Borders and Geese

I was talking to my mother on the phone the other day and I asked her what she thought about the new border I added to my Borders, Borders, Borders project.  She had no idea what I was talking about and asked if I had just recently posted it, because she had not seen it.  That got me to thinking . . . had I posted it?  Was I just imagining that I had written a post about it?  Had I even taken a picture of it?  Hmmm.  So, immediately after hanging up with her, I got on-line and looked and nope, I hadn't posted anything about my block.  So, had I taken a picture?  I couldn't have.  The camera had been in the car for about a week or more and I had just brought it in the day before and it was still downstairs.  Life has been so crazy busy for me since school started that there are some weeks I just operate in a day to day mode.  Do you ever have a life like that?  I was just working from one deadline date to the next. 

 

After school one day, I had a teacher ask me to do something 4 weeks in advance and I told him I couldn't even think about it or discuss it with him until I had made it through the next two weekends.  At the time, I just knew if I had one more item added to my plate, everything would crumble and fall and I would go bonkers.  I can usually multi-task pretty well, I think most of us can, but how many things can you juggle at one time?  That is the million dollar question.  When he asked me to do that one thing, I was juggling about 11 different things and I just knew, that twelfth item would tip the balance for me.  I knew if I could put him off for a week or two, things would come together, I would finish up two huge weekends of quilt show and quilt retreat and then I would only be juggling 3 or 4 items.  Then, and only then, could I sit down and discuss with him what he needed me to do. Luckily he kind of understood and was patient with me and waited until I had time.  Well, life hasn't slowed down much at all, I have had to totally get one item off my plate - I wasn't enjoying doing it so that was a fairly easy decision - and two more things are coming to an end this week so I am looking forward to some peaceful easy living in my future.  (Who am I kidding?  I teach High School.  There is always something else coming around the corner to be put in the air and juggled)

 

Anyway, that is a long and rambling road to get to my picture of my Borders project.  This months assignment was to add a border using "squares".  I had planned on putting squares on point and doing a border all around with those.  After making and vetoing that, I decided to put large 4 inch squares around the border.  I cut out my squares and put them on the design wall and . . . nope.  It didn't look right.  I didn't have time for this nonsense of making a border and then not wanting to use it, so I left it right there and knew I would get back to it - left it spinning up in the air.  I knew I wanted to bring in more color, I didn't want to add anymore black or gray or white, but I wasn't sure how I was going to do that yet.  Sometimes you just have to sleep on it (and sleep on it and sleep on it) until the right solution pops in your brain.  That's what happened with this one.  A nice scrappy 4 patch border in just the warm colors from the middle block except for the yellow.  I didn't want to put any yellow in this border.  I wanted a really warm border to contrast the cold and shocking border with the black and gray/white half squares I added last month.  I will put some more yellow in the quilt, because it needs more yellow, I just didn't want any here.  I know some of those squares look golden from this picture, but they are really an orange print.    

 

 

 

 

I am liking the look so far and know that if I want a larger quilt, I am going to have to make the next couple of borders larger or even put this on point this next month.  I will have to wait until Saturday to find out what our next border must have in it.  The block that is in the lower left corner of this picture is the other quilt I am working on in the Borders challenge and it still needs a border with squares, but I can't find the fabrics for that block.  I have them somewhere, but they are not where I thought I put them.  Therefore, this one isn't ready to be shown this week at our meeting. Or here on the blog.  That's okay, I am an over achiever anyway - according to the group - doing two quilts.  It is all because I started with the one in the lower left corner and had planned on using it for my project, but ran out of background fabric so I made the other one.  Since we started, I have found another fat quarter in my stash of the background fabric, pulled it all out and put it together somewhere safe.  I just have to find where that safe place might be so I can work on this quilt.  juggle, juggle, juggle.  The good thing is, I had already put a border with triangles on it when I started it so I will only be one month behind instead of two.  sigh. 

 

Okay, this is the next thing I wanted to show.  If you read my previous posting, you know I am in a block exchange group.  November is my month and I chose the Goose in the Pond block.  I made one block to show in a tutorial and yesterday while watching football I made two more (You are asking - is that all?  two blocks all day?  I also took a nap, did a couple loads of laundry, played with the dogs -my day wasn't all about making those two blocks).  I almost have two more made tonight, but I still need to square up all the half square triangles, but I can do that tomorrow night during the Voice.  I have set the blocks I have made on point to see what they would look like and then in a row.  I can't wait to start getting some of these from the ladies to put on my design wall and play with.  I may want to sash them with colored cornerstones.  Stay tuned and see how this one evolves.  Oh, yes, for those of you who are wondering, my mother lives about 11 hours away from me in a totally different state and she sees what I am making only if I post it on my blog or when we find the time to Skype.  (I know, some of you are thinking, 11 hours, of course you are going to be in a different state, but I can drive 11 hours from here and still be in Texas.  Actually I can drive more than 11 hours and still be in Texas.  It's huge ya'll!!) 

