I'm working on a quilt for my DFIL who is an 85 year old retired minister). It is a Batik Cross (will post pictures when I have it together) which looks sort of Celtic and is dark purple, red, navy blue and gold on a white background. Because it is done in such contrasting colors, I'm clueless how to quilt it so this one is going to Charisma.
I'm so excited to have her do a quilt--it will be the first one I have had professionally quilted. I want it to really look good--you know, well done, sharp points. He would never notice but Charisma might. It is all HSTs with a few solid pieces (4" finished squares). I have been meticulously careful. Have all the rows sewn together and up on the design wall and I go out today and start sewing the rows together. This is how it goes:

Gorgeous day, windows and doors open, birds chirping, sun shining, nice breeeze. A tiny bug keeps flying around my face, landing on my nose. Kill it and another one takes it's place. Over and over and over.

First row goes together well. Love how it all fits when you have been careful with each step along the way. But I think I need to shorten my stitch length as the gray thread might show on the dark colors when it is stretched out on the LA frame.

Second row. Sew it on carefully, lay it on the ironing board and, oops, need to pick out a few inches here and there of those tiny little stitches to re-do some intersections.

Third row. Maybe I'll sew it first with a longer stitch then when I know that it's okay, I'll go back with the tiny stitch.
Get to the ironing board. What the heck, why is my tension off so much. Practically have eyelashes on the back. Rip it out, adust tension, sew, rip, adjust tension, sew, rip, swat at knat, again and again and again. An hour later, I'm still trying to put on row three. Okay, looks like the tension is good. Take a deep breath, count to ten, take a big gulp of tea. OMG!!!! All the threads that I have been picking out, I have been putting in my tea glass and not my trash receptical. I just drank a big mouthful of thread pieces.

That is how the lowly HST kicked my butt today.

Hmmm.... Fiber.

I hate HST

That was funny!!!>>>>>>> you may have ahd a bad day today but remember God is watching out for you on this one.. I wish for a better day tomorrow without the added fiber. lol..

wow, sorry that happened to you! maybe a better day tomorrow.

here is a little secret to doing ANY quilt that takes HST's in large amounts.

look at your layout..now make a B&W photo copy of it and do it in smaller sections...like 4 or 9 blocks at a time...pin that on the wall and do the next section, etc..then connect your sections the same way..like if 2 sections make 1/2 the quilt you do those 2, then the 2 belows that to make a 4..etc...make it so much easier to go together and if you do have unstitch to realign a few, it is much easier than removing the entire ROW to get to the middle...

I have had those days myself. I agree with Jaquie, I am doing my current quilt using her suggested method...seems to be going together pretty well so far...I find long rows very daunting.

I know, you would think that they are so simple, how bad could it possible go? Plus with Batiks, there is absolutely no stetching to make something fit if it isn't perfect.

Fantastic idea! That is how I'll do it next time. Too late for me now on this one.

this is how I do it so much eaiser.

Thanks for this tip. I am getting ready to do a quilt with lots of half square triangles and will follow your advice. Love this board!

May you have a better day tomorrow.

Bambi,
Sorry for your troubles, but I have to tell you it did make me laugh out loud, and for me it's not that easy since I am a week out from jaw surgery.
Please be assured that we have ALL had days like this where it is easier to just walk away for a while, rather than burn the project to get it out of our sight.
Better luck tomorrow!!! :thumbup:

Happy quilting,
Susan

It's the bad days that makes us appreciate the good ones! Tomorrow will be better! Hugs

oh no you got more fiber in take today

rofl

Sorry you had such a rough day - but thanks for the laugh.

I used the same method jaci explained for an 80"x80" that was all 8" blocks and it worked like a charm.

I've had those kind of days. Hope tomorrow will be better.

Awwe Bambi, I was so with you when I read your post. Then when I got to the thread in the tea I had to laugh. Hope things go better next time round, might put screens in the window so those nat's won't bother you. lol

Can't wait to see the pic.

Patty E
Quilting Mad In Mansfield Ohio

Oh what a bad day - hope tomorrow brings nothing ut successes.

