Observations for the Day: (block 8 – ugh! Edition)
– I would like to thank everyone for a successful launch of this blog – 259 subscribers so far and 16 countries represented. I can’t believe that so many people are interested in what I have to say. If you have any trouble signing up, please let me know at jan.hudson@me.com as I am actively trying to figure out this bug. My son says I won’t really be famous until I have 3000 followers so please tell your friends. Also, don’t worry – I will never charge for my autograph!
– As for Block 8, the Alicyone Star, in the National Quilter’s Circle block challenge, I saw after I completed (badly) my block that there were some corrections. One was a diagram of HST’s that showed 4 when you only needed 2. That caused me pause until I a) read a bit further in the directions and b) realized that there would be some funky looking squares if I tried to cut 4 out of that strip.
– The second error was that on another diagram, 2 triangles were labeled E instead of F. I only look at the assigned letters when cutting since I don’t always use the same color family that Gina Perkes assigns. When sewing, I go by the diagram instead of the letters. Additionally, the mislabeled triangles are THE SAME COLOR as those labeled F and you wouldn’t have 2 E colored triangles to sew there anyway. It was easy to figure out and the failure of my block lies solely with me, not Gina.
– I told myself that I would read through the instructions before I started the block. Evidently hubby isn’t the only one I don’t listen to.
– Halfway through cutting, I berated myself for not reading the instructions so I could figure out how to use my flying geese ruler. Turns out there were no geese in this one so no harm, no fowl (ha, you see what I did there!!).
– This marks my 8th week of quilting. I learn new things every day but sometimes it takes a while for things to actually sink in. Cut accurately they say. Sew straight, precise seams I hear often. But how important is that really? I present – block 8:
– There were 3/4’s, 3/8’s and 7/8’s in this pattern. I don’t have a great ruler for these cuts and nothing to square to 3/8 sooooo…. I rounded up. It’s just a smidgen, right? I could match everything up later, right? Did you SEE block 8? I lost points simply because my pieces were too big. Newbies – following directions precisely matters. In this case, it won’t “quilt out”.
– I also discovered that I don’t sew straight even when completely sober. Some of my seams were less than a 1/4″. This results in even BIGGER pieces. I ended up have to unpick the white squares, line up the strip with the main block, cutting off the ends a ¼” past the ends of the main block and sewing everything back together again. Points? What points?
– In my search for fame, maybe I can name a pattern with extreme lost points after myself. It would be a hit with newbies. We can say we meant to do that. The Hudstar? The Jan’s Clip? Suggestions are welcome.
– I realized that the thread cutter on my machine leaves too short of a tail and the machine will become unthreaded when I start to sew. Additionally, I ascertained that I don’t realize I’m lifting up and even using the thread cutter when I do it. I also determined that I can sew piece after piece, taking out carefully placed pins as I go, without realizing my machine is unthreaded. I am ashamed at how long it took me to figure all of this out.
– If my machine is going to become unthreaded, why can’t it happen when I am sewing wrong sides together? How does THAT even happen? I am likewise ashamed that I didn’t notice this when it was occurring.
– As I’m keeping this quilt for myself, I will keep block 8 as is since it was an awakening, a learning experience and a humbling event.
– In the last post, I posted about my beautiful blue-green fabric. This is it:
– Here is the Kermit the frog and grape fabric:
– Two stupid people can successfully live together and function in society. I was going to hubby’s office and walked by the bathroom. “The toilet is running,” I say. He tells me to wiggle the handle. I do. After talking to him for a few minutes I inform him that the toilet is still running. As he goes in to fix it he is grumbling about how would I would get by if he wasn’t here. Turns out, after he washed his hands he didn’t turn off the water and that’s what I heard. Who is stupider – him for not turning off the water or me for not noticing when I went in to jiggle the handle. Maybe we need assisted living…
– Don’t forget that your comments are welcome!