Marcia

When Judy asked if anyone would like to do a block exchange I was the very first person to say yes. I was so excited about doing this. Now it is a different story.

I give up!!! I have been trying for over a week to make my star blocks and I quit! Nothing is coming out right and I am so frustrated that I have thrown in the towel.

I picked the laced star block off of quilter's cache. It is an 8" block, so I redrew it to 12". No problem. It is paper pieced so I divided it into fourths and took it to Staples and made 48 copies (4 for each of 12 blocks). No problem there. I bought 4 really pretty blues, ranging from light to dark and a white on white that has little tiny stars printed on it. Great-love the fabrics.

Cut everything out and paper pieced all 48 sections--no problems there--I had labeled everything really well, so no screw ups with the colors. I did run out of white and had to go back for more--little problem--no more of stars, so purchased white on white dots...still cute, problem solved.

Now, I have been trying to sew my sections together....BIG problems. Because I am paper piecing, the edges are all bias and are stretching--no 2 blocks are coming out the same size, the seams are not matching up, etc. I have tried leaving the paper on until I am completely done assembling them, tearing the paper off as I go, tearing off all the paper and then sewing, trimming each block first and then assembling, etc. NOTHING is working.

I had already resigned myself to spending an arm and a leg and sending these overnight mail in order to make the mailing deadline, but I am afraid that I am going to have to let everyone down and not participate at all. I am so disappointed, but I cannot pass off this pathetic example of a quilt block to any of you. Please accept my apologies. I have certainly learned my lesson---next time I will stick to something easier-something I know I can do.