Sunday, March 25, 2007

Tired, but blooming

I can't believe March is nearly gone. Except for a break or 2 I have been working, eating and sleeping with my sewing machine and thousands of little pieces of fabric. I never in a million years thought that this one border on this last round robin quilt (the biggest of them all) would be such a HUGE undertaking. I've learned certain things about myself that were a bit of a shock.

1 - I can't design in a hurry anymore. This border has 2 different rosebuds. The second one was designed so badly it just couldn't be pieced. So I redesigned it but then I couldn't use most of the pieces I had already cut, and I had used most all of the fabrics that were appropriate. Ok so I am canabalizing other pieces to make do. But none of the fabrics match in the second bud. Hopefully, using the person-on-a-galloping-horse criteria, it will be alright.

2 - Mirror images really throw me for a loop! The buds pointing to the left all came out just fine the first time. The ones pointing to the right, on the other hand, always seem o get put together upside down and backwards, no matter how careful I try. And being careful and still having to undo and resew takes too much extra time! (Yes, I am whining!)

3 - I don't know if I'll ever design anything with teensy pieces again. That's sad because I was a miniature quilt specialist once upon a time. The second bud has 30 pieces, The smallest, with 1/4 inch seam allowance, is 11/16" square. I used to have eyes!!!

So, here is what is done and what still needs to be done.



Four corner squares.



48 upper buds. 24 pointing left and 24 pointing right.



24 lower buds, waiting for canabalizd pieces to make their 3rd leaf and stem, with mis-matched pinks (gallop, gallop) pointing right.



Pieces for 24 buds facing right, waiting to have some corners undone and resewed to the opposite corner, and waiting for canabalized pieces too.



And lastly the roses that go between the sets of buds. The pieces are cut and waiting. And (I think) I only have to make 24 of them! Fingers crossed and knocking on wood, they should go together just fine.

Bless Judy for her unbelievable patience!!!

Oh, and I had a really nice visit from Treadleonion Di from Tennessee. Alex made us a wonderful breakfast and we wandered around the house looking at machines and petting kitties. She had to leave WAY too soon!



She sent me the cutest cloth postcard. It has a kitty making a quilt on a treadle and there are all kinds of miniature quilts in the background and a spool button and a teensy gold scissors attached. And on the other side is a sweet message from her and the addresses and postage. Really neat! Pics later. I'm too tired to get up and take pics. Gonna pick out the stitches on these darned corners that need to be moved for a little while. Then snuggle into my wonderful bed. Nighty night!

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