screeching halt coming up

The thing about cutting is that once I start, I want to keep going. Over the weekend in one of those odd moments--you know, listening to Prairie Home Companion, waiting for the tea kettle to boil, relaxing after an early dinner--I decided to cut out some scraps for a test quilt block. Just for fun, to practice hand piecing, just because. I was feeling rather pleased with myself because I've been trying not to buy any new fabric, at least until all the existing fabric is off the floor of the studio, but many quilt blocks want solid backgrounds and I don't have large pieces of cotton solids lying around. But! I remembered an old set of sheets I was going to retire because they are worn in the middle. (Worn sheets make me feel old. As in, I am old enough to have been sleeping on these sheets long enough that they are worn out where I've lain on them night after night season after season. How odd). These sheets are solid cotton. Once they were pale yellow, then they were a barely discernible off white, now after bleaching they have a pink tinge. Fine with me. Two queen sized sheets is plenty of background fabric for practicing, if not indeed for a real quilt.* I meant to cut pieces for one block, but restraint was absent

I cut enough for four. Here they are in little piles of odd pieces. The finished block looks like this

Whoops is it a bit blurry, I'm sorry about that. It is called Nosegay, or sometimes I think Bride's Bouquet. In my mind I think of it in 1930's type prints, a kind of hope-chest pastel sort of quilt. My points are getting better; the center where seven pieces come together is almost exact. The pressing and trimming is a bit confusing; I feel as if I should shave some points off the diamonds where they come together, but I'm not sure exactly how to trim. I'm also a bit obsessive from time to time about even-ness, and pressing to one side has always bothered me. I'll have to experiment with some different seam pressing schemes.

Meanwhile, I'm still working on finishing projects. Here is the baby blanket mentioned in the last post

Saturday morning I quilted it on the machine, and this morning I added the binding. Now I just have to sew the binding down on the reverse side, add a label, wash, and ship. The quilting is not great; it's definitely utility quilt quality. For one thing, I didn't think ahead, so each stripe of patches has a different quilting pattern, as I tried to figure out the easiest way to manouver the fabric. In many places it is uneven and wobbly. Oh well--it's a baby quilt to be thrown in the washer, spewed upon, chewed, dragged to the playground, whatever. It's not mailed yet... if it turns out that I don't feel good enough about it to give it to the intended mother, I can always donate it to charity. Right? How good is good enough? Does the gesture really count when it comes to hand-made gifts? As a recipient, do you overlook the imperfections in a hand-made offering and use it as it was intended? Or tuck it away for long enough that you can quietly get rid of it? I guess it depends... I meant it to be a fun set of blues for a little baby boy, and I thought the patches would be fun to investigate as he grows older. There are fish in some blocks, and little clothes hanging on a line, and balloons and birds as well as dots and other patterns. I might as well give it I guess. I'll take a picture of the finished object and maybe you can help me decide.

I almost forgot--the screeching halt! My niece is getting baptized August 6th, and--(jumping up and down)--I was asked to make a gown for her! I am so thrilled! Needless to say, this project puts all others on hold. I have just ordered supplies and patterns, and once they come, it will be 100% baby sewing til it's done. The best I can do for a beautiful niece. I also get to be godmother! I am honored. Can't wait to start. Nothing like a deadline for turning out the product. If it comes to that--what the heck am I going to wear? Yikes!

*ps. I know old sheets are not recommended for quilting, because of their high thread count. Believe me, I have already experienced this in hand-piecing. And to make it worse, this particular sheet has different count in warp and weft. I am learning a lot about the differences in cotton plainweave. I'm not saying I'm really going to make a quilt with this old sheet, but it sure does come in handy for testing blocks. Until I can buy some nice white quilting cotton or stock up on some basics.

Comments

[grumperina]

The baby quilt is beautiful - stop fretting over it, and send it! Your quilting skills are amazing, every seam looks professional!