Too funny, not laughing at your pain just the idea of swat, rip, stitch and drinking the threads...look at the bright side at least the tea didn't have all the gnats that you swatted in it........ewwwwwwwww

We all had those days! Great story and sense of humor! Cant wait to see the finished quilt!

Don't you just LOVE those HST's??? Thanks for the morning chuckle, hope the rest of your thoughtful gift goes easier for you. BTW, just a little tip for you: Gnats HATE the scent of vanilla. I buy those "Christmas Tree" car air fresheners in vanilla scent and pin it on my blouse. Works like a charm. I always wondered why the farmers around here had them hanging from the back of their caps. Finally got up the courage to ask and they told me about keeping the gnats away.

Cotton = vegetable = good for you! :-D

Can't wait to see a pic of what you're working so hard on! :D

Grambi...nothing but sympathy here. Have had those days, usually just give up, chalk it up to a bad vibe for the day, and give it h*ll the next day. If I walk away and then go back, usually I can see what goofy thing I was doing.

I know how you are feeling about those HST.
I am working on a pattern called Mary's Broken
Dishes and I wish I had not started it!!! But I am
determined to not let it get me down. So it is a fight
to the finish to see who wins.

Can't stop laughing .. my day is off to a good start. Thank you :thumbup: Sorry you're having issues but admire your sense of humor.

I agree....I have found this method to be so much better for me. Easier to be sure everything lines up.

On those butt-kicking HST's....I've been using the Triangulations software (really just a CD of PDF files) to paper piece them. The accuracy is amazing. I just made a zillion of them for a scrappy and every one is the same!

What a day, but it definitely was beautiful one in Texas yesterday!

That is a great story, and one you will remember whenever you see the quilt!

Hope today goes better & no more threads in your tea! :D

Love your avatar, burros are such sweeties, except for my Sterling who is a pill!

Better luck on your project today with less agony!

Debs & Hemi

I laughed out loud on that one!!! I think I would put it down for a little while and after I spayed bug repellent on and made a fresh cup of tea, I would head back to it!!! Great story...

handing you a dish full of choclate
goes well with thread

ROTF :D

Your story hit right at home. thanks for sharing. but, yea, you only got fiber, and not the gnats! :shock:

When adjusting the tension, keep a scrap piece of fabric to test the tension, until you are satisfied it is fine. This will save you lots of ripping...and stress.

When adjusting the tension, keep a scrap piece of fabric to test the tension, until you are satisfied it is fine. This will save you lots of ripping...and stress.

Sorry double post.

Hope your quilt turns out nicely, as it sounds very pretty. Jackie gave some good advice. I just finished doing a Carpenter Star center for a quilt, and did it in rows. As I was finishing up I wondered why I had not just sewn them into quarters and then sewed them together. Would have ended up the same, but somehow maybe not as confusing keeping the rows correct. Today at our guild meeting Pat Knoechel (from Quilt in a Day) showed how they did the Radiant Star and she did it in quarters then put them into a half, then the two halves together. Makes sense to me!!

:lol: I have never quilted a quilt that was perfectly pieced all over. I'll bet Charisma hasn't either! Yes, as we quilt quilts, we do see every seam that doesn't quite match up (our nose is practically on the fabric), but those minute (ok, mine are not always minute) irregularities are the proof and charm of a quilt made with love. They add to the beauty of a quilt like yours, a beautiful, warm hug made with love in every stitch (and the ones you swallow count double!). I suppose there are perfectly pieced quilts out there, with no off-by-a-thread matched seams, but I have never seen one. However, when quilted and seen as a whole, no one will notice a slightly off seam match. If they do, then their horse is galloping too slow!

Yep , had that kind of day today.

lol. That's one way to get your daily fiber. hehehe.

hst - 1, quilter - 0. :lol:

Too funny!! I needed that!! Thanks I think a book could be written about the day and life of a quilter, who ever thought thread could cause such a ruckus in all our lives, glad I never think about the money i rip away! lol Have a great day!

So sorry you had such a rough day! I have many days like that so I REALLY appreciate days that go smooth. Hopefully you have kicked this thing into submission & all will go great. Ohhhh.....Do not put your threads into you glass. LOL Bet that was gross.

Jackie I do mine that way also & it sure saves me a lot of grief and aggravation. Thanks for mentioning that.