until the reveal...

Yesterday I mailed off the latest Fab Challenge to Pam. I reminded her in BIG LETTERS on the front DO NOT OPEN until the reveal. What a lovely feeling to have that winging it's way to her and be outta here.

I was pinning half circle triangles to arcs for the Freddy blocks when I realized I was short pieces.
Argh!!!! I fail to understand how I managed to not cut the right amount-so annoying. I pulled fabric and tonight I am pressing and cutting what really should be the last pieces. Then I can sit and watch tv and pin all of them together for the next round of sewing. I am determined to get this top done and I am considering sending it out for quilting. Then again, I may change my mind and quilt it myself. At any rate-at least I am back to working on the blocks-they have been up on the design wall all winter (I think fall too) and really it's time to wrap them up and clear the wall for new things.

My class with Margaret Miller was fabulous! Naturally I forgot my camera, thus, no photos to share. I finished the quarter sections of two blocks and part of a more challenging third block.

She asked us to not sew the blocks together so you can turn them and play with the different looks -until you like what you see.

My plan is to finish these blocks and turn them into a table runner-ready to show at the next guild meeting at the end of February. We were working out of her book, AnglePlay Blocks. I bought the full set of templates which though expensive I feel are worth every penny. These templates have the correct angles at the ends of the triangles so matching them up and sewing them together is really a breeze. I am not a huge template fan, but, they certainly have their place and for these type of blocks the payoff comes in the wonderful results you can achieve.

I would say I am happy to be back into full swing quilting mode with more fun stuff ahead. I have joined Tonya's current class and expect to really have fun playing with solids and doing my version from inspiration at this website.

We are staying at a friends place only seven miles from Sisters when we go up in March for Gwen's class - which means Zoe (our boxer) can come along and keep my sweetie company while I am gone at class. I have pulled my featherweight machine out and used it on the challenge piecing part and will continue to use it as much as I can - I am taking it as my machine for class and want to feel comfortable winding bobbins and so on for it.

Ok...on to cutting and pinning for me...