I am a week away from my long arm being set up and no closer to having my studio in order. My husband told me that he won't be putting in the lights this week. The knick knack shelf has not been moved and nothing can progress until that is done. I actually threw a tantrum today. I am 54 years old and throwing tantrums. That is pretty sad.
I apologized to my family for ruining the spirit in our home this morning. My ever forgiving son said "Mom, I understand, you have the awesome new toy and you can't play with it." Of course when I was mid tantrum he had offered me Nutella to soothe the savage beast I had become. Some lucky girl will someday benefit from the training his sisters and I gave him.
I am sure that not being able to use the long arm yet is part of the problem. The other part of the problem is I know my family. If the studio changes are not done before the long arm is set up, they will never be done. History has proven that out. So I am frantic to get things done.
Add to that I haven't really sewn anything for two weeks now because I have my studio in disarray. I have to find space for it all. I did reorganize some of my stash storage and put fat quarters in my fat quarter storage bags. But playing with the fabric only acts as a salve for so long.
Right now, I wish I wasn't working. It would be so much easier if I could be home to work on it during the week. Honestly, the past two Saturdays I have ended up running errands. So nothing gets done. How am I suppose to get anything done when I work long hours and am too tired to do anything when I get home. Plus I am wheezing more and more these days.
Don't I do a good job of feeling sorry for myself?
I did pick a color for the studio, actually two colors. I have decided to paint the wainscotting. I will be painting the upper walls "Clear Blue Sky" and the wainscot "Slumber" both by Valspar. I will paint the other trim white. I am going to make my daughter get it ready to paint. If I have to I will set up work lights in the studio so I can paint at night. Plus I think my husbad will be putting in the lights this week after all.
This week my daughter asked if I would help the young women's group at church learn quilting. This presents a few challenges. One is that there are only two young women, and one of them, my daughter, will be graduating out of Young Women in May. Another issue is, I don't believe the other young woman has any sewing experience. The leaders will be happy to help but both of them don't sew. I need to pick a quilt that will be simple enough to get done quickly and yet still let them feel like they accomplished something. A pattern that will work for a beginner and a more experienced sewer.
I chose to use the Fons and Porter pattern Around the Rail Fence. This will help teach them to do quarter inch seams and straight lines plus they don't have to worry about matching things us as much. We will strip piece it and get them sewing right away. Tatianna will be helping with this as well. I may need to get some 1/4 inch presser feet that have the blade to butt up the fabric against. Or maybe we just make bumpers on the face plate of the sewing machine using weather stripping.
I am afraid a good deal of this will fall on Tatianna to teach. I think about the only time we can get the girls together is during spring break and well I have to work. But I can get the plan solidified, the fabric cut and she can get them sewing. Hopefully they can make the rail blocks or at least most of them, then Tatianna and I can put the top together. Then maybe we put in on the long arm to quilt it. I think they might like to see how that is done.
So to Sum Up, Studio is a mess and I only have a week to pull it together. I have another quilt project for some one else to work on. I have not sewn in two weeks and my family is paying the price. Hmmm, sounds like I need time off. Oh wait I can't my boss is out of town this week and my counter part is having a family emergency. It looks like long hours and little patience in the forecast.
Goals are not looking too good right now. Have you ever had days, weeks, and months like that?
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Studio Frustrations
When we moved into this house a little over eight years ago, We all knew that I would need a space to do my crafting. The problem that arises is the house is too small for our needs and we have absolutely no storage. There are enough bedrooms, 4 to be exact. There are two bathrooms which is adequate. The back entrance houses the washer and dryer and a stand up freezer. The kitchen is just off the back entrance and at the end of the back entrance is a very small pantry. We have a family room that the three of the bedrooms open off of. Then there is the parlor or living room, where the main entrance is and where the door to the master beroom is.
Now each bedroom has a closet, each closet is being used to store things other than clothes. Mostly my craft supplies. My poor children don't even have their own bedrooms because my husband's and my stuff are in them. At first the plan was to use part of the master bedroom as a craft space. But it was quickly filled up with my husband's stuff. That left the living room, which we did not have furniture for anyway. It was suppose to be temporary, but over the first year and a half I set up the living room as a craft studio. Then my husband started doing lapidary work. Because he likes to be near me, he moved into the studio with me. That was working out okay except that when he was faceting, I couldn't sew. So I made jewelry instead.
