Wednesday, January 20, 2010

There's No Place Like Home . . . . . .


We had the nicest time in California but it's always great to be home. We picked Cooper up at the dog motel on the way home from the airport. Cooper boards at the same place where he goes to doggy daycare. It's nice for him, a familiar place, familiar people, and familiar friends who give him plenty of exercise......

and I mean plenty. He went to bed as soon as he got home and slept for 12 hours.


Here's quilt #3, or the back of quilt # 3. It's a nice all over pattern, well done, I like how the pattern overlaps, but not in an obvious way.


Here's the front of quilt # 3, an Irish Chain done in Asian and batik fabrics...and odd combination that I think turned out well.

The pattern was called "Nine Patch on Point" by Marti Michell from the book "Quilting for People Who Still Don't Have Time to Quilt". I 've mentioned before that this is a nice book for beginners, great directions.

I like a good irish chain pattern, they look so great, all this with just a nine patch block set on point and a same size block with no piecing. I made this top in early 2005 and I can still remember how excited I was as this quilt came together.


This was an easy pattern that went together smoothly. As you may recall, my beginner quilting class taught me to how to make 9 patch and rail fence blocks. By the time I made this quilt I was becoming a pro at 9 patches....or so I thought.

It wasn't until months after I got this quilt back from the quilter that I noticed I cut off every point of the outer nine patch square with the containment border..ugh....I just didn't know any better. When I caught my mistake I went back and reread the pattern instructions. There's no mention of minding the corners. I think my setting triangles were too small. But at the time it just did not occur to me to check the corners to see if they were done correctly. I was more into a perfect quarter inch seam allowance and sewing in straight lines. I have since learned that sometimes that perfect quarter inch seam allowance leads to imperfect points.

I loved this quilt until I noticed this mistake, then I hung it in my closet. About 5 months ago I decided to get this quilt out and use it as a throw in the family room. I thought I would stare at those lopped off edges and be unhappy but I finally decided to cut myself some slack and appreciate what's right with this quilt, which is what I do every time I now happily snuggle underneath it. It's too bad that it took me over 3 years to get to that point.

With regards to Monday's blog, "State of Grace", thanks for the suggestions I'm still mulling over my options.

8 comments:

  1. Very pretty, the combination of fabrics does really pop. And honestly we all have quilts with lopped off points...like the one I made yesterday lol.

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  2. Welcome home - I've missed you. :-)

    Cooper looks absolutely exhausted and glad to be in his own bed.

    Your quilt is beautiful - I think we've all 'cut off' a corner or two. :-)

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  3. and here's the thing ... if you hadn't shown the closeup of the points, i never would have noticed ... and even after you DID point them out - if i had looked at that picture when i was making MY third quilt, i would have been scratching my head and wondering what you were talking about cuz i didn't know about points, either

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  4. Your quilt is so lovely that I don't think I would ever have noticed the corners at all. It is beautiful.

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  5. Poor Cooper. I think those dog motels are a mixed blessing. My two are always dirty and exhausted when they come home. Who knows what they have been doing the entire time I have been away? If you pay extra, you can get a kennel with a doggie cam that you can check while you are away to see for yourself how they are!

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  6. Cooper is happy you are home too! I would not have noticed the points either ... until you pointed it out in the closeup! I am glad you pulled the quilt out of the closet and you are now using it. It is beautiful! I am a fan of batiks. Give Cooper a big hug from me :)

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  7. That's one tired pooch! I'm sure he's happy you're home and back in your routine. I'm glad you pulled that quilt back out - it really is pretty, and we all have to start somewhere - I've certainly cut off my share of points!! I think it looks wonderful for such an early effort.

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  8. Welcome back!! So glad Cooper gets to rest in his own bed now. Love your Irish Chain quilt. So glad you aren't worrying about the oops (that I didn't even notice) and are now enjoying the quilt as it should be enjoyed. Thanks for sharing.

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