Piecing

I had an opportunity to go back to the craft store today, but decided not to.  Since I can't go buy random things that are on sale, I'm spending more time looking at the sale flyers and getting organized about what I actually need and when I need to buy it.  I'm going to be good and make a proper shopping list before I go back.

Instead, I started piecing together my daughter's quilt top.  At first, it went so quickly I was like wow, maybe I should go get that batting today.  And then I got to the knit pieces.  As I was trying in vain to sew them nicely to the cotton pieces, cursing at the sewing machine as it ate yet another knit fuzzy piece, I realized I had quite a bit of work yet to do.  So I slowed down and had some chamomile tea .  DH got me the Mighty Leaf Loose Tea Sampler for Christmas and it's fantastic.  Anyhow, I got more piecing done more smoothly after having some tea.

 At first, I was just pulling pieces off the design wall and stitching them together.  It didn't take long before I had too many pieces to keep up with.  And each piece is different, and I worked hard on the layout making sure I had each one turned the way I wanted it.  So, I got out a water soluble fabric marker and put a dot at the top of each piece so I could keep them straight.  This worked well for orientation, but a couple of times I wasn't sure if I'd gotten them in the right order - and one time I definitely didn't and had to break out the seam ripper.  Then I got the bright idea to number them, but was too lazy to write numbers, so I put dots, which turned into Roman numerals, which are actually pretty easy to write in a hurry.  Now I should be able to tell quickly which way is up and which one goes where.  And the marker disappears with a drop of water.  Woohoo!

I washed and ironed the pink fabric I bought yesterday and I'm ambivalent about it.  I talked to a lady I know who teaches sewing and asked her opinion what color the border should be, and she recommended a really deep pink.  It's a little girl quilt, and I don't think I can handle a really deep pink.  I thought what I picked was dark enough, but now it's next to the actual quilt pieces I'm not sure.  I have the fabric draped next to the pieces and I'm going to live with it for a while.  (Best advice ever given to me by an art teacher.  Live with it for a while, let it talk to you and tell you what it needs.  If it even needs anything.  No need to be in a hurry.)

And I know I said I wasn't going to decide about the bedroom duvet fabric but it came out of the laundry in the same load as my other new fabric and I can't leave it alone.  I think I might go shopping tomorrow at the other local fabric shop and see if I can find something to settle the design.

Tomorrow: Look at duvet cover design and calculate needed amount of light/white fabrics, shop if possible, continue piecing daughter's quilt.

The dress form I bought last month is also calling to me, but my work room is so covered up I really need to finish the quilt before I take the dress form out of the box.