I've got one long side done. It takes about 100 1/2 square tris for each long border. I've had to make adjustments and take notes along the way about how to make this work....The borders have to attach to the quilt as kind of a trapezoid...with the two short sides slanting in opposite directions, so the edge that attaches to the quilt is longer than the outside edge of the border....then 4 pieced "corner triangles" will be added to finish it off. At least this is how it is in my mind so far. This means I won't have to do a mitered seam when attaching everything to the quilt (avoiding those at all costs...especially when I think of having to write up a tutorial how to do it for an upcoming book!) I like the whole "KEEP IT SIMPLE STITCHER" approach!
So last night, while watching some mind numbing Life Time Movie Network movies...I trimmed and trimmed and trimmed...on my little tv tray with the small mat on top of it. During commercials, I pressed and pressed and pressed, and cut some more cheddar setting triangles for the ends of the rows of 3...
Today? I hope to SEW! I'd like to get the second long border done. My reasoning for starting with the long borders first? Because then just the SHORT ones are left!
I also spent time last night doing MENDING. Quilters should NOT be required to mend, but on the way home from the airport Wednesday night, Jeff was helping me unload the trunk show from the back of the car, and one of the loops that held the D-ring in place on the extra huge military duffle bags that contain the trunk show became unstitched. I had to sew it back on. I would rather do ANYTHING else:::including having a root canal:::than have to MEND anything.
Quilter's don't mend do they? Isn't that like asking Picasso to paint your garage? Well. It only took 5 minutes. It shouldn't have been that big of a deal but it was. I know I spent more time putting it off than it took to do it. Sheesh. Queen of Procrastination!
Tomorrow? Indiana Bound! I'm getting to know Chicago O'hare airport FAR too well. I can hear Auntie Anne's pretzels calling my name with their delicious cinnamon-y aroma spreading down the B terminal already!!
Oooh.. chicago. I LOVE the Giordano's chicago style pizza .. tomato and sausage ... and I *hate* hot tomatoes, but I LOVE that pizza.
ReplyDeleteYep I don't like mending either! I too can smell those pretzels at O'Hare, had them last year on a lay over there....delicious!
ReplyDeleteA belated congrats on your Golden Quilter Award. It's well deserved. You inspire me to do more scrap quilts. I have spent way too much time in the past going through my stash "planning perfect" quilts. And do that again and again.
ReplyDeleteSo this weekend I have been cutting most of my fabric into 10" squares, 5" squares, triangles and strips. So far, I have about 5 "jellyrolls", and I thought those were "so expensive" and never bought one, LOL.
So excited to get started on those scrap quilts, which to me look so beautiful and so colorful.
Thanks for all the inspiration. I will certainly keep you in my prayers during all your traveling.
Blessings,
Jilly
I'm with you, Bonnie. My family's mending (and ironing) just sits forever waiting for me to tackle it. But I'll iron 50 fat quarters or quilt blocks at a time. I work in a quilt shop and yesterday a lady came in saying she wanted to learn to quilt, but a button was hanging six inches from her coat by a single thread. I thought "oh yeah, she'll fit right in."
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on the mending! I have a couch cushion cover I have to do today before the kids and pets start picking at the cushion...and not looking forward to it at all!
ReplyDeletewe're supposed to mend ? you can't be serious :-))
ReplyDeleteI keep some of my fabrics in mesh hanging bags on a rack. MONTHS ago, one of the handles on one of those bags ripped loose. It's been sitting right here on my floor ever since.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, I'd need to take all the silk fabrics out to stitch it....and that would take........oh.......about 10 mins or so. :(
Oh boy! I am with you on the mending! I just hate it. Maybe if I start doing it badly, they'll stop asking!
ReplyDeleteI'm the IN quilter that has 9 kids. You met me in Indy. I mend. I make myself do a little mending before I can quilt so I don't get too behind on the mending.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could come see you while you are here, but dh is job hunting.
It is cold now, but warming up here. :-D
Lucy (in IN)
Mending? Is that in the dictionary?
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a little bit of mending, but the thing I will not do is alterations to clothing! Yikes. Talk about a thankless task. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI, too, put OFF mending. I told my mother in law once who confided that she used to put all her mending in a box until her mother visited and did it for her. . . that I put mine in a drawer until they outgrow it!! Now I'm getting more practical. However, I do have quite the pile staring me down right now. Soon I'll have to do it to get it out of the way!
ReplyDeleteI love that cinnamonish smell too...have fun and be safe! Can't wait to see your border, it will be wonderful.
ReplyDeleteUm, I do mend but not on my quilting machine. The computer sewing machines will blow a board if they get stuck in a thick fabric and cannot finish the stitch. Use your old back-up mechanical machine for heavy mending. Ask me how I know.
ReplyDeleteI just volunteered, "I'll conquer your mending basket" for my church's services auction - I hope I don't regret it.
ReplyDeleteBut I have found mending oddly satisfying ever since acquiring a sewing machine that doesn't feel balky going through thick stuff.
I so identify with this post. I have so many projects going that sometimes I just cant decide what I want to work on, when I do actually get some time to sew. I love to piece and have been doing quite a bit of it when I get a chance lately.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I located a used copy of your first book and ordered it yesterday. Sorry, bu the money I save by buying used goes into other things. I look forward to reading it and using your ideas.
Safe travels. your border sounds very interesting, hope it all comes together without too much frustration for you.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick note... I was watching t.v. the other night... with strips to cut on my lap... along with a cutting board... and... ooops!!! Yep, the rotary cutter blade slipped and got my left index finger! Be careful! I'm thankful it didn't catch my leg! A quick visit to the E.R and 5-6 stitches.... just a warning... let us all be careful out there!
ReplyDeleteYour post made me laugh...I don't like mending, hemming or even dress making! However the family has other ideas...I think it might be the fact that I own a sewing machine and it has its own table...somehow they equate that with me being able to make skirts and hem trousers! LOL
ReplyDeleteI know all about Procrastination when it is about mending. And I keep being surprised how little time it costs. Every time again. Guess I will never learn ;-)
ReplyDeleteI hemmed some trousers for my DH once...one leg ended up about an inch shorter than the other. He hasn't asked again. Fixed that at least!
ReplyDeleteHAHA I hate to mend anything. Yuck. I live in the Chicago area... those pretzels smell so good that you can't pass by without one can you? Happy stitching and safe travels.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog!
ReplyDeleteI laughed when you said you'd rather have a root canal than mend! I feel the same way!
My mantra is something I saw a while ago....."Asking a quilter to do mending is like asking Picasso to do a paint-by-number!!!!" lol
Hence the huge pile of mending to be done........and my husband having to learn how to mend his own clothes (although I only let him use my old cheapy machine in case he breaks it)
I wish I could find places like you do! I am in Southwestern Ontario Canada, and I don't think we have places like that here.......at least not that I've ever seen! And to top it off, you found one of Guy Fieri's featured spots for his show!
My two favourite things, quilting and funky quirky spots to eat :)