Do you ever work your tail off on something and then wonder how you have worked so hard and gotten so little accomplished?!
That has been the theme of my quilting this past week.
About 6 weeks ago, my boss announced that he was going to retire at the end of June. So I volunteered to make a quilt for him as a “Happy Retirement” present. Everyone else contributed cash, I am contributing time… I am glad I am not keeping track of how much time vs. what my contribution would have been, because I’ll be averaging less than $0.50 per hour by the time I am done!
And then Last week, he gathered us all to tell us that he has decided to move the date up to the end of April… Everyone looked at me almost in unison the second he said it. I could see it on their faces, “Are you going to be ready?” Within 20 minutes of leaving the meeting all of the other managers had contacted me to get their answer!
Of course I’ll be ready! Although I am now realizing that while I may be ready in time, I am going to get VERY LITTLE accomplished on anything else between now and then! However, I have also learned that if I work on only one project, I get lazy and start taking short cuts which is something I obviously do not want to do on such an important quilt.
So forgive me as the next few weeks I think my posts and photos will get a little boring. This past weekend I cut and sewed about 700 of the 1,024 3” HST (Half Square Triangles) I will need for this project. (I am actually cutting about 1,100 and I will weed out the worst of them when I start laying it all out).
With so many HSTs to do, I tried to find a quick way to get them done... I started by using “Thangles” thinking it would make quicker work of the task… What a silly idea that was. Note to self: Good old math and a ruler is always a better bet! I ultimately abandoned the Thangles and I am now using my “Easy Angle” ruler and while slightly more time consuming, the results are simply MUCH better.
THIS happened with almost every Thangle. It is a result of my machine pushing the paper with every stitch ever so slightly, but it wrinkled almost every set. The second I pull them off the paper they flatten out and they are "ok", but the wrinkles frustrated me tremendously, so I stopped using them.
So, photos of cut and yet to be cut HSTs are not a lot of fun, but here they are none the less…
Neat stacks of Cut "Thangles" on the right, Easy Angles over on the left.
Chaining HSTs on Betsy...
Dog Ear Pile... Wish I had actually kept the whole day's ears in one place, maybe next time.
Packing up for the day... About 2/3 of the HSTs have been cut..
So next time, I'll probably complete the cutting and sewing of the HSTs... Then I get to iron them all open! That will be an entire day's project in and of itself. Even if I can average 20 seconds each, that is still 6 HOURS of ironing!!
Until next time,
Paul
WOW You have quite the project under way. Too bad you didn't have these... http://gapquilter.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-turnto-offer-giveaway.html
ReplyDeletePaul - try this method of making HSTs ... see link http://www.thatgirlthatquilt.com/2011/03/have-stitchin-weekend.html
ReplyDeleteYou sew two squares right sides together, all the way round, then cut into four on the diagonals. Add 3.5inches to the size of the finished HST you want to work out the size of the squares you need ... I'm not explaining it very well - check out the link!! I've tried her method and it's brilliant, so easy and straightforward, making crisp square HSTs :)
Good luck on getting it completed...I am sure you will get it done way before.....atleast die trying!!
ReplyDeleteGood Luck to you----I know you can do it!!!!
ReplyDelete