Have Fabric, Will Cut and Sew

Surely I'm not the only one of us makers that sees a swath of fabric and is immediately thinking of how to cut it up and make it into something else?

Last we talked about this quilt (To read that post click here.) I was in a drooling state over these fabrics!

After receiving the fabric, it was cut up in quick order. I cut strips of each shade of fabric as indicated on the pattern and sewed strips together. With strips sets together, I cut them up again. Then more sewing!

How much fun is that?

I was so worried about triangles. But I found this really cool laser light from Hartland Quilt Shop on Etsy.

So many cool things can be used to sew from point to point.

Often I have drawn a line from corner to corner. Then sewn 1/4" on each side of the line.

This time, I set the green laser line just left of the needle. Then placed the pieces with the line corner to corner

This makes the stitch line is just barely off the corner and allows the fabric room to fold over the stitch line.

This little bitty process helped so much in keeping the blocks square and right size. Having the right size blocks can make all the difference if you don't like to force your block corners to match from row to row.

Maybe that's too picky? Maybe not... Just depends on if you're making for whatever or making for a client. ( or your OCD, like me). When I'm sending out to a client...I'm pretty picky about what I send.

With this add-on, I felt like I was flying along.

The blocks were nearly cruisin' their way up to my design wall.

Not only were my points coming out great, but the blocks also fit together so easily.

I'm one that loves to give credit where credit is due and I have to tell you that Monique Jacobs put this pattern together with such perfection!

I know I will be checking out more of her work at Open Gate Quilts.

I know that quilt designers do their very best and I give them kudos for the time and effort they put in.

I'm not a beginner quilter, but I am a beginner pattern designer. The time alone is tremendous and accuracy is key.

I love the testing out part myself. So, when a pattern comes along that looks difficult, but isn't, well....give it over and let me go! I want to be first in line to give it a go!

As I said, it was flying together, and then...suddenly I couldn't work anymore.

If you have read by blog post A Place for Breathing More, then you know I have had back surgery. And if you have ever had back problems of any kind, you know that there will always be a ... thing(?) that's always there. Sit too long thing, stand too long thing, walk too long thing...you know what I mean, it's always there. This time all I did was bend over to clean up something on the kitchen floor and that was it. I couldn't move for nearly 4 weeks after that.

Sometimes I bounce back pretty quick...not this time

I had 3 weighted blankets in the works and was trying to get this gorgeous quilt off my wall and onto my longarm machine and I was down for the count.

My heart was breaking! This couple needed this quilt. The 94-year-old mother had fallen. At first she seemed okay but they soon discovered she had a fractured hip. She had to have surgery...

Here's what I do in dire situations. I pray! I prayed a lot. My church was praying. And even when I'm praying, I'm wondering if I can possibly do more to get this quilt finished. I did work at doing more. I didn't work very well. I just couldn't sit long enough to do anything productive.

Many people don't pray and they don't believe there's a God that is helpful at all. And you are entitled to that opinion. I do pray and I've seen the work of God in my life. I've seen happenings that go well beyond my own power of control. Therefore, I believe that my God is real and He is there for me and any others that have a need. And he did come through.

I was finally able to get on my feet and my bottom and get the rest of those blocks and rows put together.

Although, the border had me a bit put off...

Check in next time for the last part of the journey with this beautiful quilt...

Please don't forget to share!

Nearly all my quilts have a story in them. I plan to share as many as I remember with you. The ups the downs the..."whoops! What was I thinking"...moments. As I move along I hope to inspire and encourage your journey in quilts.

I love to hear stories.

Please send me your stories about your quilts or whatever your making. Where the idea started and how it moved from there. And if you want me to, I'll show them off for you.

Most of all, let's have fun!

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Much love,

Carolyn