Sunday, July 28, 2013

Things I have learnt...

* Don't eat a banana, a raisin box (well not the box, but the raisins inside :0), chicken flavour crackers and salt and vinegar chips for morning tea.  It makes you feel queasy for the rest of the day.

* Practice is good.  Check out the blanket stitch progress:

Look how neat and tidy those curves and points are!


I've finished one whole quarter, trimmed to 1/2" outside the applique, and started adding my 1" cut "grout" lines

The top row is my "normal" applique stitch, which you can't adjust any narrower than 2.5W x  2L.  So, for the purposes of this exercise had to switch to stitch Q12 which has two small stitches between the horizontal stitch and I can adjust to the final measurement 1.5W x 1L

* Just because a pattern is made/designed in NZ, doesn't mean you'll necessarily understand the requirements list.  Found the pattern I bought in Taupo... looks very *handy*.


* Sometimes tutors can be very generous.  This little felt broach was a welcome/thank you gift from Michele Hill.  Now I promise to stop going on about her, but she was really lovely!


* I have yet to finish an applique quilt - either by hand or machine.  This is a pretty poor track record.  To remedy this, I have written me up a bit of a list... grouping projects by construction method - piecing, handwork, machine applique and quilting.  And, I've only really put down things that I want to finish... not all those weird projects that will probably never get done, and I realise I have more hand projects on the go than I can ever possibly do, not to mention quite a few pieced projects underway... so its time to get organised and do some planning.

* Instead of making goals - I am going to target certain projects within each category each week.

* If I am organised, I CAN do handwork throughout the week in the evening.  I did it while hand quilting the Wagon wheels quilt... I can do it with other things.  I just need to be organised.

* Because I'd been putting it off and making it a much bigger deal than it really was, I prepped another dresden fan block for my Josef Josef quilt.  Now I can start to hand applique down the ring.  No goal... just get some of it done during the week.


* I've set up both my sewing machines so that I can piece happily away on my Bernette... which pieces beautifully, and can either quilt or blanket stitch on my Brother... which quilts and blanket stitches beautifully.  When I'm set up for piecing... other things just don't get a look in... hopefully having both machines set up for their own "zone" will help.

*  Just because it's new, this week I'm going to focus on my Taupo Tiles blocks in the machine applique station.

*  And piecing will be catching up on my 100 Modern Sampler blocks, and squeezing in some Playground blocks when I get the chance.

* Did I mention I'm back to work tomorrow?

5 comments:

Susan said...

It's great to see you have organised your projects that way- that's just the way i do it! You are lucky to have two machines and the space to set them up at the same time! No reason not to get some serious 'finishing' happening! I love Taupo Tiles!

Leeanne said...

Looks like a good plan, good luck! And have fun at work tomorrow :-)

Charlotte Scott said...

You're so organised! I try, but it never seems to quite work out. Back to school tomorrow too, gotta get those lunches made - that's about the scope of my organisation at the moment.

Kerryn said...

Happy Birthday Suzanne from David. A $200.00 voucher awaits for you at The Country Yard. Enjoy!!

Raewyn said...

I sometimes get overwhelmed by all that I have waiting for me in 'my palace'...a 'good thinking' is the way to go and you cant beat organisation and pre-planning!! It sure sounds like you have your sewing mojo back!!