As time progressed, I was doing more and more quilting. I wanted and needed a long arm. Okay maybe I didn't NEED a long arm. But I did NEED a different machine to quilt on. If I was going to spend several grand on a machine so I could do machine quilting, I might as well go all the way and buy the long arm. I figure the long arm is an investment. I hope to use it to supplement my retirement by machine quilting for other people. However, buying the long arm meant my husband had to move out of the studio to make room for it.
From August on, we spent a lot of time getting a studio set up for him outside. We took a storage shed and converted it into a studio. It now only lacks a few things, a mini fridge, a microwave, and a cat door and perch for the outdoor cat. (By the way the outdoor cat insists on being an outdoor cat but he likes the rock shed) Oh and we haven't run water to it yet but it is hooked up to a hose for the time being. All of this being done when my husband has not been traveling for work. Which he has been doing a lot of.
Once out of the studio, my husband left me with designing and organizing "my studio". I do mean left in the literal sense. As I said he has been traveling for business and it doesn't look like it is going to slow down anytime soon.
With my studio being in the house, I feel it affects the whole family. The thing is we spent so much time and money on his studio and the long arm that there is not much money left for my studio. So I am needing to use what I have. We need to get lighting in there and we know what we want. I need to paint it and have an idea what color. All of this is easily done and my kids are really willing to help.
What is not easily done is trying to figure out where to put every thing. The area I have to work in is about 12.5 by 16 feet. Take out 3 feet for the door and a walkway on the north end, then take out another 3 feet on the south east corner for the door to the master suite. That leaves me 12.5 by 13 foot are to put a 12 by 5 foot print long arm machine. Figuring I need 2 feet in front of it and the eats up more than half the space. Plus I need to leave a path to the master bedroom. I had 3 short book shelves, a tall wire rack/shelf, a 3 by 5 foot desk, an ironing board and a 3.75 by 1.5 ft knick/knack shelf, all in that original space. It is not all going to fit in half that space.
I am frustrated to say the least. For me, the frustration led to being blocked and then to procrastination. I couldn't see where to start. Plus I was hoping Tatianna could move her machine into the space as well. Instead of her moving in, I will need to move some things out.
Tatianna suggested that we just make the studio for the long arm and it's supplies and move everything else into one bedroom. That would require taking down the bed and then we would have no place for the other kids to stay when they come home. That won't work for the family.
My husband suggested we give up the dining room. But we do use it at least a couple of times each the week. I hate to give that up. Plus giving up the dining room would require making changes to the kitchen and that takes money.
Anyway I look at it, there isn't a quick easy solution that makes everything magically fit and that doesn't require buying new stuff and or giving up stuff. It is a conundrum and not one I am going to solve before the tech gets here on April 3rd to set up my long arm.
My husband did come up with one solution. Hang the flat screen TV on the wall and move the knick/knack shelf into the family room. That will require the relocation of "goat" his antelope. But we can do that. A lot of this will fall on my kids. Now they are very supportive but as I have pointed out they haven't really had their own space since we moved in. And now it doesn't look like they ever will.
Moving the knick/knack shelf will be the first order of business in setting up the studio. Followed by installing lights and painting. I then will rearrange the furniture as best I can. I will still need a tall bookshelf to replace two of the short ones. I am thinking a couple of shelves over my sewing desk for books and notions. This week will be spent trying to figure out how to place things and clearing things to place stuff. Maybe even painting. It will be a start. Fortunately my kids are all willing to help. I just need to decide how, when, and where I want things done.
So now I have a deadline. I also have the start of a plan. I still want things done by April 3rd before the tech gets here to set up the long arm. But I am just focusing on how to use the original space and not expanding. Now that I have a general idea of how to set things up. I can actually start to work the plan.
I need to get a tall bookself for the jewerly stuff and I need to move some books around. I also need to get some shelves to put up over my desk. I need to choose a paint color and paint it. My husband and son will need to intall the lighting. Plus I need to sew (or buy) some curtains for the windows.
All this while we are working or going to school full time, with my son and I commuting an hour to and from work, and in between my husban'd business trips. It will be a chellenge.
It is going to require some late nights. But I at least can see some hope for the immeadiate future. The addtional space from another room may come later. Boxes and bins of fabric will have to stay in the other rooms and so will the other craft supplies. Some of the jewelry stuff may need to move into another room as well. But for now we can cope. I know we can because we have been for the past 8 years.
Do you have a sewing/quilting space? How do you organize it? What tips can you share with the rest of us? I know there are ideas on Pintrest but what have you found that works?
