A Small Decision, and Still Getting Ready for my Show

     I know it looks like nothing much has happened on my design wall this week; but I did make an important decision. I am not supposed to work on quilts until I get all of my show stuff done; but using it for leaders and enders while I was making potholders, I did try something out for the alternating blocks for my fussy cut quilt (soon, I will have to come up with a better name than that). For some reason, this quilt keeps tugging at my sleeve even though I know I am supposed to be working on other things. On my previous blocks, the first scrappy row was 2" wide. The second scrappy row was 3" wide. When I put the blocks next to each other, the 3" bands were right next to each other (albeit, separated by sashing). I wasn't sure that I liked that. I made a block with the 3" scrappy bands first, followed by the 2" scrappy band, so that when I put them with one another, the 2" and 3" bands alternate. It's a subtle difference, but I like it much better.

     The before picture:

     Can you see what I mean? If not, look along the sashing. I think this will really make a difference in the finished look of the quilt.

     Yesterday, When I came home from my tennis match, there was enough light, and it was warm enough for me to go on the deck, and get a few more centers fussy cut. I thought I would cut more today, but it is cool and cloudy today, and I don't have much of an urge to be outdoors today. And, I there are plenty of more pressing things to tend to.

     Really, I am supposed to be making pairs of potholders for a show that I will be in in early November. I made 5 pairs this week. I am 11 pairs short of my goal of 36 pairs with 3 weeks left to work. This sounds great, but I have to do many other things in that 3 weeks. I am in the process of preparing a trunk show and workshop for The Spirited quilters in Duluth GA, and I have a class scheduled at A Scarlet Thread in McDonough GA on the 8th of November.

      I am making them 2 different ways. The 3 pairs to the left were pieced with the "flip and sew method" through the back and batting, then binding was added, and will need to be hand stitched down. I know that many would machine sew the binding down, But I don't like how it looks when I do it that way.

     On the 2 pairs on the right, I pieced the tops, then sewed around the edges to attach to the back and batting. They don't need a binding, but I still have to quilt them. I started doing them this way because I thought it would be quicker to quilt them, the to make and attach a binding, but now I am reconsidering that. I think I like the way the bound type looks better, and I can carry the finishing anywhere without worrying about having a sewing machine with me. 

    As I mentioned before, while I have been working on these potholders, I have been using the scrappy strips from the fussy cut quilt for leaders and enders. I am getting a surprising amount of strips done that way, so when all of the potholders are finished, I will have enough scrappy strips to make several blocks.

     That is what I have been up to. Go and see what others quilters have been up to on patchworktimes Thanks for stopping by!