A Failed Test Block

I cannot stress enough the importance of making a test block of an unfamiliar pattern or construction method. 

I had previously cut a lot - a lot!!! - of 2" strips for a postage stamp project. I sewed them into strata and cross cut them to make checkerboards. This is what's left over after I cut all I needed for the blocks. 

Each of those rolls is a stack of eight strata. I thought I could use them for making a modern type of double wedding ring quilt using a specialty ruler specifically for cutting curves, and a pattern written for that ruler. I made one test block.

This is not working for me, for multiple reasons.

1. It was hard to cut through one strata with the ruler, awkward and didn't cut through in places. I tried several different rotary cutters. The pattern says to stack several strata and cut through multiple layers. Impossible for me. 

 

2. I followed the pattern instructions exactly. They were somewhat confusing, so I reread them until I understood exactly how to place the ruler and make the cuts. I don't like the result. The points of the football shape are cut off, and the corner triangles extend inconsistently more than 1/4" into the seam allowances at the edges of the block. Upon close examination of the pattern, this is actually illustrated in the graphics. If I'm going to put all this work into something, I want it to look like it was made with skill. I want accurate points that meet where they're supposed to. It's just me, but I'm fussy that way.

 

3.  My strata alternate dark and light stripes and I don't like how the light stripes disappear into the background. I don't think my strata are suitable for a ring design after all. 

So, this ruler method is not for me, and this design concept is not working for my strata. I'll have to come up with a Plan B....

The original postage stamp project is kitted up for retreat in April. I have a few other projects I can take along to keep me busy. Plan B and the box of leftover strata can wait.

Linking up with Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Belated February Stash Report and Goals Update

February was a fun month. My friend Cherie came to visit for a few days and we went to QuiltCon together. We had our own little retreat at my house - we worked on a collaborative project which we prefer not to share. 

February was also a very busy teaching month for me, with three of the lessons of my 6-lesson color class to prep for and teach. One of my students gave me the best compliment ever: we were talking about the usefulness (or not) of our stashes and she said "I wish I'd had this class $10,000 ago." 

The PebbleCreek Quilters are getting a brand new Innova M24 long arm machine in March. Thank you, PC HOA! We anticipate it being delivered and set up next week. Several members of PCQ have their own Innovas and they will be the SuperUsers who will train the rest of us. They'll have in-depth training from the installer when he sets up the new machine. For the rest of us, there was an overview and Q&A training session a couple weeks ago. I attended it and got on the schedule for hands-on training later in the month. 

The small Irish Chain variation top that I made for Community Service will be one of the quilts used for our long arm training, so I pieced a back for it and turned it in. The club will provide the batting and someone will bind it. 

All this to say, February was a busy month, but I don't have much to show for it. 

I bought one yard of fabric at QuiltCon; that was my only purchase there and my only stash enhancement this month. 

February Stash Report

IN this month: 1 yard

OUT this month: 3-1/2 yards (light blue Irish Chain top, 2-1/2 yards; backing, 2 yards.)

IN YTD: 8-1/4 yards

OUT YTD: 4-1/2 yards

YTD Net change: 3-3/4 yards added

Goals Update: 

February Recap:

1. Prep for lessons 3, 4, and 5 of my color class. Teach lessons 3 and 4. DONE.

2. Prep for and work on a previously started collaborative project with Cherie when she comes to visit. Yes, and I totally enjoyed Cherie's visit. 

3. Attend QuiltCon. YES! We definitely enjoyed the show.

4. Continue piecing the teal value study project. Progress, four blocks made.

5. Attend the first training overview meeting for the new long arm. Yes, and I'm scheduled for hands-on training later in March.

6. Continue piecing the Scrappy Pinterest Project at social sewing. Yes, I was only able to attend Social Sewing once but I actually got a dozen little blocks made. 

7. Prep a backing for something in anticipation of using the long arm at some time in the future. No, but Cherie took two of my tops to quilt, one with backing already assembled, the other backing  just needs one seam.  

March Goals:

1. Prep for and teach color classes 5 and 6.

2. Prep several projects to work on at retreat in early April.

3. Attend hands on long arm training.

4. Continue piecing blocks for the teal project.

5. Prep a backing for the red Cherry Jubilee top. 

6. Continue working on the scrappy project at social sewing.

7. Participate in Sewing Club's charity project at first Wednesday social sewing. 

I'm going on a 4 day retreat in early April, so I'll need to prep projects to work on. Apparently I'm a fast maker so I need enough projects prepped to keep me busy for all four days. 

I have a postage stamp project started, a Kaffe flying geese project started, and I could take the teal project. I also have strata left over from the postage stamp project that I could do something with; I have an idea, we'll see if it works.  

There's also a project box with some Log Cabin Triangle variation blocks in it that I should take, too. 

Maybe I need to check my UFOs and see if there's something else I should take to work on.