Saturday, March 17, 2007

S'up?

I feel like I've been neglecting my blog and it's only been a few days since my last post.


Here's what's been happening:

On Thursday, Jodi Beamish made the long trekk up here from her house to visit and try out some new products that will be revealed at MQX - o man, I am so excited about these! We were playing with her new templates - many completely new, never seen before in template form. I've been playing with them a lot since, but will not post photos - you'll just have to wait to see them at MQX or at Jodi's website after the big event. I hate to be a tease - BUT!

Friday (yesterday) found me and my youngest son back up at the emergency ward getting another 3 stitches in his head. Yes, this is the second time in the last few months. No, it doesn't get any easier.

Aside from all of this, I've been doing paperwork and more paperwork. Boring. I could post photos of the papers all sorted into piles on my floor...it did have a nice graphic rhythm to it, come to think of it...

Then there's this.
It's a UFO (unfinished object).

This is my scrap quilt from last year. A couple of posts ago I was writing about how I'd thought it would be a good idea to do a quilt from my stash each year...well, this one is last year's. It's mostly made of quilt shop samples that the fabric company sends me to entice me to buy a line of fabric. I haven't received a package like this in a while, but I have a large backlog of these squares from previous mailers.

I put it up on the design wall after finishing 'Stars' - and remembered why this is still a UFO.

As I didn't follow a pattern for this (that would be the easy way, wouldn't it?), all of the outer edges are on the BIAS. I seem to remember justifying that at the time by the notion that I'd add a straight grain border to it and set the whole centre on point! After doing tons of paperwork math I thought, "It's time for some quilting math!" and tried tackling the Pythagorean numerals that would make my 'on point' setting a reality. First step, put on the border, then measure the final finished diamond, THEN work out the setting triangles (and subsequent piecing) to move this quilt from the UFO list to the 'to be quilted' list.
Hmm.

Can you SEE the seam ripper on the ironing board?

I trimmed, measured and cut borders.

I sewed on first of said borders - and the result was as ruffly as a gypsy skirt. So...I rip.

Unsewing has got to be among my least favorite things - right up there with (but not quite as high as)taking my kids to get stitches.

You will notice, however, the prominent placement of the spray starch on the ironing board. I am attempting to rip the newly applied border off and stabilize that pesky bias edge with starch so that the next border-applying attempt will garner success.
Hmm.

We'll see.

I think it's time to knock off for the night and go watch a movie with DH.

May all your seams lie flat,

Lisa

3 comments:

Debra Dixon said...

I was just thinking how lucky to have such well coordinated scraps in Every color of the wheel when I read that these were sample cuts--made me feel so much better! Does your studio look like a little quilt shop or do you have a quilt shop?

I love this quilt even if it is a PITA!

QuiltNut Creations said...

ack Lisa. we've been lucky-only done stitches twice here. hope he's doing better!

and yup, not a fan of ripping either after my 2+ hours of doing it on Friday *sigh*

Lisa said...

Hi!

The quilt studio doubles as a little online shop, in our house. My fabrics are on the web at www.threadsinmotion.ca

I'm glad this quilt is finally moving forward again. It's frustrating to have so much creative energy stalled - I'm not very good at waiting and working through the processes. I want it all NOW!

As far as kids and stitches go, the local hospital knows us when we come through the door. Partly because DH works there, but in good part too because we've been up there in emerg 3 times since November! Not fun. I tell them, "hey, when you feel yourself falling - PUT YOUR HANDS OUT" *grin*(shaking head).