Soon to Finish

Sew & Tell Friday

 

Actually, I finished the top in December, back when I thought I'd have all sorts of stuff done at Christmas. This ORBC Quilt Along (wonky log cabins with Quilt Dad) was lots of fun. Once I got over  trimming away fabric to make it wonky (seemed wasteful, but there are ways to be less so), it was a lot of fun to be using some fabric I'd purchased a year before and not made much progress with. As usual, it is much more vibrant in real life--finally had light outside and who knows what happened to my settings :)

A couple of tips with this one:

1. cut sashing strips parallel to the selvedge (instead of width of fabric) for less stretch as you sew--these went on beautifully
2. tip your sewing machine toward you--I read somewhere to place rubber door stop wedges at the back--you can really see where the needle works so much better!

I'm looking forward to getting this quilted. Maybe my brother will get it before he graduates this May!

For more Sew & Tell Finishes, click on the button to your left! Come back Sunday for my last giveaway (for awhile).

Gratitudes

• Spring is truly on it's way--today we have an average temperature for the first time in 3 months!
• Beautiful views when the sun comes out even if I don't know how to use my camera

Wonky Progress

Finally got back to my Quilt Along blocks. I switched fabrics--same prints but slightly different colorway. This will be a gift and I needed to go with reds more than purples. I still plan to finish the purple and green blocks. It's thrilling to use up this fabric. (I have so much fabric it should have it's own address.)



Today was rainy and cold, so it was great to get some sewing in--my first Friday off in a few weeks (I'm supposed to have it off). I've joined a new swap--the theme is "Woodland Wonder" and minis less than 16 inches. I have some sweet owl fabric that might work.

My older DS is off on a date, the younger DS (newly minted 14 year old) at a cold & wet football game, and in a minute DH and I will sit on the couch and watch Numbers. Have a good weekend!

Am I Wonky?

Ok, so I'm trying out the Wonky Log Cabin quilt along with Quilt Dad (see the button on the sidebar). These are great for getting some stuff DONE! However, I am also learning some hard lessons.

First off, let me explain that I see myself as very out-of-the-box, non-traditional, nearly a closet hippy type (never mind I missed that time by at least 10 years). I love innovation! I love color! I love NEW! Or so I thought.

Next, I was so excited by this quilt-along because I thought it would help me develop my scrappy, frugal side--we're talkin' major stash buster here. How green of me, don't you think? Maybe.

Lesson 1: It turns out I am not scrappy--I tried, tried, tried to be scrappy for the Scrappy Christmas Block Swap--the pattern called for at least 16 different fabrics. Now I know that I prefer a very controlled number of fabrics (Turning 20s are impossible for me), say 3 or 5. But I thought, monochromatic rings, I can do that. Hmmm. Turns out I NEED to make them not only the same color but the same value if possible. Not too scrappy.

Lesson 2: Wonky--I can do wonky! I'm kinda wonky (read non-perfectionist) already! Oh, oh--to get wonky I need to trim lots of fabric = waste. Couldn't quite do it.

My solution? Cut the strips wonky in the first place so trimming is kept to absolute slivers of fabric. Whew! I was relieved to be making progress!




I can't wait to make more blocks--maybe on Friday I can--I rediscovered a WIP that was going nowhere (possibly because of my refusal to select a variety of fabrics--these are indeed 4 different but terribly similar pieces here), so not only do I get to practice "WONKY" I get to finish up a quilt I started as a gift last year. Check out the great truly wonky (and sometimes scrappy blocks on the quilt along flickr group--just click on the button at the side).