1/23/13

And quilting, and quilting…

Okay, so the drawback to finishing three quilt tops is having to stop and quilt them.  Okay, not really a drawback, more of a reward.  But, I’m in a really creative mode right now and stopping to quilt is just not as appealing as it sometimes is.

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And, it’s not really the quilting, it’s the stabilizing quilting that is not appealing to me.  You know, the work that you have to do before you can get to the fun part.  The thing that keeps me going is knowing how much easier this will be to handle under the machine when some of the pins have been replaced with long lines of quilting. 

The theme of this quilt is fish.  I’m thinking of quilting it with long, vertical rows of fish.

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This fish.  Well, maybe this fish without the fins on top and bottom.  Those seem a bit of overkill.  Anyway, I was thinking I’d cut a dozen or so out of freezer paper and then iron them to the quilt top and quilt around them and move them to the next spot and quilt around them.  Can’t do that if I keep the fins.  Anyway, just a thought.  Linus quilts are a good place to try new things.  And, if I’m not going to like it, I can pick a good stopping point and just let them end without feeling like I have to rip them out.

I was also piecing on this mystery quilt. 

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I stopped because I’m just not loving that light green.  And, because it is a shaded fabric that is light on one end and medium on the other, so I won’t get consistent coloring out of it.  The pattern instructions are pretty hard to understand (they could take tips from Bonnie Hunter) but I managed to get through that and even learn a new skill using the tri-recs ruler.  But, I can’t make myself cut that light green fabric and sew it to the dark blue.  Because if I hate it, I’ll have to pick out 48 (or 72…did I mention the pattern is hard to follow) diagonal seams.  Better to wait a bit and see what the next clue brings. 

One other note, from another day.  I write my blogs in Windows Live Writer and love it!  I really, really find it to be the easiest thing in the world to do and one click gets it published from my computer to my blog.  The only drawback is only having access at home.

Last night, I took Rob out for Daddy’s night out.  We really needed it.  This parenting s**t is HARD.  I thought it was hard teaching her right from wrong.  But, it’s even harder teaching her how right and wrong fit into the bigger world. 

Be well.  Have fun.  Find something you like and wrap yourself up in it.  Today, I’m wrapped in the fact that my family is weathering a storm like an old, reliable, comfortable ship.

Lane

5 comments:

Rebecca Grace said...

I could never do a mystery quilt -- I'm WAY too much of a control freak to let someone else pick all the fabrics and just blindly follow directions! I'll just enjoy the mystery quilt process vicariously, reading about yours. ;-)

What is this Windows Live Writer thing you speak of? Is it part of Office, or some separate program that you've purchased? Blogger is driving me CRAZY with the picture snafus and formatting PITA. Which might give me just the motivation I need to consider other platforms!

lw said...

I like the fish quilting motif. I like the fins, too, but I can see where they would slow the whole thing down some considerable.

Parenting is the hardest thing I've ever done. Grandparenting is less intensive, but no less complicated, especially when it comes to how to explain things to the kids, and when to do it. Stick with your strengths-- honesty and kindness-- and everything will turn out fine.

It's 20 degrees outside. Our old creaky building at Goddard leaks heat like a sieve and you need a jacket for the west offices, the hallways and the bathrooms. I'm wearing layers of wool, so it's not too bad. Snow is predicted for tonight.

sandra said...

Hang in there Lane:)and Rob:)
Maybe it's harder teaching her how right and wrong fit in the bigger world because right and wrong DON'T always fit well in the bigger world. And sometimes you just have to hang on to what you believe and know is right and wrong, even though it seems the rest of the world thinks differently. Not easy at any time of your life, but especially hard when you are a teenager!

Elizabeth said...

Marking a quilt is a pain in the keister. I wish I had better talent for free-handing.

I love your idea for the freezer paper templates. I'm putting five-point stars in a quilt, but not the kind that criss-cross each other, just the outline. I have some glue that you put the onto your paper, let it dry and then it is like a sticky note. But, the points of the stars weren't staying down. After a couple of squares they were starting to shift and the stars were losing their shapes. I'd reapply glue, but that was a hassle and it was taking way too long. I'd decided to just go ahead and trace the stars in blue marker and go that route. Maybe I'll try freezer paper and see if it goes faster and the points of the stars stay down. Thanks for the cool tip.

Love everything you've been up to lately. The I Spy quilts are awesome!

xo -E

Susan Entwistle said...

I'm with you on the light green. Maybe if it were more turquoise :).

I know what you mean about the foundation quilting, but sometimes I love it because it's mindless.

I'm using a washable blue pen to mark the quilting on my current project, and I'm finding that I love it. A little mist from a spray bottle erases my mistakes.

Enjoy your quilting!