I went back to my machine and finished my blocks. One thing I have concluded...I am no Sally Collins or Laura Nownes. I cut one whole strip a quarter inch too narrow, had two blocks where the points were decidedly off, and even sewed one section to the wrong side. NO I am not a traditional quilter. Anyway, I got them made. I am making this just for fun so I'm not going to do much frogging except when absolutely necessary. Here are my blocks:

I'm just like you, Lois. I don't answer my phone unless I recognize the number. I do get some callers that call multiple times a day without leaving messages. When that happens, I'll answer and tell them to put me on their no-call list before they can say anything beyond hello. If they aren't willing to leave a message, then they already know that I'm not interested in what they have to say so I don't feel bad about being rude to them. After all, they've already been rude to me by ringing a bell in my house over and over again. So far, this has worked for me. I never, ever give out personal information over the phone to someone who has called me.

Nancy

BJ, Thanks for the warning. You can blow off steam here anytime. I never answer my landline anymore unless its a number I know. I figure if they don't want to leave a message I just didn't want to talk to them anyway. Hope they soon leave you alone.

OK, This is a little off topic and a bit of a warning. I've made my first block and would have made more but I've had a storm of calls from "Heather" or "Michael" from "Account Services" which is a scam organization designed to steal your identity. They use a variety of ploys--card member services, car insurance, refinancing your mortgage. They call me at least an average of every day, sometimes two or three times a day. I first just hung up on them, and then I tried staying on the line and tell them to stop calling me, but that only seemed to increase the calls. They use a false phone number and name so there is no way to report them. I've looked it up on the Internet and it's been going on for years. The FCC apparently needs a true number and name to do anything (though I kinda think they might do more if they realized how much this is happening). Yesterday, they even called me on my cell phone and I had just drifted off to sleep for the first nap I've taken in weeks!!! I'm already registered on the "do not call" list and have begun to wonder if that's what list they are using. I've decided not to answer my phone for a few days except the numbers I know. So if you get one of these calls, don't give them any information. They are a total scam. Now that I've blown off a little steam and warned my friends out there in TQS land...back to quilting.

Renata, you are right I am still in Paris. I have made the photo of myself and DH my desktop too - hoping to keep the smile on my face as long as possible.

With regard to cutting into precious fabric...last year my DH brought me back piles of fabrics from San Diego and for the longest time I was too afraid to cut into any of them in case I messed up. But once I started to use them I lost the fear of that first cut and I am really enjoying the variety of different fabrics and what I can do with them. This project is a perfect one to work on as it is like doing a controlled explosion: there is only so much damage you can cause if you don't get it right. This is what my blocks look like:


Looking forward to next week's block.

Lois, the light REALLY went on in my head about fabric on the shelf and waste and I think it can for you too, even with your frugal upbring (sounds like our Catholic guilt). I have looked at my small stash of very much loved pieces of fabric and thought about not cutting into a piece for fear that I might find something I really want to use it for and would not have enough or because it looks so good with other things I have . When you made your statement about fabric on the shelf is fabric wasted, two things came immediately to mind:
(1) if fabric were on a shelf in a store and not moving, it costs money to keep that fabric on the shelf so if it's not moving, you're actually losing money and if it does not move, you can't put something newer on the shelf that will attract customers; so, if I don't use my fabric, I'm really wasting my money and it really does not make sense to keep buying; and (2) life is short, I've made a commitment to quilting, it's time to get on with it or move on... and it is with that renewed spirit, that I'm cutting into my fabric!

Renata, Thanks for joining me in the development of my new attitude.
"I absolutely love what Lois said about fabrics sitting on the shelf are a waste."
I may need help with this, but when I really think about it I honestly believe its true. And believe me, it is certainly counter to my frugal PA Deutch upbringing.

Nancy, I love your explanation of how that complicated design is accomplished. " A lot easier than it looks!!" Isn't that part of what feeds our addiction we learn easy/smart ways to accomplish something that looks more difficult than it really is.

Thanks to everyone joining in the project and conversation. It is so much fun.

twiglet wrote:
Hi Wendy - The bias edges aren't a problem because I'm paper piecing that part. I'm printing out paper foundations for the frame, piecing the center block, lining it up with the center of the foundation and then paper piecing the frame. The paper won't be removed until the blocks are sewn together, so no problems with the bias edges. A lot easier than it looks!!

Nancy

I decided to spend the evening watching the Olympics and I came back to this thread to find that you all have been at it back and forth with gusto! Hope there have been no more coffee incidents since last night…

Nancy, love what you did in EQ7 and turning the squares on point gives added dimension to your quilt.

Rosemary, you are so right! This is just a practice quilt and I'll spend my time on the sewing skills, not the pretty planning… and it's okay to change one's mind about fabrics.

In that regard, I absolutely love what Lois said about fabrics sitting on the shelf are a waste--will definitely adopt that new attitude! Thank you, Lois!

Rita, I'm sure you'll surprise us with a delightful sampler and love your new Avatar--you're still in Paris even though you're not, aren't you?

BJ, love your idea of greens and neutrals and birds--makes me think of a tropical island vacation (of course, my cat would probably be thinking lunch!).

Another house guest arriving for the weekend so you may not see much of me... nor will my sewing room... but I'll log on every chance I get!

rehak wrote: Wow! That is so beautiful.
I usually try to think everything out, draw endlessly before I put rotary cutter to fabric and often overthink so with this project I am really trying hard not to and just leave the design alone and go with my first fabric choice - no regrets (I hope). I will have to go for gold in "sticking to my resolutions" and not get sidetracked
Marianne

Nancy all those bias edges, but it's an amazing design. I'm going to love seeing it evolve.

Betty Jo - Your colors sound wonderful. Can't wait to see the blocks!

Nancy

ritzy wrote:
Hi Ritzy - Yes, I'll be using the black/white and white/black novelty fabrics that I love to collect. I got all of my 9-patch blocks sewn (I'm just doing 8 since it looks like that's all that's used in the final quilt) and 2 of them have the white and black fabrics around the edges. I should be able to get the rest done tomorrow and Sat, so I'll post a picture then. I really love how the first 2 look! And when they go together they'll have that great secondary pattern!

Nancy

I've just found my fabrics more or less. Or at least figured a path and made a start. I'm going all off white/neutrals and greens. I find I have a lot of nice greens in my stash. I cut out the first strips and will put together the nine patches tomorrow. I also have this wonderful green based fabric with birds of all sorts, so I might use them somehow on or in or in place of some of the blocks. Fun, isn't it?