Saturday, January 5, 2013

Going round in circles



Do you ever feel like you are going in circles? Well, that is what I have been doing the last few weeks. The best part about this, is that it is something that will stay done ... which is more than I can say for the cleaning and dish-washing and laundry and food preparation!

Since I borrowed a neighbor's floor to put the sandwich together and ran short of time, I ended up pinning most of this rather than thread basting. Since I didn't want to end up with a mess on the back side, I tied a little blue ribbon to a pin in the middle block of the quilt and I have been slowly quilting around that block, using my big hoop and rotating the quilt as I go.

So far, it has been a working plan.

At this point I am working on the third row from the border and the back has no weird puckers.

The quilting is all in-the-ditch so not particularly exciting. The only real decisions I have to make is when I come to a place where the seam got flipped the wrong way.

Sometimes I can fix it by sweeping with my needle and getting that seam back where it belongs, but sometimes I have to just give in and quilt it as it lies.

I often wonder how other quilters manage to get all their seams going the right way. I spend so much time ironing but no matter, there are always places where those seams take on a life of their own.
Any ideas?

With the beginning of the new year, I selected a new focus word.... Encourage ... or could be encouragement.  At times I need to work on myself to move out of my comfort zone and step boldly in another direction. Then again, I need to change my approach toward the things that are driving me nuts right in my own home. Certainly, complaining about something for 49 years has not worked. I just might have bitten off more than I can chew, but the year is still in its first week so I am trying to get a bit more creative and less discouraged.

The most interesting thing, after I selected this word, was the very first of the year, before going off for serving the homeless meal, I opened my e-mail to find a note from a Scouter I had worked with back in 1987, thanking me for "inspiration, guidance,and example" that had made a difference in his life . I am still choking up at his kind words and example of what I have to look for in others.

I feel reassured that if I can get rid of the nagging negative aspects of every-day life, the better parts are there waiting to come out ... but doggone...it's going to take a lot more than five days to meet with success.
(Or, as my mother used to say, "Rome in a day, was not built)!

17 comments:

  1. Every time I see this quilt I love it more and more. It is truly a scrappy delight. I am trying to reframe the things that I see as negative and to somehow find a way to think of them in a positive light. I do truly believe that attitude can make a difference - although it hasn't helped me much with my depression....

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  2. Wow, so many little pieces! Quilting in the ditch is about the only way you could go, and it will be a beauty! As for ironing, every quilt has a mind of its own. You're doing the same thing most of us do! Stick with it.

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  3. this quilt is gorgeous! keep at it :-)

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  4. I'm pleased to know your focus word of the year. I know you are a constant encouragement to me. I'm sure you will find that the change will make a difference even in those long term, well entrenched situations that have caused so much frustration through the years. X's and +'s is lovely.

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  5. Your quilt is coming along beautifully. Every time I see it, I want to start one of my own. It's amazing that you quilt it all by hand. How long does it usually take you to complete the quilting. I like your "encouraging" word for the year. It's very appropriate for your blog since it is a constant encouragement for me :)

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  6. I do that all the time, so when I iron the seams, I use my little scissors and snip into the corner, then iron it over so it lays flat.

    Debbie

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  7. Stunning! All your hard work and patience has turn scraps into a beautiful quilt that is so full of color and life.

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  8. Happy New Year, Julie! Your quilt is beautiful - one block with hundreds of color combinations - and no two alike - AMAZING! - ;))

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  9. Julie, your quilt is beautiful ! We love the cheery, bright colors and your fabulous workmanship. Excellent job with the quilting - what a masterpiece.
    We love the idea of adopting the word "encouragement" for 2013 ; quilters can never have too much of that. In fact, that's true for all the people of the world.
    Best wishes, from Marina and Daryl

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  10. Pretty quilt! I am not good at getting all of the seams to lay the same direction. I try, but it seems I always find at least one going the wrong way! If you figure out the secret, please let us know. :)

    Encouragement is a good focus. :) What a special note from someone who remembers you from awhile ago!

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  11. My seams end up getting flipped all the time. I've never thought of sweeping my needle to try to flip it. I'm going to give that a try. And you certainly encourage me! Today, I am headed to Lowe'sto get wood for a woodworking project with my scouts next weekend.

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  12. Julie, you encourage me everytime I see a comment from you on my blog. I have loved getting to know you, even though we live so far apart. My word for 2013 is Balance - an appropriate balance among all the areas of my life. Susan

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  13. Encourage/Encouragement is a great thing. We all need to get encouragement, and to encourage others. Loving that quilt, more and more each time I see it.

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  14. This quilt is such a beauty, Julie. It links directly to my chosen word for 2013, which is : PERSEVERANCE. Actually, it's the same word as in 2012, but I still have to work on it and need some... encouragement ;>)

    THANKS for all the inspiration in 2012, and THANKS also for the mail you sent to me (I do hope you did get my email about it?).

    XOXOXOXOXO
    NADINE

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  15. Just beautiful Julie. Really beautiful.

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  16. Beautiful quilt and I enjoy seeing it every time you post about it! Get 'er done! are my words for this year and I'm off to a good start, so far.

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  17. Julie what size do your +X squares finish at prior to joining?

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