P-L-N

This post is a bit delayed, and would count as hoarding except that I've been texting Margie with my hour count over the past few days (the computer has not been accessible). So, here's a recap: I have been frantically working on my quilt over the past few days, since it was my new year's resolution. I picked it up for 2 hours on Nov 25th (sorry, should have posted that one), sewing together some squares that I had pieced out in some previous lifetime. This Saturday (29th) I finished sewing up those squares and cut out some more (getting to 102 total, I think; 6.5 hours), and realized I didn't have enough fabric to get to the end. I also returned to the question of how many squares I needed - originally I was going to make 144, for a 12x12 quilt, then decided that was too overwhelming, so narrowed my ambitions to 11x11 (see picture - getting close!). However, my new idea, given how raggedy my old T-shirt quilt is and how much of a pain it's going to be to fix, is that I could make this into a comforter cover that could be removed and cleaned/repaired as needed. And, it turns out that comforters come in very specific sizes. The one I want is 88"x88", so I really need the 12x12 quilt (should measure 84" square). So then I really didn't have enough fabric!

On Sunday (30th), I went to the LFS - a great place in Chinatown, should anyone ever need fabric in Boston - and found some of my same fabrics again as well as some new ones. I made a mistake (I realized later) in not getting something plain that could go with anything, but they do generally go nicely together and there's a lovely green one that is my current favorite. I also (now with the comforter plan in mind) got a bunch of white fabric that I will use as a backing to the log cabin pieces and as a small border around the squares, and some cute buttons that I will use to close it up. After a trip through the washer and dryer, I was back in action. I spent a lot of time ironing, ripping fabric into 2 inch strips, and piecing out new squares, and sewed up 2 or 3. I didn't count the time at the LFS, per our rules, nor the washer + dryer time (because that would be silly), but the rest took 4 hours.

Yesterday (31st), I started bright and early sewing up the other squares I'd pieced out, and replacing them with new squares. I got up to 112.5 squares and have another 8 ready to go, but then it was time for New Year's Eve silliness. So, 4 hours, 20 minutes.

Today I'm hoping to get to 121 at least (meeting my one-time goal of squares), but I have a nice routine going and so could do more. Even though I didn't finish in 2012, I do see the light at the end of the tunnel, and so hope I can stay on track!

All told, 16 hours, 50 minutes. I can has salsa?

Catherine

P.S. The title of this post is inspired by a Terry Prachett book, so you'll understand it soon enough. :D