Quilting Rules

 

Good morning!

I have rules about my own quilting, do you?

Here are some of my rules:

1.  Never sew, choose fabric or cut fabric without proper lighting.

2.  Never sew or cut fabric when tired.

3.  Never sew anything difficult when under duress.  

It's that last rule that gets me at time.  I often opt to choose a paper piecing project when I'm stressed because it's simple enough:  One, two, three, follow the numbers.  

Unless I forget to follow another rule.  4. Always follow directions carefully.

I finished a top that I began after our puppy Kerry passed.  It was the beginning of a bad week with family losses and illnesses.  I thought I was being so clever and used up batik scraps to make piece a quilt pattern called Winterbound.

On Monday, I pieced the borders and kept thinking something was wrong...and it was.  The top came out to a measly 45 x 54 inches.

By the way, this is the top upside down.  The designer actually planned that the points go downward but this is the way I photographed it, so there.

What went wrong?  The quilt was supposed to come out to 48 x 60 inches.  Well a very simple thing with paper piecing and I know this, dang it.  The instructions state:

"When printing, check your settings. You need to print the pattern with “No scaling” or “Actual size”. The template will measure 6.5” when printed correctly."  

I did not print correctly.

My blocks came out to 6 inches when they were supposed to be 6.5 inches.  I supposed I could add a border of some sort but most likely I will be taking the piece apart and making more blocks.  More on that later.

As if on cue, I then found another grief project that I messed up after Scout passed.  I had completely forgotten about it.

Ugh.  I even know what I did at the time.  I think I accidentally changed the needle position and now the HSTs are too small for the piece.  I have 110 of those hour glass blocks completed and need to decide what to do with them.

I should have just stuck to making blocks that didn't require a pattern.

Smaller batik scraps that couldn't be used in Winterbound were also paper pieced these past weeks.  I had a whole basket of Kona white scraps that I've been using up to make these:

The pattern came from Flying Parrot Quilts and I received this pattern when I signed up for the email list.  You can do the same thing by going to Sylvia's website here.  I'm not making the wall hanging per instructions but will probably just sash the blocks in the navy batik in the background.

It's important to follow your own rules about quilting or you will end up in a pickle too.

Tomorrow is Flower Friday and please email me if you have anything to share (allentownquilter@gmail.com).  

Wishing you a safe and happy day!