Now each bedroom has a closet, each closet is being used to store things other than clothes. Mostly my craft supplies. My poor children don't even have their own bedrooms because my husband's and my stuff are in them. At first the plan was to use part of the master bedroom as a craft space. But it was quickly filled up with my husband's stuff. That left the living room, which we did not have furniture for anyway. It was suppose to be temporary, but over the first year and a half I set up the living room as a craft studio. Then my husband started doing lapidary work. Because he likes to be near me, he moved into the studio with me. That was working out okay except that when he was faceting, I couldn't sew. So I made jewelry instead.
As time progressed, I was doing more and more quilting. I wanted and needed a long arm. Okay maybe I didn't NEED a long arm. But I did NEED a different machine to quilt on. If I was going to spend several grand on a machine so I could do machine quilting, I might as well go all the way and buy the long arm. I figure the long arm is an investment. I hope to use it to supplement my retirement by machine quilting for other people. However, buying the long arm meant my husband had to move out of the studio to make room for it.
From August on, we spent a lot of time getting a studio set up for him outside. We took a storage shed and converted it into a studio. It now only lacks a few things, a mini fridge, a microwave, and a cat door and perch for the outdoor cat. (By the way the outdoor cat insists on being an outdoor cat but he likes the rock shed) Oh and we haven't run water to it yet but it is hooked up to a hose for the time being. All of this being done when my husband has not been traveling for work. Which he has been doing a lot of.
Once out of the studio, my husband left me with designing and organizing "my studio". I do mean left in the literal sense. As I said he has been traveling for business and it doesn't look like it is going to slow down anytime soon.
With my studio being in the house, I feel it affects the whole family. The thing is we spent so much time and money on his studio and the long arm that there is not much money left for my studio. So I am needing to use what I have. We need to get lighting in there and we know what we want. I need to paint it and have an idea what color. All of this is easily done and my kids are really willing to help.
What is not easily done is trying to figure out where to put every thing. The area I have to work in is about 12.5 by 16 feet. Take out 3 feet for the door and a walkway on the north end, then take out another 3 feet on the south east corner for the door to the master suite. That leaves me 12.5 by 13 foot are to put a 12 by 5 foot print long arm machine. Figuring I need 2 feet in front of it and the eats up more than half the space. Plus I need to leave a path to the master bedroom. I had 3 short book shelves, a tall wire rack/shelf, a 3 by 5 foot desk, an ironing board and a 3.75 by 1.5 ft knick/knack shelf, all in that original space. It is not all going to fit in half that space.
I am frustrated to say the least. For me, the frustration led to being blocked and then to procrastination. I couldn't see where to start. Plus I was hoping Tatianna could move her machine into the space as well. Instead of her moving in, I will need to move some things out.
Tatianna suggested that we just make the studio for the long arm and it's supplies and move everything else into one bedroom. That would require taking down the bed and then we would have no place for the other kids to stay when they come home. That won't work for the family.
My husband suggested we give up the dining room. But we do use it at least a couple of times each the week. I hate to give that up. Plus giving up the dining room would require making changes to the kitchen and that takes money.
Anyway I look at it, there isn't a quick easy solution that makes everything magically fit and that doesn't require buying new stuff and or giving up stuff. It is a conundrum and not one I am going to solve before the tech gets here on April 3rd to set up my long arm.
My husband did come up with one solution. Hang the flat screen TV on the wall and move the knick/knack shelf into the family room. That will require the relocation of "goat" his antelope. But we can do that. A lot of this will fall on my kids. Now they are very supportive but as I have pointed out they haven't really had their own space since we moved in. And now it doesn't look like they ever will.
Moving the knick/knack shelf will be the first order of business in setting up the studio. Followed by installing lights and painting. I then will rearrange the furniture as best I can. I will still need a tall bookshelf to replace two of the short ones. I am thinking a couple of shelves over my sewing desk for books and notions. This week will be spent trying to figure out how to place things and clearing things to place stuff. Maybe even painting. It will be a start. Fortunately my kids are all willing to help. I just need to decide how, when, and where I want things done.
So now I have a deadline. I also have the start of a plan. I still want things done by April 3rd before the tech gets here to set up the long arm. But I am just focusing on how to use the original space and not expanding. Now that I have a general idea of how to set things up. I can actually start to work the plan.
I need to get a tall bookself for the jewerly stuff and I need to move some books around. I also need to get some shelves to put up over my desk. I need to choose a paint color and paint it. My husband and son will need to intall the lighting. Plus I need to sew (or buy) some curtains for the windows.
All this while we are working or going to school full time, with my son and I commuting an hour to and from work, and in between my husban'd business trips. It will be a chellenge.
