components but don't start it until years later when you can no longer find the fabric without an extensive internet search - IF you even know the name of the fabric you're looking for!  Also, I would recommend, getting your border fabrics at the same time you buy your other fabrics, something I failed to do, but fortunately was able to find the outer border fabric which matches one of the fabrics used in the center, but the gold border fabric is now an issue as shades being produced have changed.

To this point, it has taken 16.6 hours.  (Yes, I'm a 'bean-counter' by nature, thus I track my time spent making my quilts, to the 10th of each hour - every 6 minutes is 1/10 hour.)  So when someone asks me if I 'sell' my quilts and they're thinking $50 I can laugh in their face - I have family and friends who would think that!)

#2  I've also posted snippets of this one.

From the pattern: Circle of Light designed by Susan Dyer & Nancy Raschka-Reeves, Glad Creations, Inc, Minneapolis, MN

All of the blocks are complete except for a minor correction to the corner of two blocks - helps to thoroughly read and understand the directions.

I personally found this pattern to be challenging as to following the directions, mostly in the cutting process.  I'm not sure I could adequately explain why it was challenging or whether it was just my understanding, or the way the instructions were written.  The pattern gives options for both a 72" x 88" quilt and an 88" x 104" quilt.  I did the smaller of the two sizes.  I'm sure the instructions were intended to give the best layout for cutting given the varying sizes of several units, but it just became too wordy for me.  It called for 1/2 yard cuts of a total of 30 different fabrics, which were then cut in half (like an FQ), and since I used from my stash, some of my pieces were either smaller, or larger, or a combination of pieces that were still able to give me what I needed, so I had to figure out some of my cutting.  There were instructions for cutting from your stash, and alternate background cutting, and alternate ways of sewing triangles - the pattern called for half-square triangle paper which I've never used and didn't have. I also found, again for me, that one of the steps should have been placed in a different order, so that the lesser number of a specific set of blocks would have come out right, but then that might have been due to my earlier misunderstanding of the number of blocks needed, hence those two blocks that need a corner remediation.

I like the look, actually love the look, but I'd have to really want to do another one very badly before I chose to do this pattern again.  It just seems it should have been easier to cut and assemble without having to check the instructions every 5 minutes.  I've invested 41.1 hours working time just to this point.

Design Wall Monday

Don't you just love checking out blogs of others on Mondays to see what they're working on?  I enjoy it, even if I don't always comment on someone's blog - I should more often!  The only problem with checking out all those blogs is, my day disappears too quickly!  Head over here and see what others are revealing.

This is what's been on my design wall, or the bed, or the sewing machine, or wherever this past week.  Yes, I've been working on three projects at once, bouncing back and forth, and I still need to work on some of the items from my Getting It Done list!  

Easy Street being guarded by Raven - block rows are pinned together & ready to sew.

Had been on design wall but didn't like individual block positions so took it down; was going to put Easy Street back up but laid it out on a bed instead - easier on my back!

This is Bella Luce, it's on the Getting It Done list, and I'm much further along than what I 'planned/hoped' to accomplish.

I hope you're getting some sewing in today, because I'm not, at least not yet, maybe later.  Enjoy your day whatever you are doing.

What Day Is It?

Hmmm, Friday again.  I think I'll fore-go my usual "Fina-Lee Friday" for awhile.

I did manage to go to quilt guild last night.  This was quite the accomplishment since I haven't been going much of any where for weeks and weeks other than driving Nick to and from school and a stop at Walmart on Tuesday.  The guest speaker was ok, just not my style and color choices for the most part, but she was still interesting.  I do like to see what interests others.  I always enjoy hearing the stories of how different guest speakers first came to the world of quilting.  They can be quite funny!

Some of my reasons for going were to see if it was possible to sit for an extended time in less than comfortable chairs which helped me determine that I will probably only attend one service at church on Sunday rather than two (one is our fellowship group and they have hard plastic, very uncomfortable chairs), and January is when we pay our annual dues so I had to write my check for that, and I think in all of 2012 I only managed to get to guild once or twice, so am trying to do a little better this year.  We shall see.

