D'oh! Part Two

So... as I mentioned on my last post, I had messed up on the cutting, leading to this conversation with my mom: 

Mom (amused): "What were you thinking?" 

Me (perplexed): "I have no idea."

I really had no idea why I wasn't paying closer attention in the first place.With more diamonds to cut out, I even said to myself - "Stop and think about it first. You don't have any more of this fabric". Thusly assured I had it all planned correctly,  I began cutting. Except... these diamonds were supposed to be cut the opposite direction of the first batch - and didn't reverse my cutting! I cut two strip sets into "left" diamonds when they should have been "right". 

D'oh!!! D'oh!!!

Luckily I realized what I was doing, leaving me with 5 "right" strip sets cut correctly. Instead of the original layout in the tutorial, mine will end up looking like a friendship braid.

Almost a completed flimsy!

All things considered, that's not a bad thing, especially since the fabrics are a Fall / Thanksgiving theme. This time of year especially makes me remember my family and friends. Although it was completely unintentional, I can't think of a better way for this to be turning out!

Linking up to Quiltstory for Fabric Tuesday!

Best,
Heather

D'oh!

I'm underway for my November goal project, and all I can say is d'oh!

Can you see the problem?

Well, for whatever silly reason, I had a spot of trouble cutting my diamonds.

What a silly thing to do.

My first cuts are the top pile. I cut the diamonds at 5.5" wide. All the rest in the larger pile to the right, well, I cut them at 4.5". D'oh! Not to mention - the one lone piece at the bottom, I cut that one at 4.25". Sheesh.

All 4.5"

 At least it's not the end of the world kind of mistake, I can easily trim the over sized ones down. The too skinny one may even work, provided I sew it to a column end where it will be squared up anyway. What a goofy thing to do.

Nice cut edges

Luckily I realized my mistake before I started piecing everything. Onto my favorite and least favorite part - arranging the diamonds on the design wall. I only fuss with things like this for hours. Wish me luck!


Best,
Heather


Linking up to these great blogs:

Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday
and
Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday

Hello November

November is off to quite a start here - it's been snowing off and on all day today! I am such a wuss about driving in the snow. However the precipitation is very welcome.

Pumpkins Gone Wild! by Sandy Gervais for Moda

I've had this jelly roll for years - at least I've used about half of it. Previously, I'd made a long table runner for our Thanksgiving table, using 18 strips (I think). I saved the rest of the roll, at a loss as to what to do with it. I had a eureka! moment and decided to use it in this tutorial for a nice lap-ish sized quilt for our living room. And this will be my November quilting goal!

Linking up to Melissa at Sew Bittersweet Designs for the November linky party! Head over and check out all the awesome projects!

Spooky Matrimony

And... the big day is here. The bride is looking lovely and ethereal...

...with a lovely bouquet and flowing veil...

...and the groom, with a glint in his eye - ready and waiting for his bride...

 

...together floating beneath their arbor, a gentle fall breeze blowing...

Happy Halloween!

Best,
Heather

Candy Corn Bunting - Easy Peasey Friday Finish

My mom and her sisters have a traditional October girls' reunion that always includes a craft. So while my mom and dad were visiting us this October, mom and I had a craft.

We made candy corn bunting!

The jars atop the mantle are canning jars, filled with candy corn and a dollar store emergency candle. Very cute and easy if you're looking for a cute and easy decoration. (Side note - I cannot wait to take a sledge hammer to these stupid granite tiles around the fireplace.)

After mom left, I went ahead and made another bunting. Because it's not possible to have too much bunting. Here it is, in it's temporary position below the candy corns. Eventually I'm hoping it will go outside, on the wedding arbor. That's right - there is going to be a Halloween wedding here!

Meow!

Best,
Heather

Looking for a Whoop Whoop - linking up to Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

The Halloween Pumpkin Funk

I have the funk. The quilty funk. Nothing quilt related appeals to me at the moment, not even fabric shopping. 

I've been thinking off and on about why I get in these little melancholy quilty moods. Why nothing in the fabric stash appeals, no UFO begs to be finished, and not even online fabric shopping gets my heart to pitter patter. I've been reading quilt themed mystery novels from the library to jump start my quilt ambitions, to no avail.


I've concluded, that at least for the time being, my answer is HALLOWEEN. I LOVE HALLOWEEN. I've  been spending days and days deciding how to decorate for Halloween. I've been making crafts here and there, checking in at the $1 store for spooky little odds and ends that are cheap, cheap, and cheap. I've now used a glue gun, people. It was a trans-formative experience. I want to glue gun everything. Since all my creations are more or less coming to fruition now, I'll start sharing them with you.

To ease into the crafty messiness, and tie in somewhat to quilting, I'll begin with my fabric pumpkins! I grew exactly two pumpkins this year. One heirloom sugar and one Jack Be Little. In my best year I had 30+ pumpkins, so this was a major disappointment.  I NEED pumpkins for Halloween. As in many pumpkins.

My fabric pulls went from a sweet, lovely semi organized folded bunch to this chaos...

 Then out of the jumbled mess arose this...

which became this...

 Then this...

I've got my own little patch of 'em, 

I hope you enjoyed my pumpkins - I just love them to pieces. Alright, I'm off now to erect my frames outside for Halloween decorations in the front yard.

Best,
Heather

Linking up to Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation

Screw You Sertoli Leydig Tumor

I met my September Goal! And I am pleased with how things turned out, as in I wasn't in a last minute panic to get done, and I was able to relax and enjoy the process. (Mostly!)

A little windy outside!

I decided to make something with one of my little bundles of ovarian cancer themed fabric, and the timing ended up being just about perfect. September is National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, which holds special meaning for me as I was diagnosed in 2011. 

I was able to sync up with Melissa at Sew Bittersweet Designs for the September monthly goals party. And boy, did I learn something about myself while participating! I get way to distracted from my current project, even if it had a 'deadline'. No wonder I have an embarrassing UFO pile. An area for improvement, for sure. 

The mega mini finished at 24" x 30", and I hand quilted it, using mostly pearl cotton. This was the first time using the pearl, and when I began, I said to myself never again. The problem was I was trying to take too small of a stitch. 

Love French Knots!

 Once I got over that, and saw how it was starting to look, I decided I really liked the effect. And I said what the heck, I'll add some French knots. I had absolutely no plan for the quilting, I just went where the needle took me!

A little wonky on the stitches, but I like it!

I added in a few areas of regular hand quilting, just for fun. Happily, this project used 100% from my existing supplies. The entire FQ bundle I began with, a scrap piece of batting, an old piece of sheet for the backing, scrap white yardage for the binding and all the quilting threads I already had. It was a total stash buster, and I'm very happy with it.

Oh, and the name of this quilt is: "Screw You Sertoli Leydig Tumor" 

Inside for the final photo.

 
I'll be hooking this post up with these great linky party hostesses:
 Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts,
Connie at Free Motion by the River,
Heather and Megan at Quilt Story,
Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict,
Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation ,
and Melissa at Sew Bittersweet Designs

Thanks for visiting,
Heather