Design Wall Monday - Week 21, 2015

On my design wall...still..just..this:

Tiddly Winks

With no further progress.

It's been paperwork, lots of rest and laziness relaxation, every day chores, and just other distractions keeping me from sewing.  I played with organizing my flannels - hadn't touched them in so long, I forgot what I had, so they got to see the light of day and breathe some fresh air while getting refolded and re-organized before going back into their bin in the nether reaches of the guest bedroom closet.  Yeah, they don't fit in my stash closet, hehe.

I have only a little over a month before I return north, and then a week and a half after that is quilt camp so before I leave, I need to plan what I'm going to take to work on.  I have a couple of projects still in the works, one that I started while at camp last year. 

There's this one (above), Subtle Charm.  This is the only block I finished at camp last summer.  All the pieces are cut and ready to be sewn.  I think it will travel with me.

And there's this one...the one I had SO much trouble with that I just packed it away to not be dealt with until my brain could focus better.  And I've determined that if it still comes out wrong, I'll just trim each block to a consistent square and be done with it! I may be 'twisted' to take this one along.

Sister's Choice still needs to be sewn together.  May have to determine the layout beforehand, but it could be a good traveling companion too.

Tumbler could use some more work, as could Pyramids.  And I need to do something with all those Bowties, and Spools I've made as leaders and enders.  Scrap O' Nine Tales still sits as finished blocks.  Lots I could work on, whether here at home or away at quilt camp.

I have so few projects remaining to be pieced unless I start something new.  I'm thinking maybe I could use quilt camp to practice some free motion quilting.  I have far too many quilts that need to be quilted, I almost hate to start anything new.  I could pre-layer some muslin and scrap batting pieces to practice on.

Let's go see what shows up on others' design walls at Patchwork Times.

Bulb Success

I successfully found a new bulb for my sewing machine at a local machine shop.  I forgot to take a photo before putting it into the machine - not as easy as removing it - but by comparison to the photo of the old one, the new one is perfectly clear and you can see the filament that is in it.  I was wondering if perhaps I shouldn't have purchased a spare as one never knows how hard it will be to find one after another 10-plus years!

I also thought I'd have been sewing by now, but am struggling to stay focused long enough to figure out which project I should work on.  And so far today, I've only been attempting to clear an area in the garage for the stuff I brought back from the wet land that needs to be stored for now, and now I have a sinus headache from the dust stirred up from packing stuff up for charitable donations and moving a whole lot of empty boxes around.

Well, the day isn't over!  

Maybe I'll re-tackle this one that I've had so many problems with.

Giving Up

I wrote about this one back in January, here.  I pulled it out again the other night and refreshed myself as to what was going on when I put it away.

 The project is a pattern called Twisted Sisters by Ami Simms.  

I still cannot get the block to come out accurately.  I have remeasured everything.  I have taken seams apart, in some instances more than once, and resewn.  I've tried narrowing my 1/4" seams.  I've tried increasing my 1/4" seams.  I don't know what else I can do.  I've checked her site for errata, thinking maybe one of the measurements is off, but I find nothing.

 These are two of my original photos.  See how the seams don't line up correctly on both the above and below photos?  On the upper photo, I completed the block just to see if all four sides would be off, and yes, they are.

My stack of 'chunks' ready to be trimmed to the template.  I need to recheck each seam so that it lines up with the template, shown in the photo below. 

But even with all four "wedges" matched precisely, when added to the center square, they are still off.  I thought about trimming the finished blocks to just square them up, but if I do, that will cause each block to be offset from each other block where the seams are supposed to meet. 
 
So at this point, it is ALL going to go into a box and get stuffed into the closet to think about at such time as I can spend hours to re-structure, re-sew, re-think.  That effort is not going to happen right now, and I'm going to move on to something that will bring me joy.

If you've had any experience with this pattern, I'd love to hear from you.

Design Wall Monday

Oh my stars!  Having been gone for the better part of three months, I forgot that Monday's are for reporting in for Design Wall Monday over at Patchwork Times. 

I can only show what was still hanging from my design wall when I left on 2/2 as I've not yet had my machine in a usable state...perhaps today though, it will come out and play.  

I have parts of three projects on my design wall: 1) 7 blocks from the Sisters Choice project (no photo), 2) one block from Twisted Sisters which needs to be fixed and figured out as to what I'm doing wrong for it to not be lining up correctly, and 3) some itty bitty 9-patch blocks that I have to revisit to find out what I was thinking with them, I believe I may have been doing them as leaders and enders. 

L=problematic Twisted Sisters block, R=Mini-9-Patch blocks

Please bear with me while I pick up speed and get back into the groove of things :)

There Are Times...I'm a Doofus

Do you ever have times when you really start questioning WHY you do this quilting thing?

