Friday, September 16, 2016

Trial and error. Mostly error.

Here's my first Fall finish, a small Irish chain table runner made from cheddar scraps and Kona snow.  It measures 24.5 x 28.5.  I machine quilted it and tied it with brown Perle cotton, but when it came out of the dryer almost all my ties were undone.  Dang it.  They looked cute too.  I had to pull them all out.  For the moment it's going to stay as is. Who am I kidding.  It will stay like this forever.  Moving on.
These blocks have been staring at me for 2 months now.  I've been hunting for a background fabric for the setting squares and side triangles, but nothing felt right.  I even bought 2 yards of Kaufman Essex linen blend online, in a dark charcoal, and was so sure it would look awesome, that I immediately cut into it and threw the squares up next to the 9 patches.  Bleh.  As you can see I opted for an off white background.  Kona snow again.  Typically my default color of which I am trying to get away from using so much of it, because all my quilts are starting to look the same to me. I have a whole bolt of this in my closet, so I just caved in and used it.
That charcoal fabric would have been great as a tunic or dress, but because I cut it up I now have twelve 8" squares and a small amount of yardage.  That means I can make a very short top with 12 pockets. Sounds about right.

I started this ripple because it's been in my head at least 3 years and it needed to be made.  When the book Homespun Style by Selina Lake came out there was a granny blanket on page 71 in a similar colorway and I wanted it with my whole being.  Okay that's pretty dramatic, but I loved it!  If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you may have noticed that I hardly use purple or green in anything, let alone together in the same project. I like other things people make with these colors, but I rarely ever reach for them first.  Time to cast off color prejudices and try the other crayons in the box.
I'm using the neat ripple pattern by Lucy at Attic 24.  The pattern is so incredibly easy that I regularly screw it up every 2nd or 3rd row.  I have ripped back at least half of this blanket so far.  Mistakes happen when you're not paying attention and you're crocheting at the speed of sound, light, or how fast I run when being chased by a mad dog.

And finally, after seeing so many mini quilts on Instagram by Temecula Quilt Co., I impulsively bought the online pattern, Taryn's Baskets, downloaded, printed, dove into my fabric, cut, pressed and in just under a couple of hours had completed two 5" squares. The seam ripper is working overtime on this one.  My points are finishing too close to the edge, and most will have the tips cut off when I add the setting squares.  Grrrr. Taking apart 1 1/2" squares is not one of my strengths. Buying things online apparently is.
Here's to learning by our mistakes.  Cheers :)


11 comments:

  1. Well it happens, and it just happened to you all at once! I love everything though, it all looks great:)
    Happy Days,
    Jenn

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  2. But I admire your sense of humour through it all! Despite all the angst these projects have caused, they are wonderful and successful too! Love the little table topper even though you washing machine liked the ties too much! And the nine-patch blocks look great! I think you will step away from your 'go-to' Kona Snow when the time is right!

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  3. I always get a chuckle reading your blog. It hits close to home!

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  4. Ahh.. love that cheddar Irish chain! Those darker bits of cheddar are perfect for it. And I know exactly what you mean about trying to change up the 'default--always reach for background fabric'. I seem to always reach for a cream sort of print for my backgrounds and I'm slowly trying to change things up. Still and all, your quilts are gorgeous and so very YOU! I think we're harder on ourselves than we should be. Maybe we should just view it as trying to perfect the formula. When we get it absolutely perfect then maybe it'll be time for a new color.:)

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  5. Everything is just gorgeous. I love the first table runner. You make me want to run to my fabric stash and cut up little squares.

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  6. Nice work! The table runner is pretty ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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  7. I think you are to hard on yourself, everything you have made looks spectacular from this view. I wish I could sew, sigh, not that I have the time but you make it look like so much fun.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  8. I know there must be a way to keep the ties in a tied quilt, but I don't know what it is. Meanwhile, it looks great just the way it is, and the little prints mixed with the solids = stellar. xoxo

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  9. You just need some more practice and then you will be a master of the mini blocks.
    All projects look very nice!
    KATRIN W.

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  10. Lovely! Especially the Irish chain: one if my favourite designs

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You guys are awesome! Thank you for the comments!