It is going to require some late nights. But I at least can see some hope for the immeadiate future. The addtional space from another room may come later. Boxes and bins of fabric will have to stay in the other rooms and so will the other craft supplies. Some of the jewelry stuff may need to move into another room as well. But for now we can cope. I know we can because we have been for the past 8 years.
Do you have a sewing/quilting space? How do you organize it? What tips can you share with the rest of us? I know there are ideas on Pintrest but what have you found that works?
Sunday, March 5, 2017
Sick Bed Quilting
So I got a lot done on my Christmas Lemonade Quilt this week. All of the 160 blocks are made. It was all I got done and then only because I was home sick with the flu. When I get sick with the Flu or Bronchitis, I have trouble doing much of anything. I am too weak to put a whole lot of effort into a project but I also can't just lay around all day. I find that I can quilt/sew but only for short periods at a time. So I set things up so that I could sit to cut and press as well as sew. I would work for about 20 minutes at a time and then go sleep. So being home sick for the week let me get a lot done on the quilt. It also help me to find relief in the aches and pains of the flu. I found that if I was still too much my muscles hurt more. So getting up and moving a little seemed to help. Who knew Quilting was physical therapy as well as mental therapy?
I got most of the work on the quilt done in the first half of the week, when I was feverish and achy. By Wednesday, I knew I had to go to the doctor if for nothing else but a doctor's note for work. Turns out I was sicker than I thought. I came home with a handful of prescriptions and totally exhausted. I fell into bed and pretty much stayed there all afternoon. I did trim up a few blocks in the evening but hit the hay pretty early. Thursday was mostly sleeping and taking meds. I cut a few blocks but that was it. Friday was pretty much the same with a few more blocks cut. Saturday I managed a trip to town with my son for some groceries and was exhausted again. Only a few blocks got cut on Saturday. It was weird how the farther into the week I went the less I got done. The aches and pains had really diminished but the breathing was a problem which I believe is what was making me so tired. I did manage to finish cutting and piecing the last 24 blocks today though. I had slept in quite late and I took a couple of short naps to get through. I am not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. Not sure I can make it without a nap.
I know this is crazy but I almost don't mind being sick if I can get some quilting done. Don't get me wrong, I would rather not be sick and get a lot of quilting done. Since I have to use my accrued time off when I am sick at least I don't feel like I wasted a whole week off. I got something done no matter how little or how long it took. Plus I feel less stressed because I got to do something I love to do. It's all part of healing. Quilting is a part of my healing process.
Do you ever quilt when you are ill?
I got most of the work on the quilt done in the first half of the week, when I was feverish and achy. By Wednesday, I knew I had to go to the doctor if for nothing else but a doctor's note for work. Turns out I was sicker than I thought. I came home with a handful of prescriptions and totally exhausted. I fell into bed and pretty much stayed there all afternoon. I did trim up a few blocks in the evening but hit the hay pretty early. Thursday was mostly sleeping and taking meds. I cut a few blocks but that was it. Friday was pretty much the same with a few more blocks cut. Saturday I managed a trip to town with my son for some groceries and was exhausted again. Only a few blocks got cut on Saturday. It was weird how the farther into the week I went the less I got done. The aches and pains had really diminished but the breathing was a problem which I believe is what was making me so tired. I did manage to finish cutting and piecing the last 24 blocks today though. I had slept in quite late and I took a couple of short naps to get through. I am not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. Not sure I can make it without a nap.
I know this is crazy but I almost don't mind being sick if I can get some quilting done. Don't get me wrong, I would rather not be sick and get a lot of quilting done. Since I have to use my accrued time off when I am sick at least I don't feel like I wasted a whole week off. I got something done no matter how little or how long it took. Plus I feel less stressed because I got to do something I love to do. It's all part of healing. Quilting is a part of my healing process.
Do you ever quilt when you are ill?
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Better Finished Than Perfect
On my fridge there is a magnet from Missouri Star Quilt Company that states "Better Finished Than Perfect." I really like that sentiment. It really speaks to me. I am not a perfectionist and I tend to get bored with projects about half way through. Rather than rip out every little mistake, I tend to leave well enough alone. Don't get me wrong I fix mistakes. But if my points aren't perfect and my corners don't quite match up, I will most likely leave it. I quilt because I like to create. I probably will never be a competition quilter but that is okay too. I am still working on my craft. I am still trying to learn from each quilt. It is a process as much as a craft. But I do not worry about being perfect. It is something that I must learn to strive for.
