Keep it positive!

      So just after congratulating myself on how much I got done this first half of the year, I decided to make a spreadsheet to track my Sew Sampler Box projects and filled it in.   

    Yikes! I saw I have a lot of FFOing to do before the first half of the year is closed out! It made me realize how subjective ideas of productivity and success are-- I went from feeling smug to humble PDQ. The exact same situation was perceived in two separate ways. It shows the importance of staying positive.

     How can we stay positive? By sewing, of course! And I did that for almost 3/4 of a rainy day last week. I really enjoyed myself and moved a few things on the spreadsheet along, too!

    Here is my Mod Flower Box, now retitled the Mod Berry Box since it reminds me of blueberries and raspberries. It still has one super wide navy border to add.

     I used the Fat 1/8ths as the pattern said-- there was a lot of waste, so I used more for the colorful border. So happy with the curves and the mitered corners I was able to do-- I haven't done any of that in quite some time. I'm a bit stuck again, because my math lately has been horrendous, and I need more navy to complete the last thick border.

        Here's a little tip for you, if you're piecing together a large scale print for a long border. I cut four two-inch strips and just sewed them together randomly, and I got this, which is a bit jarring:

     So I realized if I had just more selectively picked the ends to sew together, I could have avoided that-- I did unpick, and got this:

     Not perfect, but better-- if you press seams like this open as well, it really helps hide the joint. Look at the bottom border on my original picture of the project, and you'll see my four separate pieces really aren't noticeable.

    I was worried about falling behind on the Pressed Flower BOM-- instead of thinking about it for eight hours, I sewed for two and caught myself up with Block 3.

     

I do have the fourth block pattern-- this flower isn't my favorite, but they all can't be!

     I was lucky enough to get the kit-- it sold out really fast. So they (Fat Quarter Shop) already sent out the finishing pattern. What do you think of it? To me, it looks like it needs a few more pieces-- heehee. We'll see what happens.

    The July Sew Sampler box is in hand-- I wish they would rename the boxes a month ahead-- I get my boxes on the 27th of each month, and it seems like you then have four days to sew it to be on time-- why can't it just be the August box? More mind games to play with myself, always feeling behind!

    I am now sucked into the "Summer Memories" quilt-- the stitch along is long gone, but July's box fabric is red, white, and blue, and of course, I wasn't thrilled with either of the patterns provided. 

    So the Summer Memories quilt depends on this pink/light blue color scheme to bring it together-- but this collection has navys, reds, and grays as well. So I am just going to potter along making basket blocks of my own color choices and see where it goes. I doubt I will get anywhere near the 64 blocks this quilt has-- but I did the math and I could get 28 baskets. 

     This is my first attempt-- I can get two identical baskets out of two of the 5" x 10" strips provided. I don't have the book, but I know how to make a basket block-- judging from the overall dimensions of the quilt, my baskets are a little bigger-- 8" blocks. So I might only need 36 baskets to get a really big quilt. I'll probably just succumb and buy the book at some point-- it has really pretty cross stitch in it and even more quilts.

     I gave myself the time off to see the Maine Quilt Show-- it was fabulous. Here is the Best in Show by Pat Delaney. It is impeccable. I will show some more pictures in the next post-- not a lot of machine embroidery, but some.

    All these things are helping distract me from the fact we have a wedding in less than two weeks now. I'm having constant "talks" with myself to keep myself positive in this area as well. There are many things that can go wrong at a wedding, and believe me, I've thought of them all. When you have the faith to plan an outdoor wedding as my DD is, first of all, the weather could go badly. But then have it on the top of a mountain that is known for the most extreme weather on the planet. Will hairspray hold in 50mph winds? Is it possible to put a wedding gown on in a public bathroom stall? Will someone drive off a cliff? Was I this nervous before my own wedding? These are the thoughts that rob me of sleep at 3am these days. Stay tuned and thanks for listening. 

xox

Carol