so here i am working on my froggy blanket...just got to the last two block to sew the last piece of the blocks togther before ironing and piecing and wouldnt you know it?!?! i am exactly two pieces short. i will still have enough blocks to make my blanket but i was soooo sure i counted properly! it's pretty funny when i think about it and the is no way i am going to the store to hopefully find more fabric...this is from my stash. what a wonderful world i live in where nothing goes right...but i am going to make lemonade anyway! ok, im done laughing and venting at the same time!!!! :roll:

I hear you. Don't you hate when that happens. I'm sure it will all work out just fine.

I have been there, and I feel the same. I was sure I counted right, and yet....
you are farther along than me, I threw it in my ufo pile. Maybe this year it will be finished!!!!

Yes, lemonade sounds good! The border for the quilt for my daughter is a few inches short. Stirring lemons now to see what I come up with!

Sheila

Have a snit and fume for a few minutes, then figure out how to salvage what you have. I have been there more times than I care to admit. I have a stash of really old fabrics, and trying to match something is nigh impossible, so I substitute, and go for the scrappy look!

I have been in the same boat a few times! I have gone so far as to make the field smaller , add a larger border, or use the 'extra' blocks in a second border, near ( or in ) the corners, you know,.. just to make it a little more interesting, especially if it's a scrap quilt.So, don't be too hard on yourself.

Wait until you are in a hurry and you cut the last piece for the last block with the last bit of THAT fabric on the planet and you also cut through two of the blocks that are already done. See what you say then. I could tell you but that kind of language is frowned upon. hehe.

There's a trick you can do that will help. If you only need a small amount of fabric, scan the fabric into your computer and then print it out on the fabric sheets that are printer friendly. If you need a lot of fabric this isn't very cost effective but when you only need a little bit it can really be a lifesaver!!!

I have done that and not handled it half a well as you. I can't wait to see the quilt.

Sorry, I posted twice. :oops: :oops: :oops:

I hate it when that happens!!!

I hate when that happens.

That is why appliques were invented :wink: :lol::lol::lol:

I recently had to sew 2 small pieces of fabric together to be able to cut one 5" square! UGH!!! But, it was in an inconspicuous place....and it's only a utility quilt...so,....I am NOT above cheating a little!!! :-)

Now you tell me.

Been there -- done that!! And will more than likely do it again :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sheila, I did the same thing on a quilt top I finished about a month ago. I was about 8 inches short for the border. I took a solid color that matched the quilt and embroidered the recipients name on it and added it to the border. It looks awesome!

What a great idea!

Situations like that are really opportunities. Time to get creative. The solid block with embroidery is a good idea. You could also cut out a motif from the fabric and applique that to the block and make it look like you meant for it to be there. It's all about attitude.

Good suggestions here, where were y'all in the middle of the night the other night when I had to try to "piece" a border? Why would you be sleeping in the middle of the night?

Creative is a quilters middle name!

Hugs,
Sharon

Is it possible that you may have two stacked blocks sewn together? Been there,done that :oops: :oops:

I was going to be a smart aleck and say "Really, I've never done that before." But I couldn't get it written out without snorting at myself in laughter. Yeah, been there, done that.

Me too!! (ROTFLMYAO)!

Been there, solved it by making the four corners different but matching the other colors. Good Luck

Of course you counted right. The quilt gremlins have struck again!!
They sure get around. I can't begin to tell you the problems those little gremlins have caused me!
If you have enough blocks to finish you are just lucky they didn't know. haha
Ditter

There's a trick you can do that will help. If you only need a small amount of fabric, scan the fabric into your computer and then print it out on the fabric sheets that are printer friendly. If you need a lot of fabric this isn't very cost effective but when you only need a little bit it can really be a lifesaver!!![/quote]
Thank you for this wonderful life saver ! I'd would've never thought of "printing" my own fabric.

Do you have any little, furry sewing "helpers"? I've heard more than once on this board that sewers had their little "helpers" borrow a couple of pieces and stash them!!

Sue

My mom says them quilt gremlins are awful. She can have everything exactly layed out as it needs to be sewed and by the time she picks it up ,gets it to her machine and sews it it's wrong. Makes her really upset.

I was making this Tennesse Waltz quilt and was 1/2 inch short of fabric for the last two snowball blocks( b/c i had cut the first block strip generous like Fons and Porter do and then trim the edge to get a clean cut) i spent hours searching the internet and calling LQS on the phone. I could find the other fabrics in that line, but not the right color. ( I had purchased the fabric months earlier). i finally pieced the center of the snowball block and continued. this quilt is disappointing because i had to piece tha backing too and piecing is off. Ive decided to keep it for myself as i love the fabric and the quilting. I would like to make another TW quilt to see if my piecing is better now.

OMG...What a gorgeous quilt! I'm still struggling with my log cabin, but I'm definitely going to put this one on my list of hopefuls.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

Thank you. It's a Quilt in a Day Pattern and it was kind of hard. If you look close you can see that my blocks don't line up well- it's all the angles. but i have done a few quilts since then, so i hope that my next one is better. I fell in live with the border fabric and went from there. it's the back also.

OMG sewmom -- don't beat yourself up so much! That is a BEAUTIFUL quilt!!! I love it. I would love to have it in my house! :D :D

Isn't that pattern great. I always lose pieces, then cut another, and after I get it sewn together, find the lost piece.

Hey Sewmom...Beautiful quilt!!!cute cat quilt inspector! :lol:

Ditter

my cats could be on a different floor and as soon as i put a quilt on the floor to baste or photograph-there they are! it's like it's calling them! glad to have their approval and all of you are very complimentary. thanks.

you know my helpers are everywhere!!!! and those gremlins...im not so sure they don't pose as my little "helpers"... i have to have a lint roller right next to my fabric at all times!

that is genius... i would never have thought of that in a million years...but i am printing it for my "studio" bulletin board so i never forget it.

You're right, very disappointing. I think you should send it to me so that you don't have to look at it and be reminded!! :wink:

The quilt is beautiful!
Have you seen quilts in magazines and noticed the seams don't match? I have. The important thing is it is finished and you can enjoy it. :)

I sure have. And when I notice that, I don't bother with the pattern or I find I have to redraft it. I think it's sad that in an effort to shove out more quilts and magazines the editor and those in charge have lowered their standards. I'd rather have a magazine with a few high quality and well made quilts in it then a magazine shoved full of patterns with quilts that are not well made. JMO