Monday, September 07, 2009

D9P on the Design Wall

I have been having so much fun with my disappearing 9 patch quilt. (To see the development of the quilt click here.)  Here are the 24 blocks up on my design wall. I really wanted to add connecting corners to some of the blocks since I liked the look of Becky's disappearing 9 patch quilt that she showed back in June - click here.  I auditioned some of my darker fabrics for the connecting corners but didn't like it because the contrast was too stark.  I was going to scrap that idea, but then decided to give the white fabric a try on the corners and liked it. So here is the quilt top with the blocks sewn together and ready to start the border auditioning.
This has been the most fun I've had making a quilt in a long time! In thinking about why it has been so much fun, I came up with these reasons:
1) I used up a lot of fabric - at least 12 Fat Quarters from my stash that I had collected over the years
2) the actual sewing was very enjoyable/relaxing (no trickey seams to match, no math to do)
3) the quilt top is turning out totally different than I anticipated (and I like surprises/mysteries)
4) there were so many design possibilities and it was great fun playing with the various layouts
Tomorrow I will post the outcome of the border audition...stay tuned!
P.S. For those of my quilting friends who are wondering, I have survived dropping off my daughter at university, with a minimal amount of weaping and howling, knowing that it would embarrass her. So now we wait for the texts and emails with baited breath - because kids don't make phone calls these days. We will have to wait until the weekend to hear her voice again. I am tempted to sit in the basement, eat chocolate, and watch old home videos, but I will do some productive quilting instead!

3 comments:

Darling Millie said...

Listen - about your daughter. I know -exactly- what you mean. My son is 29 now, and I tell folks that learning to let go and keep my mouth shut were the hardest things I ever did. It will take you a few years. As for sitting in the basement eating chocolate - I understand that sentiment very well. When folks ask me what I would do when he left (there were only 2 of us) my reply was "Mourn."

If you have raised your daughter well, you will know you have done a good job by seeing the friends she makes, and hearing about the decisions she makes.

You need to learn to adapt to the fact that she has left you. It takes time. You will feel awful. Feel awful. You need to create for yourself a new definition of "normal."

It's ok. You will figure it out, but don't worry that it takes you a while. By the time I finally figured out how to live (and cook) for one person, he was home for the summer, and threw my "new" life out of whack!

Hugs, best wishes, and good luck!
Lynne

(Millie is the cat)

Andrea said...

Aww - she'll be back before you know it - well keep telling yourself that. The pinks and purples are so gorgeous.

Stacey said...

Kathy, I saw your quilt on Stashbusters. I Love , Love Love it!! It's so cute.

Happy Quilting
Stacey
Driving Miss Stacey


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