Lack of perfection is not my only down fall. I get bored about halfway though projects. Well maybe not so much as bored as I get excited about another project. I have a quilt that I cut all the pieces for about nine years ago. It was suppose to be for my daughters high school graduation. I have yet to sew a singe piece together. It is sitting very nicely in a plastic storage tote waiting on me to get back around to it. Her wedding quilt is waiting to be quilted and she has been married for over 3 years. I have way too many projects half way done. In fact, half way is generous. So in order to get a project done, I sometimes give my self deadlines. Or refuse to let myself start another project until I finish one. This only partly works. I am not disciplined enough to stick all the way to it. Plus I am also waiting for my long arm to do the quilting.
So these past two weeks, I have not been keeping my goal to sew a little every night. As a result I am behind on the Christmas Lemonade quilt. I did not sew four blocks a day for at least 10 days. So yesterday, I sewed 28 blocks. Yea!!! Then I stopped and worked a little on the Studio. I sat down to work on the blocks again but didn't feel like it. My daughter, Tatianna, wisely told me to quit trying to make up for the days I missed. She pointed out that I was defeating the purpose of quilting. It was becoming a chore rather than a pleasure. She was right of course. How can some thing releive stress when it becomes a source of stress.
So today, I worked a little on the quilt, no blocks completed but I did get some squaring up and cutting done. I also worked a little on the studio. It is no where close to organized but I am making slow progress.
On a brighter note, the reason I have not been sewing is that I am working on getting the Long Arm. Oh and getting the car insurance mess cleared up. (I miss my little toyota) The evenings have been filled with paper work for the financing. So where I have let some goals slide, I have worked on the others. Hopefully, I will get everything back on track and make some progress on my other goals. I guess I really have to because I need the studio in shape before the Long arm arrives.
Better Finished Than Perfect - While I like the sentiment, I don't necessarily live it. I have several projects not finished. and while I am not a perfectionist. I do want my quilts to be as good as possible. I just don't need them to be perfect. I quilt for people I care about. They know I am not perfect. They also know the love that goes into a quilt. So while I am going to get better about finishing projects and I am going to try and learn something from each and every one.
What Quilting motto do you like?
Lack of perfection is not my only down fall. I get bored about halfway though projects. Well maybe not so much as bored as I get excited about another project. I have a quilt that I cut all the pieces for about nine years ago. It was suppose to be for my daughters high school graduation. I have yet to sew a singe piece together. It is sitting very nicely in a plastic storage tote waiting on me to get back around to it. Her wedding quilt is waiting to be quilted and she has been married for over 3 years. I have way too many projects half way done. In fact, half way is generous. So in order to get a project done, I sometimes give my self deadlines. Or refuse to let myself start another project until I finish one. This only partly works. I am not disciplined enough to stick all the way to it. Plus I am also waiting for my long arm to do the quilting.
So these past two weeks, I have not been keeping my goal to sew a little every night. As a result I am behind on the Christmas Lemonade quilt. I did not sew four blocks a day for at least 10 days. So yesterday, I sewed 28 blocks. Yea!!! Then I stopped and worked a little on the Studio. I sat down to work on the blocks again but didn't feel like it. My daughter, Tatianna, wisely told me to quit trying to make up for the days I missed. She pointed out that I was defeating the purpose of quilting. It was becoming a chore rather than a pleasure. She was right of course. How can some thing releive stress when it becomes a source of stress.
So today, I worked a little on the quilt, no blocks completed but I did get some squaring up and cutting done. I also worked a little on the studio. It is no where close to organized but I am making slow progress.
On a brighter note, the reason I have not been sewing is that I am working on getting the Long Arm. Oh and getting the car insurance mess cleared up. (I miss my little toyota) The evenings have been filled with paper work for the financing. So where I have let some goals slide, I have worked on the others. Hopefully, I will get everything back on track and make some progress on my other goals. I guess I really have to because I need the studio in shape before the Long arm arrives.
Better Finished Than Perfect - While I like the sentiment, I don't necessarily live it. I have several projects not finished. and while I am not a perfectionist. I do want my quilts to be as good as possible. I just don't need them to be perfect. I quilt for people I care about. They know I am not perfect. They also know the love that goes into a quilt. So while I am going to get better about finishing projects and I am going to try and learn something from each and every one.
What Quilting motto do you like?