 I need to stop at the fabric/craft store (not Jo-Ann's) today to look for a minimum of 1/2 yard of a light gold-tone, preferably not a solid and something that will fit with paisley.  Also need to look for a darker gold that will read solid for an inner border for the same project.  For that, I need about a yard.  If I can't find it today, I'll have to take a longer drive to a quilt store about 15 miles away tomorrow.  The center of this project is made from 8 FQs and 1/2 y. background fabric (the light gold-tone).  I bought the FQs as a coordinated pack a few years ago.  Now, with working on it, I finally read the instructions and realize that there is absolutely NO room for cutting errors or mangling a piece in sewing, because you use pretty much every - single - bit of those FQs.  I have been known to not take that sage advice of "measure twice - cut once"  and with at least two of these FQs, even a single 1/4" wide wrong cut would have been disastrous - try finding that same fabric after several years! Thankfully, all has been cut and sewn into blocks except for where I need that background and I plan to buy MORE than the 1/2 yard!  So it's about time to head out the door.  

Stitch it up!

Stash Report - Week 2, 2013

We're nearly at the middle of January already; before we know it, it'll be week 52!

I had to add a little to my stash this week because I needed some additional fabric for a project I was working on.  I needed a light background fabric and fabric for the inner border.  I won't say that I'm 100% pleased with what I was able to find, but they 'will work' and I think the end product will be just fine!

Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date: 0 yards
Added This Week: 2 yards
Added Year to Date: 2 yards
Net Used for 2013: -2 yards

light and dark golds added

Added were the whole yard pieces that I have here on my ironing board with the blocks and partial blocks laid out on them.  The LQS (if you call local about 10-15 miles away) has a huge store with lots of fabric, but the particular oriental-Kashmir style I was looking for in just the right golds was not there and this is the closest I could get after rejecting six or seven others.  The next closest store is yet another few miles further away, and I know they tend to be heavier on other styles of fabric, so didn't head out there.  I think I really do like the background fabric, it's in the tone I was looking for.  I'm slightly less pleased with the darker gold which will be the inner border, as it should really be either the same or darker than the dark gold squares.  What makes it look lighter is the heavy gold paint, which will probably gradually lessen with future washings.  Now, in the blocks in the center where the light background is, there are those gold half-square triangles.  Well, somehow when I was laying out my fat quarters and choosing which to put where, I missed that they needed to be the same darkness (in this case black and not gold) as the dark squares in the 4-Ps.  And while they play well, it changes the look and though they've been cut already, I dug through my stash and found a perfect black with gold scroll filigree, seen in the photo below with the gold blocks.

black & gold from stash

What I learned from this project, if you buy a pre-selected grouping of FQs for a specific project, read the directions, and determine if you need additional fabrics of any of those FQs, and/or fabrics for borders, because if you wait several years, you may not find just the right co-ordinating fabrics or the same fabrics as the FQs (should you make a mistake) at that later time.  I should  have remembered this from another project I worked on where I wanted a rich, dark brown for the binding...I went to several stores and quilt shows and still settled for something 'close' but not really what I'd hoped for, and I didn't want to wait until that color may reappear in fabric shops because it could have been years!

Jump on over to Patchwork Times for other reports of input/output this past week.

Getting It Done

I'm a couple of days late in getting this listed as it should have been posted on 31 December 2012.  Judy has changed from her UFO Challenge of recent years to a monthly list of four items to get done in given month.  These don't have to be complete projects from start to finish, but elements of any given project in an effort to make progress towards getting 'it' done.  I can do that, I think.  After all, that's pretty much all I managed to do with my UFO Challenge progress anyway.  How does one eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  And with that, here's my list of four items to accomplish in January:

• Finish Easy Street to the flimsy stage
• Quilt #031 Valentine Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)
• Start Bella Luce: prep and cut fabric
• Finish the Dresden Plate block on #23 Rooster Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)

And there it is, my very first list for 2013.

Oh Monday!

Really? Monday? Already? And tomorrow's New Year's Day 2013. My oh my but the time, it be a flyin'!

It's Design Wall Monday.  Hmmm.  Nothing "there" but I have been busy working on stuff.  One thing is Easy Street (no Monday link up today, but Step 7 IS released!).  I have two other projects I've been somewhat working with, but will post on those at another time.

Easy Street Components through Step 6

Bella Luce

Results of last week's lumbar x-ray came back and I'm being referred to an orthopedist.  Osteoporosis and some manner of degeneration.  I'm scheduled for an MRI this coming Friday.  I hate to think what this could mean.  Don't we always tend to see things in the darkest way? God is the healer, He will see me through all of this too.