Sunday, February 5, 2017

IN WHICH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE ON THE DREADED SWEET SURRENDER!




Above are the 6 remaining diamonds for SS-completed as you can see!  I almost packed the whole thing away as it feels so un-sympatico to me right now.  But I persevered and have begun the assembling process.  

This process is also fraught with potential disasters as each piece is sewn on the diagonal and, given my piecing skills, is likely to end up a some bizarre trapezoid.  I have given this some thought over the last several months and decided on using a foundation piecing method.  ie:





This method was working pretty but things got out of kilter very quickly.You can see the appliqued diamonds are placed higher than the pieced triangles.  Also, though you cannot see it in the photo, the edge of the last appliqued diamond rests against the drawn line so there is no seam allowance.  AAAARRRGGHH!  Back to the drawing board.

My next idea:  since I have nice template the exact size without seams of the triangles, I am going to draw a pattern with seam allowances for each diamond, carefully pin the diamond to the pattern piece, and stitch at 1/4 inch.  This should prevent stretching on the bias and size up nicely.  Who knows???  We will find out-more next week.

ON TO OTHER THINGS!

Below is a photo of our yellow lab, Rommy.  You can see his relationship to the squirrels-they are not exactly terrified of him.

Here they are sharing the downfall of sunflower seeds from the bird feeder.  


I visited a quilt museum a while back.  We are within driving range of several good ones: Paducah, Des Moines, Lincoln NE, Omaha, and The Poos in Kansas city.  I got to chatting with the management of one the quilt museum we visited about the importance of National Endowment of the Arts funding for quilt museums.  The NEA provides the majority of the funding and now Congress is talking seriously about completely ending the funding for the NEA.  This generally means these museums will close.  Our taxes and our government at work does so much and many good things that we don't even notice until they are gone.  Please write your congressman about this funding before quilt museums disappear.


I had a busy with business week-a visit to KC for stuff and a visit to the eye surgeon.  I have developed cataracts and will have lens replacement in a few weeks.  I asked the Dr exactly what a cataract was and he described as clouding and distortion of the lens.  I asked him if cataracts result in vision which is like looking thru old glass and he said that was a good analogy.  One's vision becomes is as if one is looking out this window.
This is a different process from lasix which improves vision by shaving the cornea.  UHG!

And Now....
Your moment of Zen

Isn't this the crosswalk you always wanted?  Turns a mundane walk across the road into a high wire, twisty foot bridge over a school of fishes.  Are they piranhas?  Maybe it is a clear jungle stream below and it might be nice to fall thru the foot pieces and swim with the fish below.

This urban art is the work of Canadian Peter Gibson who also did the painting below.  I believe these two are in Montreal.


This one Peter created in sympathy with refugees in holding pens in different parts of the world.  You can really see the imagination, scale, and detail in this photo.  

So long and happy quilting!
I am linking up with:


Slow Stitching Sunday, Bambi's Blog,
Patchwork Times,  Em's Scrapbag,
Esther's Wow, Let's Bee Social,
Free Motion by the River, Whoop Whoop,
and Off the Wall Friday.           


PS-don't forget the GBBW on Feb 17!

12 comments:

  1. Your diamonds are awesome. I empathize with you on bias difficulties. They can be a roadblock. I am glad to know that you will persevere. When you see the finished top, it will be worth it.

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  2. What a pretty, colorful project. Several years ago I made a Star of Bethlehem which is also fraught with many bias edges. I do have a quilt top which will just not lay flat; it is my hope that when I eventually get it quilted, some significant taming will occur. "Quilt it out" comes to mind.

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  3. Such a fascinating post. The colors you are using are fabulous. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with the outside triangles. It's going to be so beautiful.

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  4. Despite your challenges with SS, it is going to be a beauty in the end. Hope you do well with your cataract surgery...my friend who had both eyes done recently found it pretty routine with good results. Hopefully that will be your case. Sweet Ronny!! My dogs only chase squirrels!!

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  5. The street art is amazing!! I love them so much. And your sweet surrender is gorgeous!!

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  6. Bizarre trapezoid - make me LOL. I absolutely love the colors.
    I seek out public art - thank you for highlighting some in your area.
    Popped by from Let's Bee Social.
    http://thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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  7. Eeeeee..gorgeous applique blocks... can you applique the entire block onto something?

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  8. These are beautiful blocks. Please do persevere - the quilt will be much more special because of the care you are giving it. The street art is magnificent. I wish you well with your surgery. Eye sight is so important, yet we often take it for granted.

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  9. Thanks for the interesting post. I forgot about how quilt museums might be impacted if NEAs might be defunded. It's a pity if this goes through as the money is a drop in the barrel. Love the street art. Good luck with SS. Hang in there you will get it done with persistent. As some politician said, And yet she persisted! This definitely works for quilting too!

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  10. This is a lovely project, I do hope your new template works out, I can understand your frustration. Good luck with the cataract surgery, as I have cataracts I will be interested how you get on. I'm due for a check on mine soon. I don't know about you but the way I first noticed it most was that I don't see colour shades properly, I keep thinking that after I have surgery I am going to look at the colours in my current quilts and find they are all different to what I though they were, which could be disastrous.

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  11. Thank you for your inspiration and link to the Show and Tell Monday !! Bambi Hug

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