Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Help Wanted

Hi, everyone!  I'd love some feedback on this, please!  I've got my Hunter's Star blocks all sewn into rows ...

IMG_9303HuntersStarRows

... then sewed the rows together.  Lots of points to try to avoid cutting off, but I got through it with most of the points intact.  More or less.

Once together, I started auditioning fabrics for the borders. Inner first. I thought this would be perfect:

IMG_9331HuntersStarInnerBorderChoice

I didn't have any more of the hideous green that's in the body of the quilt (on the left), but this one comes mighty close.  I don't have a lot of border options due to how much fabric it calls for; this is a very large quilt!  My thoughts (which I now question) were something along the lines of - that green is so ugly I should use one just like it for the inner border!  Seemed like a good idea at the time - and it's very true to the period.  (Civil War Era.)

Here I am, happily sewing it in ...

IMG_9333HuntersStarAddingBorder

Everything was just fine until I neared the end.  I was lightly holding onto the border strip underneath and noticed it was getting shorter than the top ...

IMG_9347HuntersStarInnerBorderOops
"Son of a ..."

I may have uttered an HBO word.  Or two.  Or more.  What's that saying?  "Measure once, cuss twice"?  Yeah.  Then I thought, well, heck, the border had to be pieced anyway, due to how long it is, so just grab another 2 1/2" chunk of it and sew it on.  Yeah.  Great idea.

IMG_9348BorderMessUp

Wouldn't it have been an even better if I'd grabbed the same green?!?  I didn't even realize what I'd done until I posted the shot to social media.  Chalk that one up to being color blind and a tad rushed.  Son of a ... let's just keep going.  My husband (best husband in the world, I might add) said it adds charm.  He's a keeper.

I kept going, adding the rest of the borders and trying to measure better this time.

IMG_9351HuntersStarInnerBorder

It's not as wavy as it looks there, but to be honest, it IS a little wavy, since I didn't measure well.  ARGH!  At this stage, I was in the "starch, steam, and quilting could take care of that" stage.  Hopefully, anyway.

Then, I looked to see what Civil War repros I had that could work for the outer border.  I really like this blue:

IMG_9352HuntersStarAuditioningBlueBorder

But that's where I'm stuck.  Do I hate the green?  I'm not a green kinda gal, but it can work.  Do the green and blue not go?  Do neither of them work?  

Someone whose opinion I greatly value (my quilting mentor from years ago) said she doesn't think the green works at all, but that she likes the blue.  Too much of a statement from the green.  Maybe that's it -- I could see how the green could overpower the quilt.

I'd love to know what you all think.  I MIGHT have a soft brown I could substitute for the green -- or I'm sure I have muslin.  I hate to rip out (especially that much), but I don't want to be unhappy with this.

I won't be sewing for a few days still -- we're having our main floor carpeting ripped out and replaced, so we have a lot going on.  Please drop a comment or let me know on FB or email.  I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts!

Thanks for reading!
KZK

Monday, July 1, 2019

It's The Look On His Face!

Hi, everyone! I wrapped up another old project recently - still going through that stack of UFOs, trying to finish things up. This time, it's another small wall-hanging:

IMG_9243EagleAndStars

I'm calling it "Eagle And Stars".

As I recall, I appliquéd the eagle for something, had tried my hand at paper-piecing some 5-pointed stars, did some practice writing ... then just decided to put it all together. Fair enough, right? The eagle is an original, and let me admit fully that I AM NOT AN ARTIST. Seriously - check out the look on his face:

IMG_9247EagleApplique

It totally cracks me up. When I hang it, I must hang it where I can see that face.

I quilted using this thread:

IMG_9290YLIThreadNeverAgain

YLI Variations. I used it on the Forgotten Pyramids quilt, too - again, trying to use things up. I'm happy to say it is now gone.

Oh, I didn't use it all. I threw it OUT! That and every other spool like it. I could not get my machine (which is perfect) to hold a consistent tension with it. Too loose, too tight, no amount of adjusting sufficient to maintain any steady look. IN THE TRASH. I used to like it - a friend suggested that it could have been because it was older thread. That makes total sense, but let me add that the King Tut threads I have that are the same age don't treat me like that. LOL. Anyway, it's gone now. Long live the King!

For the binding, I once again did the "sew to the back, bring around to the front" machine-style:

EagleAndStarsBinding

Other than the on-going tension issues, it worked out fabulously!

I like how the star area came out:

IMG_9292EagleAndStarsDone

I had initially quilted it differently - as well as the sashing - and ripped it all out.

Ask me if I'm glad I've finished this one!

EagleAndStarsDoneMaggie

As always, thanks for reading!
KZK