Saturday, January 7, 2012

Little Blocks



Here are my Pink Lemonade blocks for Lori’s quiltalong. I had fun selecting the fabrics from my stash. I’m happy with what I found.

I’m listening to John Adams by David McCullough on CD while I sew. Because I’m using an old boom box, I have to listen to a whole CD before taking a break – I can pause it, but I’m not sure I can turn the thing off and be at the same place when I turn it on again. I could test it, but won’t.  ; c ) I’m getting more done in one sitting than I used to. It’s a long book - 26 CDs. I read it many years ago and loved it and now my book club is reading it. I knew I wouldn’t sit down to read it again (too much happening in the sewing room). This is the first time I’ve listened to a book while sewing and I don’t think it will be the last.


These are my 9-patches for the block exchange I’m organizing. I must be about as good giving directions, as I am following them – not so well. I received a lot of questions about my instructions and at the meeting last week we discovered that one woman had made all her 132 blocks exactly the same. We have 22 participants and we are making 6 sets of 22 blocks in order to get enough for a lap quilt of 132 different 9-patches. The blocks will finish at 3”. She had already put so much work into it so we told her we would use what she had. She had pinned and chain pieced them at the meeting and when she got home she asked her mother to pull out the pins and snip the threads. When she came home from work she found the blocks totally taken apart and she now had a bunch of 1 ½” squares. Her mother misunderstood and ripped out the seams! OMG! She said she had to excuse herself from the room. I think I would have done the same to cry and then to laugh at the absurdity of it. She emailed me and said those blocks just were not meant to be. She has since started over! I feel so bad for her and hope in the end she is happy with all the 9-patches she receives. Our exchange is later this month and we may do it again in February. Some of us want a bigger quilt.

It really is time for me to get back to my lone star. I’m really pushing myself with this project. I’m not crazy about the fabrics anymore, but I found in the past that I learned from projects like this. Because I don’t absolutely love it I’m willing to take more chances and sometimes loving it in the end because of those chances.

17 comments:

  1. Your Pink Lemonade blocks look really cute. I need to get going on this one, but I think it will have to wait until next week.
    Oh, that poor woman and her deconstructed blocks!

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  2. Love the "pink lemonade" blocks!!! Wow, I think I would have cried!!!

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  3. I hope she never tells her mother about the mistake.....cuz ripping was more work than the sewing! Ugh! I do feel for her, though....she was probably already feeling like a twit in doing the blocks wrong....poor thing!

    And no, Maureen, it's not your instructions! I had a similar thing happen at our little quilt group. One gal used the same fabrics for all 8 of her 12" blocks.....we were going for scrappy! What's worse, is that she has a 1/4" seam that is more like a 1/2"....so I'm going to have to add strips to her blocks to make them go with the rest. We couldn't possibly make the quilt without her blocks.....so it's still in the 'figuring' stage! Oh well! I think some folks get so excited about a project to get involved in, and they miss the vital word or two of instruction that makes the difference! Our favorite phrase....."It's all good!"

    I'm loving your Pink Lemonade.....I was going to do it, too, but I've got several projects screaming at me right now....can't possibly start a new one....yet! :o)

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  4. I love your Pink Lemonade blocks. I just started mine this morning and I hope to finish them up tonight. It is fun to see what fabrics everyone has picked out. Hugs

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  5. Your pink blocks look wonderful!
    The nine patch story is a heart breaker, but not your fault. the blocks you posted are lovely.

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  6. I just love your Pink Lemonade blocks!!! I have just finished sewing up the last four this morning - I sat up late last night and got everything cut and just had to sew at least two of them before I went to sleep!!! I can't wait to start sewing with my plaids too!!! This is so much fun isn't it?
    I had to laugh at the 9-patch block story, oh my! I feel sorry for the poor old Mum, too, after all that work unpicking - still it is very funny.......

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  7. I always listen to books on tape while sewing as well as doing other chores. I started out listening on tape then CD's and have graduated to MP3 players. In fact I've worn out one and am on my second player. I can pause, restart and replay (especially when I loose tract or can't believe what I'm hearing and need a repeat.) I often take my MP3 player to bed when I can't sleep and off I go. My favorites are espionage and mysteries, but will read/listen to just about anything. Two of my favorite things -quilting and listening to books. Enjoy.

    Terry

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  8. Love your choice of colours. I finished mine with a little change in colours , but not find a good yellow for intermediate blocks :( too bright !
    Your nine-patch story make me laugh ...

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  9. Your Pink Lemondae blocks look great. I especially like the one that doesn't "match" - very fun!

    Oh my, that poor lady and her 9-patches! What a sad story and yet funny. I hope she's happy in the end. I've found that many people really don't take the time to truly understand the directions. We had one lady in our group that ALWAYS did whatever it was wrong. You just have to laugh.

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  10. Your little blocks are beautiful and love your fabrics choice.

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  11. Love your little blocks - and the fabric selections!
    Nine patch exchange - pat yourself on the back for stepping up to organize the acticity! People forget sometimes what it takes to do an exchange.
    Well done all around!
    Thank you for sharing.

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  12. OMGoodness! I love your Pink Lemonade blocks!! That yellow works very nicely too!!

    That poor woman! I'm glad she left the room and didn't yell at her mom:) She has more self control then I do. lol

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  13. oh i could just about cry for that poor woman~!
    kudos to her for continuing on after all that disappointment.

    really like the yellow you've chosen for your pink lemonade project. i'm still considering possibilities for the yellow i'll use . . .
    your blocks look great too~!

    :-)
    libbyQ

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  14. Those 9 patches are looking good! This is definitely the time of year to be in our sewing rooms. I have 1776 by McCullough on cd & John Adams on DVD - one of my all time favorites. There is some really quality productions out there.
    Are you a Downton Abbey fan?

    Am do far behind in everything it will be well into Spring before I see any light.

    Happy stitching.

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  15. I loved the story about the ninepatches - I hope she did see the funny side to it!
    I always get to that point in my quilts where I just don't like them anymore - probably because I'm slow and have tto much time to reflect.
    Thanks for commenting on my blog.

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  16. Love your nine patches sad story about the ripping :( but we have all been there!

    Hugs, Carolyn

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