Yes, anything is possible in my dreams. I can sew perfectly, I have no wrinkles and my boobs are perky. ( I know this because I shopped for coral and turquoise lacey little bras in my dreams one night..all the over the shoulder boulder holders I have are far from the lacey variety.)
Back to sewing. I am not a seamstress, but every once in a while I get a notion that I could be one if I learned how to properly measure and cut and oh yes sew straight.
One of the things on my March list was to make Nancy some quilt squares for the Quilts of Valor she is working on. I wanted to be a part of her project in some small way.
The first day I came up with a pattern and cut everything out..measuring twice cutting once. I sewed strips of fabric together..and cut them for length. I was doing great humming along as I worked. Visions of a beautiful quilt danced in my head. After six hours I had three quilt squares..one was way crooked..I threw it in the garbage. I measured the other two..they were 12 inches ..not the 12 1/2 inches that was needed. What did I do wrong? Was my seam allowance off..math never was my best subject? I piled it all on my desk along with the freaking sewing machine that belongs to Far Guy.
The second day I came up with a new pattern. This time 4 -4 1/2 inch squares. When I started sewing them together I realized that 4 was too many..I needed 3. Duh..math again. I cut some of those squares out of the two squares that were only 12 inches..better to use them than throw them away..it was too late to recycle the one I threw away in a fit of sewing frustration.
I sewed them all together again..crossing my fingers and toes...they measure a little more than 12 1/2 inches..so Nancy can square them for me. I am mailing them off to her today.
Two days of working for nine hours and I have three quilt squares. P.A.T.H.E.T.I.C.
If Nancy doesn’t want to use them I won’t be offended..but I tried.
My first design involved three pieces sewn together and they were reused in this design..it is a crazy quilt now..not only because of the weird design but because it almost drove me crazy:)
I have this fantasy too and think I could pull it off if I had a sewing machine and more time on my hands. I am thinking about taking in my Mom's ancient sewing machine for a tune up so I at least have something to fix seams with. Who knows, maybe I'll make one of those quilted purses I envision whipping up.
ReplyDeleteYou did good. No one gets it right the first time. Even seasoned sewers mess up.
ReplyDeleteBlogger is acting up again. I just tried to leave a comment and it wouldn't go. I think it's pretty, and I can't sew at ALL!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOk...third time's a charm. I've been tryin' to post a comment and Blogger has been a booger!!! What else is new??? Heeehehehe!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all girl, don't be so hard on yourself, like Miss Gail said, nobody get's it on the first try...it's a process. I think ya did a fantastic job on the squares!
I've sewn everything from my heavily beaded weddin' gown, train and veil to matchin' suits for Farm Boy and Geek Son for Easters and Christmases, complete nursery sets and curtains but that was years ago!!! I haven't had the machine out in years ('cept to patch somethin' here and yonder) and I'd hate to see the job I'd do now. Your squares are beautiful.
God bless ya sweetie and be proud!!! :o)
Every quilt square is made with love, therefore they are all beautiful. Great job.
ReplyDeleteOh I think you get a A+ for effort, the fact that you tried again...well done.
ReplyDeleteThose little lacy bra's are very itchy, you wouldn't like them, lol.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I think you did pretty darn well. And like most things, practice makes perfect. Okay, maybe not perfect, but the more you do it the better you get. I've been sewing as long as I can remember, and I make lots of mistakes, and the amount of sewing I've had to unpick, well it would be miles and miles worth.
ReplyDelete'Shoulder boulder holder'....haven't heard that one before, and it made me laugh:)
Well, it looks great to me! Quilting is something that is on my bucket list.
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great project and you did good.
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job...bold colors and patterns, and a whole lot of determination to make this happen. But I know exactly how frustrating it is to have an image in mind and to have the real thing not measure up, especially after a major struggle. My grandkids had a half-dozen fleece sleep sacks with goofy-looking seams because I couldn't get my machine to like working with fleece. It made me mad, but the kids and their parents were happy to have the sacks anyway! That will be true of these quilt squares, too.
ReplyDeleteI experience the same thing with wood work. ya I know the measure twice thing cut once. somehow this isn't fool proof with me.
ReplyDeleteYour blocks are wonderful and will warm a soldier's heart! Thank you for contributing and making another Quilt of Valor possible. I'll let you know when your package arrives.
ReplyDeleteTues at church quilting. I was asked to cut a strip 3"x 51". I was using a different rule and cut it 2"x 51". Back to the cutting board. Was years before they let me sew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mom's been quilting for years still makes that first square to see if it's right.
ReplyDeleteI dream of finding a bra that just fits right.LOL Ann
You always make me laugh! I don't sew - that's what duct tape is for.
ReplyDeleteOh my. (on the sewing)
ReplyDeleteI hate bra shopping, they put the pretty little things up front, draw me in and then give me the boring ones.
A friend posted about breast cancer correlating with bra wearing, at first I thought it was a case of "everyone who eats carrots dies" but then I actually read the research. Very convincing. Then I got all toxic from too much exposure all at the same time from a number of places, needed to cleanse and part of cleansing is letting the lymph flow unrestricted, so I went back to my hippy days. It fits in perfect with my emerging hermitizing. I don't know if I'm preventing cancer or not but... I do have to get properly dressed soon.
I almost spit my coffee on the keyboard! Over the shoulder boulder holders! We call them that, too. My tiny lacy bra days were over decades ago. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love your squares. They were worth the effort. :):)
I took a quilting class and I was a math/science person so I do pretty good but yours looked fine and dandy to me! I'm sure she will use them and is appreciative. I know I would be. Quilt seams are only 1/4 (4/8) as opposed to 5/8 if you were used to sewing clothes. Just an F.Y.I. and I have a special attachment on my machine that "guides" me and keeps me in line...literally! LOL!
ReplyDeleteSewing may not be your best, but you are talented in so many other areas. I can sew and I can sew well. I just don't like to do it. I am short on patience and sewing tries my patience too much. It is not a relaxing thing for me to do.
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