 

Swap Blocks and Bag

 Swap blocks are done for both May and June for my Bee Balm block exchange group.  Here are my four for Melina.  They are not sewn together, just put up next to each other on the board for the picture.  I won't cut them apart before I mail them so she can decide how she wants to use them.  This was fast and easy once I cut me a 6 1/2" circle template.  (I am the world's worst at cutting out circles free hand.  Just ask my mom and friend Liz)  I really like the way these look and may have to make me a black and white bull's-eye quilt.  I can't wait to see how she uses all  these blocks in her quilt.  Whether she keeps them whole or chops them up.  Also, how she incorporates the red fabric she posted that she wants to use.   

 



 

 

Here is my  block for Elisa.  She sent an EQ pic of the block and the background was all blue.  Without any other instructions, I made it before we got the posting to use any color scraps for the background and not just blue.  I pulled several blues out and once I cut them the correct size - and also figured out how to make the corner blocks - this block went together really, really fast.  I wasn't sure about taking it apart and "fixing" the corner where the dark fabrics all came together, but decided that was part of the charm of scrappiness.  Those are three different fabrics in that dark corner and it would all have to stay just like that.  Elisa sent us the pink/magenta fabric pre-cut and the center block.  I am curious if everyone got the same colors or if she sent out a mixture of fabrics.  This is a large block 18" finished.

 

I can't wait to see what everyone else has lined up for us to make the rest of this year.  I can't decide what I want to do when it's my turn, but I have until October to make up my mind since my month is November.  Do I have everyone make seasonal blocks or something entirely generic since I may not get them all back until the new year?  And then definitely won't get it finished in time for Christmas.  Decisions, decisions. 

 

I have also been working on a new bag to house all my sewing machine supplies.  I had previously made an ugly yellow bag that I was trying new techniques out on and for some reason, have never replaced that bag.  I carry it around and surprise, surprise, get compliments on it all the time.  (did I mention that it is ugly?)  Anyway, I wanted to make a wider, shorter bag this time, but had problems figuring out how to attach my zipper portion.  It is off to the right about a 1/2" and I DO NOT want to take it apart and fix that problem.  I am not completely happy with the bag and now I don't even want to use it for my sewing supplies. I think it's too pretty for that usage.  I quilted the lining of this bag to give it some extra sturdiness and had to take out two pleats on each side to make the opening a little wider. You are probably yelling, "where is the bag?"  "post a picture of the bag so we can see what you are talking about".   Okay, here is the bag: 

 

 

I had two pieces of this snowman flannel laying around the room and decided to make something with it.  These are leftover pieces after making some wonderful, comfy pillow cases that I use all the time in the winter.  I love my flannel pillow cases. Anyway, I had two pieces of fabric and I decided they needed to be used up.  So, I came up with this bag for one of the pieces.   This piece was about 14 X 19 and I wanted the opening to be smaller, so I put in four pleats in the top.  I took out two pleats on either side of the middle on each side and just left the double pleat in the middle.  That was done after it was all put together except for the zipper part.  Which also meant that I had to re-do my zipper.  I have the first zipper ready to go for the next bag, though.  (you can see the ugly yellow bag in the background.  It is made from 70's fabric that wasn't going to be used for anything and since I hadn't planned on keeping the bag - just trying out a technique I was making up - I thought it would all end up in the trash. Not being used for the past 10 years or so)

 

I love the lining fabric.  It was from a dress I made about 20+ years ago.  When I decided that it was too pastelly and looked babyish I cut it up and put it in my stash where it has resided until now.  I had to piece this inside section because I only used the bodice parts (lining and front and back pieces)  to make it. I am saving the skirt portion since it is in larger sections for another project.  I really do love this fabric.  Just look at the finished edge of this bag on the inside!!  It has binding around the top edge because I couldn't figure out how to attach the zipper piece and make it a finished edge on the inside so I bound the top edge first.  A lot of work has gone into this bag and it's sad that I am not completely happy with it.  Oh, well, it was a learning experience.  I may put a strap on it next to be able to carry it easier.  Love the purple zipper that was picked up in a box of goodies from an estate sale years ago.