musings, mutterings, and creative muddle. . .





Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Quilting Trip Short-Cuts. . . sort of


Cutting. . . Cutting. . . Cutting. . .  I have all 68 of the checked strips and brown rectangles cut, and 17 of the patterned octagon and full-sized squares.  Just getting started on the cream 'pentagons'.  Decided it would be best to cut strips the correct width, then cut blocks, then cut the corner off each one according to my template.


I have forgotten how tedious all this cutting can be. . . you want to double check your measurements each time when cutting the strips - then actual pieces.  I have to admit I made a couple mistakes on the narrower cuttings - but, really, all it did was waste my time - not my fabric.

& speaking of fabric, I'm going to come out just fine with plenty of each (well. . . not done with that cream yet, but that one should be easy enough to 'match' if I should need more) so that's a relief.  Except then I'm left wondering. . . what to do with the extra?

Wondering about things seems to go hand in hand when working on a project like this.  Crappy TV - why does it have to be?  So glad to have the Olfa matOlfa ruler, and Olfa rotary knife.  Couldn't imagine doing all this cutting by hand.  Makes me appreciate antique quilts even more.  Shoot!  Then I start wondering about not having an electric sewing machine - and not having my Babylock Ellegante 2 with the knee lift for the sewing foot, and choice of foot pedal or automatic start and stop and the nifty little quilter's foot that guides the fabric under the needle at the precise 1/4" seam allowance.  How spoiled am I?  And I have the choice to usemy brand new 'Baby', or my endearing Singer of 20+ years ago, or even my Granny's old Pfaff 130.

I even thought about cutting the pieces with old-style scissors instead of my fiskars or my roller cutter.  In fact, I remember sewing prior to the mats and cutters. You were pleased that your scissors were nice and long and pointy and sharp and didn't feel like you were really missing out on anything at all.  And now we have this choice of what to use.  I'm totally into enjoying the 'short-cut' in today's current quilt world. That was a horrible play on words - wasn't it? Sorry.  See what happens while you're involved in such a time-honored project as making a quilt?  But enough of that for today.  More musings tomorrow. . .

Today's map:

Supper - I'm thinking of meatloaf (in the shape of a heart as it's Hubster's Birthday.  Hokey, isn't it?), some lemon-buttered brussel sprouts, and garlic mashed potatoes.  Dessert?  Seriously?  You need dessert??  Okay then, a bit of 'natural vanilla ice cream' topped with some of the most decadent chocolate wine sauce from the Casa Rondera Winery in Albuquerque. A little goes a very long-long way.  Totally over-the-top YUM!

Projects - more 'short-cuts' on my quilt and I have some jewelry to get shipped out.  I really should get some more put into my ksyardbird shop too.  Keep a watch on that box over there to the right - new treasures ARE coming!

So the sun is shining, work is beckoning, laundry is hollering, and I need to get up and take my 'power walk.'  Gotta do all those things that HAVE to be done so I can get back to my 'short-cut' of a quilting trip. 

Hope your day is a GREAT adventure!

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