Advice from a Singer Sewing Manual from 1949: Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Think about what you are going to do. . . Never approach sewing with a sigh or lackadaisically. Good results are difficult when indifference predominates. Never try to sew with a sink full of dirty dishes or beds unmade. When there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing. . .When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Put on a clean dress. Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine to dust your fingers at intervals. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on . . .[If] you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband will come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should.
Yeah....well, this is what I saw when I looked around.
And I don't recall the last time I wore a dress. It may have been ten years ago. So I promptly went upstairs and worked on my Saturday Sampler. (Without makeup.)
I have a new love! I wasn't sure if I would like this, but I am so glad I decided to try making this quilt, and learning to use the Marti Michell templates!
I love the cutting process, the precision, the templates, and eventually, I love the block!
Upon extremely close examination, it is apparent that I have a block that is a cross between the block in the quilt on the wall at Leah's (click to enlarge and check top row, third block counting from left to right),
and the exploded view Janet had on the teaching board (a picture of which I printed on my color printer to use as a cheat sheet!),
and the printed directions.
I managed to get so confused going between the wall quilt, and the exploded view, and the directions (which my feeble mind thought said something else altogether), that one square, in one portion in particular, had reverse sewing* performed on four sides before I finally settled down to the original seam as the final seam. Hysterical laughter was heard from the sewing studio as Karen attempted to help her spatially-challenged mother nail down the block. Again. We laughed so much - it really was fun as well as challenging!
I had a ball! I love my finished version. It's kind of a mix of all available input and examples and I can hear Janet saying once again "It's YOUR quilt!" So little variations are fine!!
Wonder if I could pester Candi into giving me my next block early? This was FUN!!
*Reverse Sewing: ripping out, as in "frogging" in knitting......rip-pit, rib-bit, rib-bit!!!
4 comments:
Now you know why I am addicted to BOM's!!!!
I was staring at your block and the picture of Janet's wondering why my block is different. LOL!!
As soon as I get a new card for my camera, I will post mine.
The guidance from the 1949 manual was a scream - if we all did that, would we ever get any sewing/quilting/knitting done?!! Your block looks cool! At the rate you are going, you could complete the quilt in one month, instead of a year!! I am in awe of your skills and your determination! Love, Jackie
Yes! I kept the red squares on the outside, like the "exploded" view, because I liked them away from the red in the interior - seemed more distinct. I was planning to reverse the A and F triangles, and have them like the one hanging on the wall, but got a bit turned around....
But I liked my end result! And that's all that matters, I think!
I just need to determine if I need to change which fabrics I'm calling A and F, as we may have labeled our colors based on the "exploded" view, and it differs from what's on the wall, so I want to verify which is which before we start next block!
Sew much fun!
Jackie,
The dishes are still sitting there this morning. I guess I'll HAVE to do them now!! Teehee!
Love and hugs!
Joy
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