Friday, March 27, 2020

Corona Quilt Along - Off the Wall Friday

So how are you all doing?  Are you as thoroughly sick of your house as I am? Normally, I'm happy to stay at home for the most part.  But with the first day of spring, it feels like it should be a time of rejoicing and renewal.  Nope.  We're stuck in the house as if its still January.


I have not  been wasting my time though.  Not only have I've been doing a bit of spring cleaning, but I took back out my Craftsy 2016 Block of the Month  Quilt.  I mean what better way to celebrate spring 2020 than to finish up the Summer 2016 Block of the Month?!?  I share
this with you because I know you understand.  

I've been having trouble getting back to this quilt because I find the directions really confusing.  The last time I worked on it was April 2019 while on retreat in Millersburg.   UGH!! just thinking that that hotel is a mere three hours away and I'm stuck in this house at least for another couple of weeks is annoying!  

Sorry, I digress.  Can you tell I'm getting cranky?!?
Anyways, I find the directions really a pain since the 10 fabrics are labeled A-J and the different cuts of fabric shapes are labeled with capital letters as well.  So you're constantly deciphering what is color letter and what is a shape letter.. Then there's the fact that the measurement fractions are written in small, tiny small print.  So if you aren't careful, you're old eyes might mistake 1/8th for 1/4th which in the regular world is not a big deal but in the quilting world, it's TRAGIC leading to several minutes of sole ripping seam ripping.  

See I told you cranky and a bit dramatic.


I did manage to get the cornerstone blocks done perfectly this week.  This is the third time, I've made these blocks and apparently, the third time is indeed the charm.  I was so proud of myself that they came out to the right unfinished size.  Oh yeah, that's another thing.  The directions left out the unfinished sizes of the block parts so you could check your work as you go.  So the first two times, I got the end only to find a block that was too small.  

I am onto the next month in the pattern and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Hopefully, I'll finish the quilt by the time our governor gives the ALL CLEAR sign and lifts the  Stay In Place order.  (By the way, our whole county is on lockdown for the 5 cases we've found here - yes 5! after a ton of testing) 

Ohhh I found a Thing I Like this week.  Luckily, Amazon is still delivering albeit a bit delayed and I
received my much anticipated "Cleaning Gel" better known as Neon Slime.  I bought it to clean my ever dusty work keyboard.  Not only did it work like a charm on the little crevices of my keyboard but it worked on my sewing machine too!!  I keep forgetting to cover my sewing machine at night and it ends up all dusty in places that don't see to come clean.  One press of the cleaning slime and out comes all the dust AND oils from your skin.  I had my doubts but it worked just as described.  All for about  5 bucks.  You can use it over and over again until you decide its too dirty.  So not only did it clean what it was suppose to but it's fun too!!



So that was my creative week in captivity - traditional quilt blocks and slime.

What Have You've Been Up To Creatively???
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7 comments:

Claire said...

I definitely must find some neon slime! Luckily I'm not cranky yet, but I know it is coming.

sonja said...

i am cranky if i don't make some art or lint or paint something!! i recall nutty putty that came in a plastic egg capsule a very long ago and just today as i fell down the rabbit hole of you tubings, saw such a Blob. Curious, how does on clean it or do you just fling it against a solid wall? cranky ..

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Fun slime, nice color ;)

Tami Von Zalez said...

I finally have some stuff to link up! Thank you for hosting.

Margaret said...

Sounds like that pattern was poorly written -- but indeed, your cornerstone blocks are gorgeous!

Hang in there, Nina Marie! I live in central Alberta, Canada, and am used to 6 months of winter. This year Mother Nature seems to be planning on a seventh. She's been tantalizing us with warm, sunny, snow-melting days...and then drops a day or two of fridgid temps and snow. (Next up: Tuesday and Wednesday this coming week!) So...we are home-bound anyway. Thankfully I have your wonderful blog to entertain me, as well as podcasts and vidcasts while I quilt and knit. Keep Calm and Create On, my friend!

QuiltGranma said...

I recently dug out a PILE of blocks I made to recreate an old quilt I bought at a yard sale about 15 years ago(?). They are to be set with a light alternate fabric, and I have enough for a king size bed … and then some! Since my blocks are scrappy, and all 1800's reprints I dug into my shirtings for the alternate block fabrics. I needed some retail therapy! So I shopped online, and in perhaps a week, if the workers at the shop are healthy, I should be able to continue with that. In the mean time I need to check that all the blocks are as accurate as can be so that I can get sewing once my shipment arrives.

Jeanne said...

I'm happy to have found your blog.