I'm having one of those moments.  Maybe I just have too many things I'm trying to focus on including my mom's issues, and now my Aunt Irene's 80-year old husband landed in the hospital too, same one as my mom!

My January NewFO is Twisted Sisters by Ami Simms.  I've had this pattern and the template for a good many years.  She has spoken at our guild, and is a very good guest speaker and also very, very funny.  If you're not on her newsletter or blog list, you should be.  Both can be accessed through the link provided.  And to access the linky party for our January NewFO's click right here for Cat Patches, our wonderful host blog.

Cast of characters, sets of 4 on left to be cut using acrylic template, 3 1/2" center squares, and strip sets to be cut into sets of 4 as on the left.

First two blocks...before measuring, but you can see where they don't align at that lower seam.

When I pulled the pattern, and the fabrics, and sewed my test block, I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why I couldn't get the block to the same size she says they should be in her pattern, 9 1/2", they were too big.  I began sewing really fat 1/4" seams, and still couldn't get close.  I was convinced that something must be wrong with either the pattern's measurements, or the acrylic template.

My attempt at artistic photography.  Stack of sets of four.

I sewed a second, and a third 'test' block and still just couldn't get it right.  Today, I determined it must be a faulty measurement, so I thought I'd start with the center square which is called out at 3 1/2" and took a scrap and cut it to 3 1/4" instead to see if maybe that was the culprit.  I sewed on the four blades, used my regular scant 1/4" seam and they seemed to actually look like they were fitting better, but.... I finished one block, measured it and whoa, wait, what?  It measures 10" square, exactly. Now come on, how on earth can it be still close to the same size as the other blocks when they're supposed to be 9 1/2"?  OK, so a scant quarter inch on 1/4" smaller square equates to a fat 1/4" on a 3 1/2" square, so nothing gained, except...hold it, it was time to pick Nick up from school so I left everything as it was and left.

And a slightly different angle.

When I came back, something started clicking in my head.  I was frustrated though that the blocks just weren't matching up with the directions, but then I started thinking, 10" square?  Hmmm, did I erroneously get it into my head that the squares were to be 9 1/2" before sewing into rows, or did that pattern say 9 1/2" finished squares?  Where's that pattern?  Let me find that line in the pattern instructions. Oh shoot, oh shoot, oh shoot!  Well now, do I feel like a real doofus, and I think maybe I ought to go back and take remedial reading lessons.  Of course, it IS 9 1/2" FINISHED, so 10" is the correct measurement of the raw blocks.  Why didn't the pattern SAY that:!!?

I have eight blocks now from which to completely pick out the sewing, carefully press flat again, and then resew.  I'm so thankful it isn't more than that!  Oh, and I didn't mention that there are a lot of bias edges, so I really do need to be extra careful while pulling out thread, and pressing.
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Ok, some hours later after dealing with the family issues going on up north...it looks like I'll head that way and hopefully, hopefully, miss snowy weather in the passes as I drive, probably leaving Sunday, maybe Monday...lots to work out tomorrow.

A remade block...still problematic! Ugh!

I finished picking the eight blocks apart and have resewn one, but using my scant 1/4", here's a picture of how it looks. It's 10" square - sorta, right?  Wrong!  OK, time to make another one with a regular 1/4"...back in a few...

Well rats! The next one isn't going together right either, and I think I need to just give up for now, and ultimately, will give up until I get back from up north. I'll post more info over at D.O.O.W about my travel plans.

If you've done this pattern and have some tips, I'd appreciate them.

Design Wall Monday, No.4, 2014

I would love it if these weeks would slow down a little.  I feel I'm spinning my wheels more than I'm accomplishing the things I try to focus on.  

Well, still on my actual design wall is Celtic Solstice, and I need to get the borders put on so that I can take part in the final link-up on that this coming Sunday.

Also still on my design wall is a row of six individual Sister's Choice blocks.  I do like them just hanging up at the top next to the ceiling rather looking like a wall-paper border.

My non-design wall has two other projects in work, yep two of them!  The first of which I wrote about last Monday is the one with the itty-bitty little 9-patch blocks, you'll recognize the photo above.  The other is from a pattern I've had around since a guest speaker spoke at our guild half a dozen or so years ago. Without further ado, I shall post a couple pictures of that one.  

L-R block sets cut, center for all blocks, and strip sets awaiting the rotary cutter.

L-R: a couple of finished blocks, the block centers, and the same stack of block sets.

By the time I get around to posting, there's usually already a large number of folks who've linked-up at Patchwork Times showing what they're working on.  Head on over there if you haven't already been there.  If I ever get organized (laughing up my sleeve) I'll have my post ready a day ahead of time and then I'll only need to link-up!  Not holding my breath!

Enjoy the day, it's time for me to sew now that I spent all morning in the kitchen and running an errand or two.