Starting over.

So unfortunately due to a huge miscalculation on my part, it turns out that the border blocks I was planning on using for the quilt I've been working on need to double in number. Since I do not have the money (read: I am saving so I won't be a complete lump on a log if I don't get a job before I move to PA) to purchase more of the red fabric, and since I have been getting more and more frustrated with the project, I decided to shelve it for now. I will eventually finish it sans borders, perhaps even this weekend, but today I just really needed to work on something new.

HST's!! Bonus points if you post in the comments
what show I'm watching. ;)

That something new, of course, being the baby quilt I promised Christina I'd make. I got all the pieces cut today, all that's left is some serious sewing and trimming and ironing.

Lots and lots of trimming. I spent from about 12-5 working on
the blocks, and while I managed to finish the little squares
I still have to trim them all down to size.

This quilt is actually proving to be a challenge for me, because I'm not actually sure I'm trimming the HST's down to the right size. They're cut from 2 3/8 squares and sewn together; I've been trimming them down to 1 7/8ths, since that's what they all trim nicely to, but it seems as though I might be supposed to trim them to 2 inches. Oops. Oh well, I'll just trim everything down by an eighth of an inch, because unfortunately due to my being silly and still not daring to try the easy HST technique I pieced them all individually. At the very least I have plenty of extra fabric to experiment with if it turns out I would have to trim them all down.

I mean, look at how pretty and perfectly square this is.
It's been pretty bizarre up here weather wise--this morning it was raining, then we got a pretty solid covering of snow, and then by 2 PM it had all melted away.

Oh! So this was the first time I got to use my brand spanking new cutting mat, and it was an absolute dream. The rotary cutter seemed to be much happier too, because it didn't mess up more than maybe once or twice. It felt really smooth, which was cool, and it was neat to see that yes, it is in fact self-healing; no score marks anywhere. The lines on the mat were a little distracting but it helped in the end with lining up blocks to cut into triangles.

My new rulers also worked extremely well, including the little one I got to help with cutting things back. Overall I am very happy with my new toys, and look forward to using them for quite some time to come.

Just as a warning, updates may slow to a trickle until Monday, May 9th, as I have my senior thesis coming up and a term paper for my Crusades class and would like to do a decent job on both. Hopefully you all are willing to be patient with me. I will still probably be quilting, I just won't be able to do quite as much.

Much love, and lots of wishing spring would just come already!

Marisa

Comments

  1. I just hate when the math doesn't work out. Been there, still doing that. Put it to the back of the table and let it rest. There are lots of ways to work those geese into the borders. Now its time to finish up school and graduate! Well done. Stop by on your way through town. Went to a fabulous low brass concert at UMASS last night with your mom.Guess we could blame you and Charlie for making us drive halfway across the state to hear a concert. Just glad it's Massachusetts and not Montana - we'd still be driving! See you in a couple weeks! TTFN T

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