2 weeks; 2 days

so how long does it take to un-do TWO WEEKS of work? two DAYS. sigh....

so here's part of two rows that i was trying to piece together--the whole quilt is going to be 17 hexagons across. it looks ok on the top but here's the back...

see how the paper is bursting out? it's murder trying to piece the hexagons together without the cardstock providing the stiff edge. the problem is...

the seam allowances are not wide enough. it's exactly 1/4"--just like machine-piecing, but now i know, that's not enough for hand-piecing. or at least not for me. i think the problem is that the cardstock is fairly thick and it ends up taking up too much of the seam allowance--those extra thread-widths make a difference. now of course i knew that while i was basting all 72 hexagons (i have 72 paper shapes) but i didn't think it would be a problem. Ha!

here we go again. i cut off 1/8" off each side of the paper hexagon --the fabric is cut 5-1/2" across--so the finished size is now 4-7/8".

can you see that the seam allowances are now much wider? and easier to sew. the cardstock on the block on the left just popped out. but i think it'll be ok. (hmmm...famous last words...)

well--hand-piecing is about the process, not the result, right?

i'm wondering how to piece the top together though. the directions on the pattern (sorry, i can't get the link to work--but try googling "Wildwood Garden Free Spirit"--it's a free pattern on the website) and on my ruler say to piece row by row--i.e. piece 2 separate rows of 17 hexagons across, and then piece the two rows together. but it's pretty bulky and awkward. i'm leaning now to piecing the traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden units (i.e. one hexagon surrounded by 6 other hexes), and then piecing the units together. i think this is more of an issue since my hexes are so big. what do you think?

Miss Read & Seinfeld

i haven't been to the library recently with all the bathroom upheaval and sick kids--so i've been re-reading my absolute favorite books by Miss Read (aka Dora Jessie Saint)

she wrote many books, mainly two series--the Fairacre books and the ones about Thrush Green--fictional villages in the Cotswolds of England.

and what do they have to do with Seinfeld ?--besides me watching the re-runs over and over again, almost as much as i have read and re-read Miss Read? well, both are "about nothing" except for the "minutiae" of daily life. Miss Read's books are simply about village life--there are some minor ups and downs and household drama, but i love these books because they are so peaceable and calm. Miss Read has a dry wit and so you may not be guffawing over these books, but there'll be lots of smiling.

my reading tastes tend to the mild and non-eventful. i try to keep up with the news and current political events and that's depressing and violent enough--so when i read for pleasure, i want it to be total escapism. and a peaceful village life in the Cotswolds is my idea of paradise.

other British authors that fit into this genre for me are Barbara Pym, Angela Thirkell, Maeve Binchy and Agatha Christie. comfort reading :-)

It's It!

today was HOT--so the only good thing with having sick kids (one kid is STILL lingering on) is that we stayed in all day with the AC on! and what's perfect for hot days? IT'S IT! man--i LOVE this stuff (see the empty box above :-) for you non-san franciscans, it's a cookie ice-cream sandwich dipped in chocolate and it's amazing--the perfect oatmeal cookie with rich, creamy ice cream. sigh...

Grandma's Pop Garden - WIP

man--this is one of the worst weeks ever! my kids are still sick (the 2nd week of illness)--this flu bug is just lingering and lingering AND we have to be out of the house everyday, all day, because we're remodeling the bathrooms. the grandparents have been great and i've been able to bring the kids and camp out at their respective houses. at least i'm better now (i was sick the first week) and i was able to do some hand-sewing!

these are all the hexagons that i've basted so far. they're big--5" (i started them here). "only" 300 more to go! but it's pretty relaxing to do mindless sewing. i'm planning to put rows together as i go so once i baste another 20 or so, i'll start sewing the rows together. i'll show pics as i go along.

lots of TV time for the kids while they're sick which is why i'm working on these. ah well--there's always a silver lining!