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Jumping In With Both Feet
The time has come to jump in with both feet. I am taking this quilting thing to a whole new level. I am buying the Long Arm. Whew! that was kind of scary. Matter of fact it is still scary. I am sure this is what I want and need to do but still that is a lot of money. But I am committed, I put down a deposit and applied for financing. The whole thing has been set in motion. I just hope I don't regret it as I will have to work until it is paid off. (work is not all that great right now)
All of this took place last Wednesday. I took off work and drove to Lake City, FL to attend an APQS Roadshow. I wanted answers about what could be added later and what I needed to get right away. I also wanted to know the advantages and disadvantages of some of the features. I wanted to be sure they were worth the extra money to me. I was not sure until that morning that I would be getting the Quilt path as I wasn't sure I wanted to go into debt over it. But my wonderful husband told me to get it even though it meant financing. The Roadshow deal gave me all I wanted, at the price I wanted, so I moved forward with it.
So why would someone that has a blog entitled "Quilting Wanna Bee" jump into that commitment with both feet. There are several reasons.
First, I see it as a way to supplement my retirement income. I don't have to make a lot of money but I am sure that any retiree could use a little extra now and then. If I buy it now it is paid for when I retire and that means I can use whatever I make to feed my quilting addiction.
Second, while I am not an competition quilter, I do love to quilt. I have been quilting off and on since I was young. This will help me to get projects finished and on to the next one so I can improve. Besides I need to practice using it.
Third, I can't stand how long it takes to hand quilt things (Heirloom items included). My hands get tired very easily and I am prone to carpal tunnel problems. Plus I am one of those people who likes to see progress on a project every time I work on it. I don't get that with hand quilting.
Fourth, I can't machine quilt big quilts on my machine. It is woefully un-equipped to do any quilts bigger than a throw. I can't manage to get the hang of moving the quilt at an even speed to do any type of free-motion. I just don't have the right tool for what I want to do. The long arm is the right tool.
Fifth, I think this would make my parents happy. Most of the money for the machine is coming from money that my parents left me. I was really good and paid off a lot of debt and got somethings done that made our lives easier. But I know that my parents would also want me to spend a little on myself. So I am. In fact the only reason I am getting financing is so I can get the computerized system. I will need that if I am going to quilt for others.
So yeah, I am a little bit of crazy but I am making that commitment to get better at what I do. I am taking the next step. As the saying goes "if you would have a virtue, assume it". Decide what you want to become and start being that person. It is time for me to stop wishing I was better at quilting and commit the time and effort to becoming better at quilting. That is what I am trying to do.
Bonus reason, it will help Tatianna as well. We both will improve, finish projects, and maybe earn some money as well.
What are you trying to accomplish?
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Bad Math and Sudden Realizations
Last week, I was counting up the blocks and how much more time I would have to put in on the Christmas Lemonade Quilt. I counted incorrectly. I thought I had 80 blocks and if I did 4 a day, I could get the blocks done in a little over 2 weeks. That was keeping in mind I had just done 16 blocks. I figured another week to put the top together. I even bought some fabric for borders and backing. I was excited to get this project done and move on.
Now I don't know how I came up with the 80 blocks. I had four turnovers. Each turnover had 80 half square triangles in it. That is 320 half square triangles. Once sewn together that equals 160 blocks. When all the blocks are completed, I will have 160 blocks not 80. Some where along the line I halved the number. It may have been because I had done the blocks in sets of two.
I am usually very good in math. I like to run number problems in my head when I am bored. I can generally add numbers faster in my head, than most people can punch them into a calculator. So for me to make that silly error is unusual. It is not a big deal but it does means that it will take a little longer to get the quilt done.
Of course the real issue could have been the fabric I bought for the borders and backing. I don't usually get that stuff until the quilt is about done. But I saw some fabric I liked at the local Walmart (no booing or hissing, this is good stuff). I thought "Okay that will work." Since the bolts were kind of low, I figured I better go ahead and buy it. You never know if the fabric you like today, is going to be there when you are ready to buy it. I had no choice but to buy it now. I thought about what I needed for a quilt made up of 80 five inch blocks. I mentally laid out the quilt and I figured out what size it would end up. I estimated what I would need for 3 inch borders, binding and backing then added a little to be safe. Like I said the fabric was getting kind of low on the bolts and I wanted to be able to finish the quilt. At this point I hadn't realized my mistake. And of course I have 160 blocks. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one.
As I was waiting for the person to come cut the fabric, I estimated how much fabric was on each bolt. I figured one bolt had about 3 yards and the other was around 4-1/2 to 5 yards. They were two different red prints both of which I really liked. I got to thinking about my stash. I tend to favor blues, greens, purples, and pinks. Consequentially the color selection of my stash has been rather limited. So over past few years I have been trying to broaden the color selection of my stash. I knew I didn't have much red in my stash and I see red as a very traditional color in quilting. Logically I had no choice but to get what was left of both fabrics. By the way, my estimation was pretty close. The one had 3-1/2 yards the other had 5 yards.
