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UGH! My bloggy pal Left Handed Quilter saw my circle project yesterday and we struck up an email conversation. She said she had tried this, had a hole at the center where they joined and ended up setting the whole deal aside. More power to me if I could get it to work out. I told her she made me scared to continue after that story. She suggested that I try sewing just 4 of these puppies together to see what I thought before I invested all that time and effort into turning all those circles. Good plan, LHQ---thanks!
Well, there is a fairly small hole, the back seams don't line up properly and it is hard to get the seams started no matter which direction I start and end. You are instructed to sew with the walking foot---not a problem I have one for each of my machines but still. Truthfully, I do NOT like this technique enough to want to continue. You know life is too short to make yourself work on something you don't want to do. This is supposed to be fun, after all----not work and drudgery. But I have a plan for what I would rather do!
I spent a good chunk of the day trimming all those 40 some circles down with the pinking shears. It felt like they were bound up at the teeth near the rivet of the scissors. I squirted on some PAM release spray thinking that WD 40 might be better but it stinks and might stain the fabric. It worked. Man, those things were sailing through the fabric much, much better or I would still be trimming.
I am glad that I had not wasted anymore time prepping those pieces because I know what I would rather do with those pieces though I will be wasting some fabric. Puss in the Corner, uneven nine patch and I think I can do what I want to do using Billie Lauders's "Four=Nine Uneven Nine Patch" from her More Quick Quilt Tricks booklet. Whack these up to get 5 inch squares and just be sure to dispose of the areas that have a slit. If I don't have enough fabric for my plan than I have cut 2 1/2 inch strips.
What I want to do with them is: A Simple Cross from Fons and Porter "Love of Quilting" Sept/Oct 2000 like my friend Norma has made. I LOVE that quilt as much as I hate the start of this circle deal. I can't find a picture of the finished quilt and if I remember correctly it was to be gifted to to a family member but I did locate the top HERE. Scrappy and anything goes. Yep, this will be converted to that with a little un-sewing---not much just not today.
I am going to switch gears again----get some white felt when I run on the grocery errands and I am going to applique rabbits for my guild row quilt. I also have a bit of prep work to do in the kitchen for our Easter meal. Yep, that is my plan-----
I hardly EVER made a test block - until I ran into this little gem - now I'm better at working up a sample to see if the pattern is working the way it's supposed to - BEFORE I get too far into it - so I guess it WAS good for something - haha - ;))
ReplyDeleteI like your PAM idea - and just checked my Billie Lauder booklets - don't have that one - but I followed the link - and I agree - MUCH better use of your time - ;)) Good plan - ;))
I have only made this "circle" quilt once--and that was baby size. I made it in a class that was called "Bread and Butter". It was named that because we traced a bread and butter plate to get the circle.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a pattern just doesn't work out the way we saw it in our mind's eye. It is great that you have another plan for the pieces so quickly. Good luck with the revised plan!