Amen for Math, baby!! Oh yeah!

Happy happy joy joy!! I am doing the happy dance (in my pj's if you need a visual). If you have been reading this blog for a while, you might know that I am not crazy about borders. Oh, I LOVE them, let's be clear. I just don't enjoy putting them on. It usually involves careful measuring, precision, and MATH. Eeeks! Who hasn't put on borders and ended up with crazy wavy fabric and miserable puckers? Fess up people, I know I'm not the only one. It's a sure fire way to end up with a new UFO.

I don't really follow too many patterns these days. I get ideas from patterns and use parts from them. The star part of this quilt is from a pattern but I modified it, it was supposed to be a Texas star. When I was on retreat I worked on the center blocks. And that brings me to a confession............I messed up my math. Shhhhh, please don't tell Mrs. Bennett, my 5th grade math teacher. I don't know what happened but I have decided to blame the 32 Heath bars I ate (they were MINIs ok!). After I put the appliques on, I decided to add the black frames. Since the outer star blocks were already done, I needed to make sure the inner square measured up. So I scribbled and cyphered and used my cell phone calculator. I came up with some measurements and cut down those applique blocks while keeping the designs centered. Added the skinny black frames aaaannnnnd....dadgummit!! It was too small. Seriously? I do know about seam allowances. What the hee haw happened? So, I had to trim down all of the other blocks. Phooey.

Well, you can imagine my lack of confidence when I decided to make a pieced border. I pulled out lots of my favorite quilt books and checked out the borders. I knew I wanted to use the Cherrywood fabrics. I decided to keep it fairly simple but I wanted the blocks on point.

Once again, I measured, scribbled, calculated, measured, figured, sketched, calculated, pondered, doodled, surfed, calculated, took a break, and....... did it! Phew, I used up the last of my black on white. If I had messed up again, I would have been very sad.

The punch line is that I feel smarter today. This quilt measures about 68 inches square and I'm gonna call it done. I need to get some backing fabric. I would usually use my stash but this is a special gift so I would like to use all one fabric. My Wild Thread buddies and I are having a marathon this Saturday. My plan is to get this sandwiched and quilted. At least i hope so. I haven't decided on how to quilt it yet. Suggestions will be welcomed with open arms. Check out this dude. I won him on retreat.
We always have Jim Shore figures for raffle on retreat. I confess I'm not as crazy for Jim Shore as a lot of other people are. That's probably why I win every time. Go figure. I buy the tickets to help the group recoup the cost. Last year I won 2 out of the 4 items. No fooling. One was an angel that I traded with my friend who won a dog, and I gave the dog to my SIL who quilts and LOVES dogs. (I'm a cat person, hee hee) The other was a fleece throw which is still packaged and in a closet I think. I plan to donate it back at the next retreat. But this little sheep makes me laugh. Maybe because I thought he could be a mascot for these guys.

I think his (?her) face is a little creepy though. I don't know if it's the blue or because he/she is staring at me. And not smiling either.

At any rate, onto the shelf in front of the red kitchen wall it goes.

Have a super day! Time for me to get out of these PJs and clean up this place before work. (btw I put the sewing room back in order)