Later that night as I was finishing up my 40th block, I realized that I was not half way through the blocks. I was no where close to half way through. In fact I was only a quarter of the way through them. I will not lie and say I wasn't a bit disappointed. I thought I would be moving on to another quilt in about a month. But that is okay. This way the quilt will be more of a bed size quilt. Best of all because I bought the extra fabric, I still can put the boarders and backing I want on it.
I don't know how many times experienced quilters have told me "buy a little extra fabric for your projects". Their reasoning was if you make a mistake in cutting you will still be able to finish the project. If you don't make a mistake, you have some left for exchanges or scrappy quilts. I think the main reason is because so many of us fail to finish projects in a timely manner and then when we get around to finishing a project and we make a mistake, we can't get the fabric. I know I have always been glad when I follow the buy extra rule.
What advice have you gotten that you were glad you followed?
Now I don't know how I came up with the 80 blocks. I had four turnovers. Each turnover had 80 half square triangles in it. That is 320 half square triangles. Once sewn together that equals 160 blocks. When all the blocks are completed, I will have 160 blocks not 80. Some where along the line I halved the number. It may have been because I had done the blocks in sets of two.
I am usually very good in math. I like to run number problems in my head when I am bored. I can generally add numbers faster in my head, than most people can punch them into a calculator. So for me to make that silly error is unusual. It is not a big deal but it does means that it will take a little longer to get the quilt done.
Of course the real issue could have been the fabric I bought for the borders and backing. I don't usually get that stuff until the quilt is about done. But I saw some fabric I liked at the local Walmart (no booing or hissing, this is good stuff). I thought "Okay that will work." Since the bolts were kind of low, I figured I better go ahead and buy it. You never know if the fabric you like today, is going to be there when you are ready to buy it. I had no choice but to buy it now. I thought about what I needed for a quilt made up of 80 five inch blocks. I mentally laid out the quilt and I figured out what size it would end up. I estimated what I would need for 3 inch borders, binding and backing then added a little to be safe. Like I said the fabric was getting kind of low on the bolts and I wanted to be able to finish the quilt. At this point I hadn't realized my mistake. And of course I have 160 blocks. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one.
As I was waiting for the person to come cut the fabric, I estimated how much fabric was on each bolt. I figured one bolt had about 3 yards and the other was around 4-1/2 to 5 yards. They were two different red prints both of which I really liked. I got to thinking about my stash. I tend to favor blues, greens, purples, and pinks. Consequentially the color selection of my stash has been rather limited. So over past few years I have been trying to broaden the color selection of my stash. I knew I didn't have much red in my stash and I see red as a very traditional color in quilting. Logically I had no choice but to get what was left of both fabrics. By the way, my estimation was pretty close. The one had 3-1/2 yards the other had 5 yards.
Later that night as I was finishing up my 40th block, I realized that I was not half way through the blocks. I was no where close to half way through. In fact I was only a quarter of the way through them. I will not lie and say I wasn't a bit disappointed. I thought I would be moving on to another quilt in about a month. But that is okay. This way the quilt will be more of a bed size quilt. Best of all because I bought the extra fabric, I still can put the boarders and backing I want on it.
I don't know how many times experienced quilters have told me "buy a little extra fabric for your projects". Their reasoning was if you make a mistake in cutting you will still be able to finish the project. If you don't make a mistake, you have some left for exchanges or scrappy quilts. I think the main reason is because so many of us fail to finish projects in a timely manner and then when we get around to finishing a project and we make a mistake, we can't get the fabric. I know I have always been glad when I follow the buy extra rule.
What advice have you gotten that you were glad you followed?
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Slow Progress, New Projects
Well, it has happened to me once again. Progress on my current project slows down and I start to get excited about a new quilt project. Right now I have two projects planned and I am not even half way through the Christmas Lemonade quilt. I have most of the fabric cut for my star quilt and now picked up some fabric for Missouri Star Quilt Company's Square Dance quilt. Not to mention the kits and other projects that I have set fabric aside to do. I have more plans than I do time.
Life got in the way this week and we (my family) have been called to other projects. So I did not quilt until Saturday and then only for a few hours. I did work a little on the studio though. Well very little. I need to get busy in there if I am going to get organized by the end of the month.
