block 5

went to local fabric craft shop today to get batting so I can finish some more old quilt tops.  Had a coupon and it was 20% off day.  I walked out w/ nothing.  zip, nada.  Well batting is no longer considered fabric.  couldn't use the coupon.  20% of $15 when:  I can wait 2 weeks and purchase it for 50%.  It sucks.  Gas is going up and now we can't use coupons freely anymore.

now I know this was straight.  It's got to be the camera.  Maybe I need to draw lines on my design board

lazy, summer

Summer is here.  Rain is gone.  Cool weather has disappeared.  Can't believe how dusty our house has become.  Have had the windows open the past 6 weeks.  Forgot the dust.  Now summer is roaring in.  68 at nite and 92 during the day.  House is all locked up and the air conditioning is on.  It will be months before the windows are open again.  Should I dust now or just blow it off (hehe)  until summer ends.  So w/ this blast of heat I've been too lazy to blog.  but, I have been working on my blocks.  Here are my first 9 1/2 ' blocks.  Been experimenting in color.

                                                         have to do these again.  think i could sew straight

                                                            much staighter

                                                           color makes a difference

exiting

Well i do three things .   cut, sew and iron.  Darn it!  How hard can it be:  I use a fancy cutter, a fancy machine and self turn-off iron and it still ain't straight.  My 12 1/2 in block came out:  12 1/2  x 11 1/2.  Ok:  it was triangles.  Ok! it was a new foot.  ok:  you add 5/8 or is it 7/8 to the final size before cutting.  Math!   So:  I got the ruler out and practiced with my new foot.  I add 1 in not 7/8.  Then I trimmed blocks and:  voila:  a 12 1/2  x 12 1/2 inch sq. block.   ummmmm  must be a magic fairy.

if it keeps raining in north texas:  I'll be able to swim to the sea otters.

exit

There is really no way to fix these.  They have been hanging out in the back of a closet for years.  trimmed and ready for binding.  Time to find 5 more to complete.  Thinking about taking to humane society and let those lonely dogs / cats have them.
One thing however:  it is not a good idea to take one way fabric and put on diagonal.

                                                  My latest weighting on binding

expired!

 time to watch Liberty Valence again:  The cactus rose is in bloom.

I'm exhausted.  went through 3 sewing needles.  Ok!  If that doesn't work replacing a sewing needle when a thread breaks:  then clean and oil machine.  Well I did that too.  Then I broke another needle.  Then the darn thing (my new machine) kept jamming.  Took her apart for the 5th time.  Found a piece of lint stuck behind the hook (bobbin hangs out).  Who would of thought!  I won't be so sloppy next time I clean my machine.  Guess I'll clean it every 8 hours like the manual says.  These high tech machines.  At least she ain't broke.  At least I don't have to drive her to Dallas.  Amazing for me.  I wasn't scared to tear her apart.  My first Bernina.  I cried because I thought I had broken her.  (just jammed a spring).  Kind of feel that way with my new puppy, my new car, the microwave, my laptop :  "ain't my first rodeo".  Just shake, kick and hammer.  Can fix anything.

expiration?

well fabric has no expiration date, but I do.  It is really hard to get into quilting a quilt top that has been sitting in closet 4-5 years.  Yappers.  Just plain boring and the worst part my skills have so improved.  But, alas, I'm too cheap.  Gonna finish.  The quilting looks great but the piecing is not straight nor even.  Only so much you can do to fix it.    Put on binding and sell at yard sale for the pampered pet. 

 back at the wichitas

                                                   where the hell did this carabou come from

expiration date

I'm glad that fabric doesn't have an expiration date.  Found a bunch of quilt tops I made years ago in different stages of "done".  I remember taking this photography class back in college.  Teacher had a real tight rubric for grading.  I always wondered about that.   Near the end of my 2nd semester w/ him I went back to look at my photos.  They were horrible.  But, at the time of developing them (yes in the days before digital) I personally invested and thought they were magnificent.  I look at these tops:  yes I now have time to finish them and see how poorly constructed they were.  They will make some pampered pooches comfortable. 

 and we call this art.  wish i was this good