Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Progress is good


Part of my New Year's resolution-get your life in order-clean up the sewingroom-and darn it there is a quilt show this year plan was to finish an "old" quilt each month. Now I know that will only make a minor dent in the pile but hey, progress is good.
Also, for the few days each month I am working on the old project I will not be starting a new one...not adding to the pile of projects could in itself make more of an impact than actual finishes! I may even post a started and finished list on my sidebar...wouldn't that be organized!

In January I finished my "Crumb-y Giant Churndash" (did I mention finishing the top is a legitimate finish for me?!...my game my rules....) February was a banner month - my "Citrus Windy Jellyroll," "MS Blues," and several airplane binders. As I flipped the calendar page I took a deep, deep breath. Out came my DH's dreaded RWB...do other folks have quilts like this...bugga boo quilts...ones you just don't want to work on but have some sort of obligation to well, finish. (for obligation read a DH who every time I show him new fabric, a magazine, or a finished quilt wrinkles his brow and says "what ever happened to my quilt?" This from a man who has to take his wedding ring off to check the date when asked when he was married!)

So may rant on this quilt...

1. It is only three fabrics. I never work with just three fabrics...what is the fun in that?!

2. Since I only used three fabrics and procrastinated so long I now have run short of one fabric. (ok, the real reason I make scrap quilts....)

3. Since I procrastinated so long some of the blocks have stretched...this will be a real pain to quilt!

4. I started this quilt shortly after my first MS episode...my eyesight wasn't great and my dexterity not so good. Since I was in general denial I used 1-1/2 inch strips....As all really good southern cooks are prone to say "it's not my best but hope ya'll enjoy."

So, to get this out of the plastic bag (projects) and onto the plastic hanger (finished tops) stage I ended up taking the pieced edge off one side and buying a yard of good old solid Kona (if you can't find a color in their line to match your quilt than the color doesn't exist or like me you are have optic neuritis and never are really sure what color is what...but hey, that is what sisters are for!) I now have a narrow edge of blue around the quilt and will add another small border of the red. Then like it or not...it hangs on a hanger and a big ole' check mark goes in the finished column. Woohooo...off to start as many new projects as I can before April fools day!
I had a couple of emails about the quilt in the hallway in my last post...it is a variation of a Mariner's Compass. I bought it at an estate auction in West Virginia about 15 years ago. A note attached to the quilt called it a Northern Compass and said it had been started in the late 1880's but finished by the quilter's nieces in the 1940's. I don't think the quilt was ever used.

Off to cut some red fabric....

9 comments:

Tonya Ricucci said...

I know you're so sick of working on this one, but it looks fabulous. it really does look great. so stop stressing, it's mahvelous and it's almost done!

sewprimitive karen said...

Oh, it's wonderful, love love the wide sashing

dianne said...

the red, white, and blue quilt is too cool! can't you just picture it spread out on green grass in july and lying down under a starry sky to watch the fireworks? really, really way cool!

i made Bonnie's (first?) mystery quilt in reds, off-whites (a Pooh print), and blues - it is ready to be quilted and my youngest daughter keeps asking me the same question ... and, like you, i just don't wanna ... especially since she told me that she wants me to quilt fireworks all over it (does NOT sound like fun to me) ... and then she says, "can't you just picture it spread out on green grass in july and lying down under a starry sky to watch the fireworks?"

Karen said...

I like your red, white and blue quilt. So sad it makes you blue. :(

Mary Johnson said...

I have such a hard time picking up on projects I've set aside unless I've finished the top. I don't usually working in 3 fabrics either but this is looking good!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Oh- wonderful blue, white and red quilt - never been so fond of those colors myself but this one is striking. And the compass - oh fabulous too. Our son and daughter-in-law live in WV - and go to auctions all the time - I should have them look for quilts - prices are much better back there than out here on the west coast - hope that is true about quilts also.

The Calico Cat said...

Ack - that sashing & corner stones design would have sunk me - without MS!

make my faux log cabin obligation look far more doable...

Dionne said...

I love your top, it looks great! I must say it's one of my favorite things in life, checking things off my list.
It looks great!

*karendianne. said...

I might be a slog but I like it! We'll pop the cork when this one is done.