I didn't work quite as many hours this week and I found my mood improving as the week went on. I still find I am very tired by the time I get home. I am hoping that vitamins will help with the exhaustion. Vitamins and better sleep. I need to give a shout out to my sister in law Brenda. (Because I know it was her doing) She and my brother sent us essential oil diffusers and oils for Christmas. I have been using the oil for sleep and I really think it has helped. In fact the nights that I haven't used it, I didn't sleep as well. But this is about quilting and not sleeping.
So on Saturday, I started to cut up my blocks. I decided the way to go was to do about 4 blocks at a time. This way I gave my back a break from cutting and I could keep the squares straight. First I cut off the dog ears. Then I should have squared up the block but I didn't with this first one. You will see why squaring it up is important later.
I took the the squares and cut them into fourths. That gave me four little squares that were 2 3/4 inches.
As you can see the four little squares are made up of 2 half square triangle blocks and two solid blocks.
To give the block a little variation I turned the half square triangle a 180 degrees. and sewed it back together.
I then squared the block up to a five inch square. I am a little excited to get these done and laid out for the quilt.
These worked up pretty well once I started squaring up the original block to 5 3/4 inches before cutting them into fourths. But when I skipped that step, I got this funky mismatched block. Fortunately I was able to square it up to five inches. It could have been too small and I would be down a block.
Always take the time to square things up. Taking short cuts could be disastrous. Fabric is too expensive to waste because you want to get things done. The old adage "Haste makes Waste" is very true.
I was chatting with my friend Cindy, and she told me she hates pre-cuts. She always has a problem with accuracy. If I was as accomplished at piecing as she is then I would blame the mismatched points on the pre-cuts. But I have to be honest and say I am probably to blame. It is an area I need to work on.
Jenny Doan says, No one has ever turned down one of her quilts just because the points don't match. I never had that problem either. I think as I get more practice I will improve. I am trying to make the points line up. But I am not going to tear my hair out over it.
So I have 80 blocks to cut apart and sew back together. I managed to get 16 done this weekend. Doing sets of four at a time and doing a set each night, I figure it will take a couple of weeks just to get the blocks sewn together. I am trying to not get bored with it. So I may work on some other projects along the way. But I will work on this project every night. That is my current goal.
What do you do when a project gets boring?
Life got in the way this week and we (my family) have been called to other projects. So I did not quilt until Saturday and then only for a few hours. I did work a little on the studio though. Well very little. I need to get busy in there if I am going to get organized by the end of the month.
I didn't work quite as many hours this week and I found my mood improving as the week went on. I still find I am very tired by the time I get home. I am hoping that vitamins will help with the exhaustion. Vitamins and better sleep. I need to give a shout out to my sister in law Brenda. (Because I know it was her doing) She and my brother sent us essential oil diffusers and oils for Christmas. I have been using the oil for sleep and I really think it has helped. In fact the nights that I haven't used it, I didn't sleep as well. But this is about quilting and not sleeping.
So on Saturday, I started to cut up my blocks. I decided the way to go was to do about 4 blocks at a time. This way I gave my back a break from cutting and I could keep the squares straight. First I cut off the dog ears. Then I should have squared up the block but I didn't with this first one. You will see why squaring it up is important later.
I took the the squares and cut them into fourths. That gave me four little squares that were 2 3/4 inches.
As you can see the four little squares are made up of 2 half square triangle blocks and two solid blocks.
To give the block a little variation I turned the half square triangle a 180 degrees. and sewed it back together.
I then squared the block up to a five inch square. I am a little excited to get these done and laid out for the quilt.
These worked up pretty well once I started squaring up the original block to 5 3/4 inches before cutting them into fourths. But when I skipped that step, I got this funky mismatched block. Fortunately I was able to square it up to five inches. It could have been too small and I would be down a block.
Always take the time to square things up. Taking short cuts could be disastrous. Fabric is too expensive to waste because you want to get things done. The old adage "Haste makes Waste" is very true.
I was chatting with my friend Cindy, and she told me she hates pre-cuts. She always has a problem with accuracy. If I was as accomplished at piecing as she is then I would blame the mismatched points on the pre-cuts. But I have to be honest and say I am probably to blame. It is an area I need to work on.
Jenny Doan says, No one has ever turned down one of her quilts just because the points don't match. I never had that problem either. I think as I get more practice I will improve. I am trying to make the points line up. But I am not going to tear my hair out over it.
So I have 80 blocks to cut apart and sew back together. I managed to get 16 done this weekend. Doing sets of four at a time and doing a set each night, I figure it will take a couple of weeks just to get the blocks sewn together. I am trying to not get bored with it. So I may work on some other projects along the way. But I will work on this project every night. That is my current goal.
What do you do when a project gets boring?
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