Pi Day

So, it's Pi Day (3.14), and I think I will take the opportunity to do a little catch up. First, here's a photo of new progress on an old, old UFO -- with circles -- that I've been working on again this winter:

This was the first project that I shared on my blog, back in 2011. I am amused to see that I also thought it would be my first quilt finish! One of the best things about blogging is that we can look back and see how we ourselves have changed over time.

It was a lot of fun to make the yoyos, and it was even pretty fun to applique them all to the batik strips. But, sewing those strips together with all the lumpy yoyos is quite a stinker, and I was completely stumped about how to quilt the big bulky thing. I think it may be the most impractical quilt ever! How will I wash it?

But the instructions are excellent -- the designer Terry Atkinson must have spent days doing math to get the yoyos all spaced so evenly. So that is a good fit for Pi Day! And as it comes together, I can see that it will be gorgeous, even if it only spends its time folded on the edge of a couch somewhere.

I'm halfway, and I've decided that two rows a day will be manageable. Right now, though, I am putting the borders on Allietare. And it's looking good too!

After I sewed the last seams and spread the centre out on the bed, I got out the tape measure. The moment of truth! The length and width of this square quilt were exactly the same, so that is the quilting equivalent of a "drop the mike" moment. I immediately put the tape measure away again!

And hey, aren't these cherries a good fit for Pi Day?

They are one of the easier blocks in the 150 Canadian Women quilt along, in honour of Canada's 150th birthday in 2017. I've been relaxed about this project, because so far it's been easy to sew two weeks' worth of blocks in one sitting. But I've noticed that the blocks are getting harder! So I want to get a little more caught up.

I've really been enjoying this project, and learning so much about significant women in Canadian history, who were never mentioned when I took history in school.

This maple leaf, with the light sky blue background and two kinds of stars, is for Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space.

Mostly I am sticking to the red & white colour scheme of the quilt, with just a few exceptions. These light grey and red floral fabrics just happened to be piled together in the cupboard. I liked how they looked, so now they are together in a block!

At the end of the day, another seven are done:

Pi Day will be a Sew Day here, in the deep freeze with some superfine, cold blowing snow. Not bad for us, since the worst of the snow is south and east of here. A Snow Day for many, so stay warm and stay safe, wherever you may be. :D

Hen Party Finish

Done!

Hen Party, 60" x 60" (153 x 153 cm)

Started around this time in 2012, finished today. Five years! And really, three years of collecting chicken fabrics before I started sewing. It is a big, big relief to have this one done and dusted. To see all the posts on this quilt, please click here.

Does your family support you as a quilter? Mine really does not. I know another quilter at my guild who says that her family "are not quilt people," which I suspect is a touch of the Canadian gift for understatement. It is soul sucking to make a gift quilt when the response ranges from disinterest to active discouragement. And I know a lot of quilters, and stitchers and embroiderers, and probably knitters and crocheters too, have that same experience. We have to stop doing it! Older, wiser women warned me of this situation years ago. But, I always seem to learn things the hard way.

Today, though, I feel amazing! This is the last family quilt, the last quilt I "owe." From here on, it is my quilts, my way. I can see very clearly now that it has been bad for me creatively to try to second guess someone else's taste. Especially when it is a losing battle, and they don't really understand quilts in the first place.

And the truly ironic thing is that this quilt has ended up being my taste anyway, and it took me five years to justify doing it the way I wanted to do it. How crazy is that? But, now I know, and I don't think I'll forget again.

Somehow I miscalculated the width of the binding, and I thought I was going to have to hand sew it. But when I looked at it again today, I was able to trim the seam allowance, finagle the corners a little, and machine sew it from the front, same as the Mod Pillows. Whew! Now I am wondering if I can do the same with Cardinal Stars. I'll look at that tomorrow.

But right now...