Day 2: Cutting

After ironing the purple and white fabrics, I decided to start cutting the fabric. I really have not flat surface to lay anything for any length of time so the fabric would be easier to manage if it didn't take up a lot of space. I sat down and counted out what I needed of each size, shape and color and came up with the following:


(29) 6.5" x6.5" Yellow Squares

(30) 6.5" x 6.5" Purple Squares

(32) 6.5" x 6.5" Signature Blocks
----(32) 6.5" x 6.5" White Squares
----(64) 5.5" x 5.5" Purple Squares


I started by trimming the raw edge on the top of the fabric to even it out.

Then cut strips of 6.5" x length of fabric of white fabric and further divided it down to 6.5" x 6.5" squares.



I cut all 32 of the white squares and started on the 5.5" x 5.5" purple squares. I started with these pieces because they are pieces of the only block I am piecing. All other blocks are just solids and once I cut them, nothing else needs to be done to them before I put them into the quilt top.

I hope to have all these pieces cut tomorrow and hopefully, the purple border. I think that I may have underestimated how much purple fabric I needed because I was counting on using a shortcut, which would minimize the amount of fabric I waste. However, it would make placement of the triangle portions of the siggy block difficult and more time consuming. SO, I need to get all the purple cut ASAP to determine if I need more before they run out at the store. I did end up getting a tad more than I needed of the purple because it was the end of the bolt (and 50% off) but I don't know if that extra is going to be enough :(

Day 2: Fabric Prep Cont.

Today, I ironed the white and purple fabrics. Due to lack of space in my sewing room because I am minus a sewing desk, I did not iron the yellow fabric because I have no place to put it and don't want to end up ironing it twice. I ironed using just a spray bottle of water, no starch... mostly because I don't have any at the moment and don't want to go to Wal-mart to get it.



Ironing was quite an ordeal... my fabric cuts are multiple yards and it was hard to keep them from hitting the ground while ironing. As usual, I used a quilt stand to pile fabric on as I was ironing it but it was tough managing it all.





The yellow fabric promises to be the most difficult as it is the longest piece I have.

The Little Gem Project

Like any great quilter, I have several projects going on at once. I have put off everything (except "the little gem") to work on my special quilt. The little gem is a baby quilt that I should have done... oh, sometime last week. But, I am always a day late on deadlines so I am still plugging away on this baby quilt that has literally been the quilt from HELL! And I am lovingly calling it "little gem" because they are often worth the trouble. This little gem was suppose to be a quick and easy... the thought was that I would do a nicer quilt when the kid is older. Babies really don't use quilts, kids do. This little gem started out as a pieced quilt panel with flannel backing. Here's the chain of events that have lead me astray... 1) Washed quilt panel and it let go a TON of fuzzies, which won't go away... even after a second washing. 2) Flannel backing not only shrunk horribly when washed BUT it bled. The brown in it left a inconsistent batik-like pattern across the flannel's horizontal stripes. A second washing only made it worse. 3) To remedy the shrunk flannel backing, I decided to add a border on top with an applique of the child's name. That part didn't go so bad but became more time consuming as this was suppose to be a QUICK AND EASY. 4) I started to layer the panel over the flannel backing (I decided against batting as I want the quilt to be warm but not heavy; possible baby suffocation danger) and the panel has stretched. When, I don't know because I remember being super careful when pressing BUT alas, there it is; not necessarily a rectangle but a oddish parallelogram. And trimming the edge won't work, as I said it was a panel and comes with a border already attached. 5) Lastly, and where I stopped for the night. I ran out of stinking safety pins when pinning my sandwich quilt. I refuse to buy anymore because I know there are two UFO's that are pinned and when I finally quilt those, I will have about 5x more safety pins than I currently have in this darling little gem of a quilt. I hope the receiver (and his parents) of this Little Gem appreciates the love and heartache I have put into it because I wouldn't do it for anyone else!