Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Skill Builder Sampler Block: Part Deux! et Trois! et Quatre!

So let's review my progress thus far with trying to do this first block for Leila's project.
First I had this pile of fabrics I scrounged together from my stash.
Not what I wanted but I thought it would be okay. I made Block Number 1.
I was not happy with the color combination and didn't like the way values were too erratic.

I pulled out some parts of it and redid it, but I still wasn't feeling it.
So I just said, "Forget it!" and bought new fabric.
I got a fat quarter bundle and some extras to fill it out. I was very excited and threw caution to the wind. I decided to do the courthouse steps version of the block rather than the log cabin version. So I cut it out and sewed it up, cause this is the easy part, right? Not if you cut it wrong.
Hence, Block Number 3. I kept wondering why there was so much excess material at the ends of each row. Well, if you don't cut the center square SQUARE, then your measurements are messed up! I have no idea what I cut that center square, but it is not 4.5 x 4.5, I promise you. It was longer on one side than the other. I also noticed after the fact that all the rows of flowers are going the same direction except for one. So I salvaged the flower fabric and cut it for the shorter pieces, changed the blue and ended up with this.
I changed to a darker blue to give it more value contrast. I actually think I would have been fine using the original fabrics if I had gone with this block instead. Oh well, hindsight and all.
You know, so far quilt alongs and I have not gotten along well. This is only my second one, but I miscut fabric on both this one and the Embroidery 101, so I don't know what my problem is lately.  Maybe I need to concentrate more, I don't know.
And to top it all off, I spilled my cereal on the floor while I was working on this a few minutes ago. I am on a roll! Woohoo! Really, I don't know what I did to deserve all this but I apologize, repeatedly! Besides, I thought bad luck things were supposed to come in threes, not be continuous and ongoing!

7 comments:

Brenda Turner said...

Your mind is going faster than necessary! Slow down and enjoy the process.
Love you,
mom

Flo @ Butterfly Quilting said...

HaHa ..so funny! I am glad to hear I am not the only one that can't actually cut correctly! Maybe it just makes us more creative !

Linz said...

hahaha! Yeah, slow down. That is the #1 thing quilt a longs have taught me thus far! But! That final block is beautiful! I almost went with the court house steps one. I really like how it looks! Very nice!

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Leila said...

Oh no! 3 blocks?!? I think quilting is a total learning experience. I don't even want to admit how many extra 2.5 inch strips are sitting in my scrap bag because I can't decide which colors would be best. :)

Keep it up!

Marg said...

I am so very impressed that you kept on attempting it. I would have given up. I'm so pleased to know that I'm not the only one that does stuff like that. It doesn't matter how many times I read the pattern or check and re-check I pretty much always end up making a mistake.
Love the new fabric.

Anonymous said...

You poor thing! You've got a lot of patience to have made that many blocks! I love your new fabrics. =)