Friday 13 November 2015

The Ten Foot Rule Must Apply


I am logging some serious hours on my Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt SAL blocks.
 I got ahead of myself by setting up so many blocks preparing them for sewing and not actually sewing.  Then I began to sew, found some of the quarter inch seams too scanty, and realized I'd cut and pasted several blocks with that little fault.  Anyway, I went back, recut several pieces and enlarged the allowances.  Small triangles in particular seemed to have come up short with just the one quarter seam.
I say I am pleased with my actual stitching and it is fabulous practice for applique hand sewing which is something I've always wanted to improve (and needed to).

 But still the stand back ten feet rule should apply.

With that being said, I'll show you a few of my latest finished blocks with my puny little stitches bared for the world to see.  Don't worry about some of the wonky bits; these blocks still have basting threads and freezer paper foundations attached.  When those get removed and the blocks get a good pressing, most of the wrinkles should disappear.  Fingers crossed.

Sorry about the grayish photos.  Yesterday was a very dull day and lamps couldn't seem to brighten the lighting. (No that wasn't deliberate so you wouldn't get a good look at my stitching, LOL)




 This is Carrie and she had 29 pieces to be sewn.  The cross motif appealed to me and I thought that might be a good idea for a whole quilt sometime.


              Here is Grandmother and with just 15 pieces, one of the easiest to get together.  I love baskets in quilts; something about them seem homey.

 This is Betty and I've aligned her design improperly.  She still  has her basting stitches so she can wait her turn to get switched around.  Betty has 16 pieces.


                                              Here is Ava, a block comprising 23 pieces.

This is Charlotte and there are 22 pieces in this block.  I think I would like to redo the side that is not showing  great contrast between the two colours I picked.


Miss Addie, lying sidewise.  25 pieces.  Her imperfections are many but I still like her.

My thoughts

It's a little like that old saying...can't see the forest for the trees, with me and these blocks.  It seems I don't see the errors till I'm all finished sewing, stand back and take a real  look.  Then I spy the mistakes or places I miss out on the chance to fussy cut, etc. GRRRR

Is my enjoyment in sewing these blocks enough to warrant continuing in spite of all the faults my blocks will obviously have and all the ripping and resewing I've had to do.  After all, I don't want to wind up with a terribly sewn quilt top.
But then hope springs....
With that thought in mind, I have felt a little more confident with the last two blocks I've worked so perhaps I will really improve.
 Practice, Practice, Practice- But this is where my impatience with myself enters; I want to be really good at this yesterday.

Colour choices- I think I've stayed too neutral with the colours; look at how Addie stands out.

Your thoughts????






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