Mystery Quilts

[lorra]

Lotti, you are always welcome to blow off steam with us. I hope you have a much better day today. I didn't get to watch all of the video, but found it fascinating to day 4. I will finish it when I get home. Car needs to be at the repair shop in 25 minutes! I do hope your coworker gets some sort of reprimand for his mix up. Hugs!!

[rehak]

Wow, what an amazing transformation, and huge amount of work! I hope everything works out!

[kfstitcher]

That is really something!! Like constructing a whole building and then taking it down again so soon. WOW!

[genevacarroll]

Holy Moley Lotti! That is something else! I liked the bicycle sitting there for a few days!

When you get home from your exhibition you will need a few days to relax then hit the quilting.... And we'll still be here for you!

Take care, geneva

[lotti]

alllllllllllll OK :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:
they agreed to the move - everything is settled
tonight I will sleep

and yes, Karen, it is just about like building a house, the permits are required, the structural integrity needs to be right, all the firesafety, escape routes, (one part of a wall is basically a poster - if there's a fire the people coming down the stairs can walk/run right through it). we have the power / the water (clean & waste - no toilets but industrial dishwasher, coffee machines, two full height fridges and special cooling boxes for the catered lunches for about 400 people every day...

and of course it also costs about the same as building a small home - and after 4 days it all gets dismantled again - insane!
so it's very very important for us that as much as possible is dismantled so it can be reused - in china, for example, they build the booth, and at the end of the show they generally come in with hammers and cranes and pull it all down for the skip - such a waste.

and we're just a device manufacturer we have nowhere near the budget capabilities of what pharma companies can do - of course their booths are all show - they have no samples to show - so they often create worlds/scenes/ideas - to attract their customers and collect names. we need to show and demonstrate devices and need space for discussions - so display is backdrop for "stuff".

[lotti]

Lotti,
I was praying. So glad to know things worked out for you.
Luann

[lotti]

Lotti, sounds as if you wanted to wring someone's neck, or at the least give him a good kick up the backside. Glad it was all sorted ok.

For my part on my mystery quilt, I got to looking at the measurements and the instructions and thought 'since I have the easy angle ruler for hst's and the other one for qst's what if I use them instead of cutting the squares that Terrie mentions, which then need dividing into half/quarters.' This has worked pretty well, because I only needed to cut 2.5" strips of fabrics no 1, 2 & 6 for the centre squares and outside triangles and 1.5" strips for the inside triangles.

Only drawback is that I don't seem to be able to add up and count triangles properly :blink: :S so I will need to go back and do some more cutting tomorrow, or somewhen

[lotti]

I finished my November blocks




I did have some trouble, but on my second batch I just cut those outer squares 3" to start with and trimmed accordingly. I think that my needle was NOT aligned right by repair person, but it could be the difference in threads I'm using!? Oh well, they are done, trimmed, and ready for the next step.

I am pleased with the colors I chose. PS I used a half a can of sizing this month,,,, but at least everything stayed where I put it

May God give you grace,
Luann

[lorra]

My DD thinks I need to take apart all 20 of the completed squares and redo them. I am considering this. I may do one square and see how long it takes me to decide if it is worth my time. I am leaving for a road trip next week so it is something I could take along to work on then.
Another DD is driving in from Ohio and the two of us are going to drive to New Mexico to pick up DGD from college. From there we are going to San Antonio, TX to visit a friend for a week. Then we will take DGD back to New Mexico and we will drive back here (Missouri). Yes I am leaving DH and the rest of the family for Thanksgiving. The kids all have in-laws to go to. DH can go to his brothers or volunteer at the senior center which prepares a nice dinner for the ones who don't have a family.
Anyway, back to the question. Would you redo the blocks?
Luann, I used a lot of starch on mine blocks too. I could probably toss them like a frisbee. That is why I didn't want to take them apart.

[genevacarroll]

Lorra,

Whether you take them apart and redo them is your decision. However, here is my 2 cents! B) Every time I have "jimmied" something quilt-wise I have regretted it later on. The pieces don't fit right, it looks funny and you know how we quilters are... we will only see that block when we look at the quilt!

All that driving time is the perfect time to undo those seams. Then when you get home, you can trim the square to 3 3/8", add the outer triangles, trim to 4 1/2" and viola! Perfect little economy blocks. You will feel so satisfied.

Plus, you will get to eat extra chocolate!

Have a wonderful trip! That is such beautiful territory.
geneva

[genevacarroll]

Lorra,
I don't know how much it will bother you, but I thought I'd be 'ok' with almost exact. I wasn't., so before I worked on my second set, I recut the blocks for the outermost triangles, sewed the first ones on with a finer thread and very scant 1/4 " seam allowance, trimmed to the correct size and things went much better. I'm going to get the ruler for making HSTs and qsts that I saw online. You cut the strips to a specific width, lay one on top of the other, put the ruler on, cut, and sew. There are no triangle points to try to position around. I truly believe the biggest problem I had was with my needles position! I put the first pieces I cut into a bin that I want to do a scrappy star quilt with, someday. Hopefully you would have enough extra of the fabrics used to just make new ones, and repurpose those you've already done.
My friend Alice Zeeman, from Wisconsin, made one that ended up in a magazine. She made flying geese, sorta of. She used whatever size triangle she grabbed out of her bucket and trimmed things to square. It was really nice. I'll look for a picture of it and show you if I find one.

[genevacarroll]

Just so y'all know, I contacted the designer, and she said she's never heard a sniff of complaint about the measurements. Never ever.

Well, we're in this together so I think we'll make it work.

[genevacarroll]

Cathy -
I'd redo one square then decide re the remaining squares. (That's a lot of work to redo). Your trip sounds like a lot of fun!
Take care,
Barb :-)

[genevacarroll]

I think my problem has been solved.
Last night as I worked on another quilt with bias edges, I decided to try finger pressing, carefully, rather then running to the ironing board. Even though I have my iron on the no steam setting, I think it's heat and the moisture from the spray starch actually shrunk some of the fabrics. Not all, as I had two 4 7/8 blocks cut twice that the pieces needed to be joined. Some matched and some were a bit off! I know that it could also be due to the ruler's alignment or slight movement. The only way I think that the error would be less likely to happen is if I bought an Accuquilt Cutter. Which I saw on sale and would have ordered, until I saw the price for a basic set of the cutting boards! I can live with imperfections for awhile. But I do think I'm going to get that special ruler.











So, I might have a few missing tips but the final stars will be fine

And I will wait patiently, fingers crossed, for the next clue,
Luann :woohoo: :woohoo:

[genevacarroll]

Luann,
I love your stars! The colors are wonderful. I really like those saturated bold colors.

Are you talking about the Easy Angle and Companion Angle? I have had both for many years and love them. So simple, accurate and no funny measurements to cut. 7/8" stuff. Sharon Hultgren designed the Easy Angle and I had a class with her back in the early 90's. Such fun.

I am totally stuck on a quilt to make for my newest grandson. I even started one and it's awful. I hate it! Thankfully not much fabric is involved. I'm hoping for some inspiration to hit me upside the head. Wish me luck!

Terrie, interesting comment from the designer. Nothing like a common enemy to bind us together! We will not be taken down! :evil:

Have a great weekend everyone, geneva