Last Shopping Trip (almost)

well, there's still one more photo shoot with my new French Hatbox fabs but that'll come later. this haul is from Hancocks-Paducah (see, i just can't resist their sales) but got lucky 'cos everything i ordered was in stock. shall we take a look?

first up, two charm packets of Mary Engelbreits. i already have some yardage and maybe i'll make another dress for sophie or maybe/probably a quilt in the far-off future.

more Amy Butler's Midwest Modern to add to the stash. this is a really mellow line of fabrics that isn't my usual style but it appeals to the more sophisticated side of me (it's a small side :-)

and i finally decided to go for it--start a Kaffe Fassett collection! i've always loved his sense of color-- i've got a couple of his books--but it seemed like a big commitment to collect his fabrics. but i'm starting to see some of his pieces go on sale--and that's enough to convince me :-)

L-R: Heather Bailey's Bijoux; Sandy Klopp's American Jane Recess; 3 Sisters Simplicity. i'll actually use the Bijoux rightaway (very rare for me) for this quilt; the rest will go into the stash collection.

a last look before they all go off to their separate bins. and that's it--no more shopping! (for at least a little while :-) but the fabs come at a perfect time. i've been home since this past Wednesday (except for one quick foray out to drop off alex & pick him up from a b-day party) 'cos the kids have been sick. first sophie, and now the boys. oh, and me too. it's been a BORING and uncomfortable few days so at least i get to look at my new favorite fabrics.

Children's Books Quilt

this is the block that inspired the quilt. i inherited this lone block, with templates (no pattern), from my quilty friend susan (you can barely see her pencilled remarks on the white fabric--it says 'Georgia Bonesteel's Bright Ideas for Lap Quilting 10"' ) as you can imagine, this was a pain to cut--i'm so not into templates--but i guess i was in the mood to just go for it.



lots of pinning too for the curvy parts. curves are truly not as hard as it appears to piece--you do need to match up the crucial points--beginning, middle & end, go slowly, and it helps an awful lot to have a needle down button on your machine.


here's the whole thing.





sorry--the photos are a little blurry--here's a close-up. the hello kitty fabric is from japan--back in the day when HK fabrics weren't so readily available here. the mustardy yellow book right next to HK, is from a class i took, where a lady brought her "uglies" (ugly fabric) to share with everyone! i wouldn't make a whole quilt with that fabric but it's interesting to spice up a quilt with a dash of color that might not be your taste. the great thing with collecting conversation prints is that i can remember when/how/why i bought/acquire almost every piece.


the border fabric is really cool (and the background fabric is the same but in a beige colorway). i forgot the name of it but i got it on sale at Hancocks-Paducah a whiles ago. i still have a piece of it which i'll make into a book bag one of these days.






but the sashing fabric is even better--see my name in it?--how cool is that! i think i also got this from Hancocks, or off the internet, so i didn't even know my name was printed on--i just wanted the text--bonus :-)

here's the back of the quilt--all the pieces leftover from cutting out the parallelogram book covers; a couple of book blocks that didn't make it to the front; susan's lone block; some scraps and a Paddington Bear panel that i've had for over 10 years i think--but never had the opportunity to use. it sure feels good to finally use that up!

i was a children's librarian in my former life and this quilt was a lot of fun to make. it's not the most coordinated of quilts--the whites and the tans and the black/whites don't quite mesh together but i think it's scrappy enough that it's not too noticeable. i envision my kids cuddling up under this quilt while reading stories (though it's probably more realistic that they'll be cuddling up under this while watching tv :-)

Shopping Again

i got another parcel in the mail--yippee! it's my birthday month so i figure everything i buy is my birthday present! this time the fabrics are from Bee Square Fabrics--unfortunately they are closing down, hence this awesome, 50% off everything sale.

here's another look :-) and since i love looking at other people's fabrics, let's go set by set (there was some method to this madness :-)

the fab on the left is from the Momo Wonderland line which i'm using for this quilt. it's just some extra, probably for binding, but if not, it's a nice polka dot so i'm sure i can use it somewhere (isn't that what we, fabric hoarders, all say!) the fab on the left is from American Jane Snippets line. i have a few FQs and some yardage of her older lines, they all coordinate nicely. i'm planning to make this quilt but that will be far off in the future. i bought the book but can't seem to find it so i went down to Joann's, got the book off the shelf, went to the rulers dept and got the measurements :-) i figure it's legit 'cos i really do have the book somewhere.

CUTE! these (top & bottom photos) are Japanese fabrics so even at 50% off, it's not super cheap. but so cute. i'm hoping to make this quilt with it (again, some day). lots of hand-sewing ahead!

and then these fabrics (below) are from Lecien; the top 3 are Minny Muu, and i can't remember the bottom fab's name--but i have some FQs from that line which i'm saving for some unknown project--and the colors are just too pretty to pass by.

sigh...this was a fun shopping trip :-) two more packages are coming!