Saturday, June 29, 2013

Back on Track

I really struggled grasping y seams with the June block on Block of the Month 2013. I haven't done a Lemoyne star before so I was excited to begin. Then it came to doing it, not so much.
We joined two strips at 2 1/2 wide together. That was easy enough. Then it came to cutting the forty five degree angles and the troubles began. I am new to doing angles most of my work is with squares and half squares until recently where I have learned some new techniques. That is why I did take classes on Craftsy to help me learn new blocks and get some great tips along the way.
I messed up the first cuts because I did put the 45 degree line in the right place before I cut. I watched that part of the video and went back to it again. Then it came to the assembling, I found marking the lines on the cloth so I knew where to stop was really important in making the block work. I also noticed that my 1/4 inch mark did not match my 1/4 foot on my machine. I didn't know that. I double checked my marking on the cloth and then the machine. I found the foot was definitely wider than it was supposed to be. So that might explain why on several other blocks I had trouble.
Well I did finally get it but not before taking it apart five times in different places. I made two new sections because of the bias. I have this bin I am filling for a crazy quilt so in there they went.
This was the block after all the frustration.

This is what my halfway point looks like on the 2013 Craftsy Block of the Month The colors are working out very well on the beige.
 
While I was on a roll I started adding the 2 1/2 inch strips to my 2012 Craftsy Block of the Month quilt so I can begin the machine quilting class with Leah Day. I went back and forth on whether I would do it with black or white. I finally tossed a quarter and white one. Once I had the white I really found the color enhanced my blocks the way I wanted the sashing to do. I am posting several of the blocks so you can see what I mean. I think white makes the blocks pop.
 
I really like the way the white sets this block.


                                               The white here connects the block.


Here it also connects the block.

This block without the white border I really did not like but with the white it works.

Unfortunately this block I still don't like the colors but I do not have enough blue to do another one.

This block is more visual with the white. It was mundane before.
It's funny Amy Gibson of http://www.stitcherydickorydock.com
used the Kona white in her quilt for class and that is the color my borders are making the blocks stand out the way I want.
 
We had these crazy thunder storms on Thursday that made the power flicker during its tirade. Friday morning Purryl kept pacing downstairs on the lower patio area so I went to see what was bothering her. One of my hanging planters had come down in the crazy wind and rain. Unfortunately the hanging planter was filled with impatiens, petunias and vinca. Underneath where it hung were two clay pots with green beans in them. They did not survive the crash. The pots were shattered and the bean plants have several broken branches. I transplanted but not sure if they will survive. The impatiens, petunias and vinca faired much better I replanted them in their plant dish. The hanger though was not salvageable. They just don't make rugged hangers like they used to. Everything seems to be made in China. :(
 
I'm reading this fascinating book called Moonwalking with Einstein. by Joshua Foer. I am enjoying it more than I expected. Originally, I bought it with the intent to improve my memory. Like a lot of self help books you read because you need too but this also quite informative as well as entertaining
 
 

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