Thursday, April 12, 2012

Tumblers, Lampshades, and Other Messes


This week's quilt block would have excited me more if I didn't have a fabric cutter and the tumbler die. One of the reasons I got that thing was so I could make an entire tumbler quilt (and one day I will...). Even though I've already made a tumbler project, I decided to make this week's block anyway. And it made me really really really glad I bought the GoBaby. The template was easy enough to draw. But cutting out those tumblers (I needed 24) wasn't fun. It was a lot of repositioning and trimming and I managed to pull off my favorite trick of cutting the same thing over and over and coming up with different sizes. I don't think there is any way in tarnation I would make an entire quilt, or anything much larger than a quilt block, with this method.

That being said, here's my block:


Doesn't it look like a bunch of pretty little lampshades all lined up? I was originally going to use all of my fabrics, but I decided to make the lighter blocks all the same since I'm in mad mad love with that cherry print.

I almost didn't make this block. I was sooo short on time, but I ran into an unexpected block of it tonight so I whipped it up (hence the not-so-hot photos). I've been plugging away at those diaper bags and I'm almost done. I should be totally done, but I did something utterly stupid and am thus not finished. Wanna know what I did? I'm dreadfully embarrassed but I'll tell you anyway.

The fabric I'm using is a light pink and white stripe. I noticed, after the whole outer bag was constructed, that there was a spot of unknown origin. I tried getting it out the gentle way, but that didn't work. I got the bright idea to try a little bleach. The spot was on a white stripe, and I've done this before using a Q-tip, so I was all confidence. We didn't have cotton swabs, so I decided to use one of those cotton squares. Needless to say, I ended up with this mess:


The spot is still there, the color is messed up, and the fabric is distressed. Greeaat. So I figured I'd cut out a cute little heart applique and stitch it over the spot. Very excited I was. I used Heat-n-Bond sewable, and fused it all nice and neat. Know what happens when bleach that I guess I didn't entirely get off the fabric interacts with the heat and glue? It makes a big spot that's highly visible and purplish in color. At this point I was absolutely furious with myself. So as not to lose all my work, I picked out the stitches on the straps and the piping, pressed everything nice and neat and added "buy half-yard of striped fabric" to my to-do list. I suppose it could have been worse. But, on the bright side, the straps are already made (and I haaaaaate making straps) and a lot of the work is already done. I'll make the delivery date I promised, so all will be well. But I'm kind of hoping I don't have any more bright ideas. I'm getting tired of doing damage control :)

I'm hoping to show you the finished bag, sans bleach, this weekend. Have a happy Friday!

2 comments:

  1. I been where you are so many times. Just when you think nothing ELSE can go wrong, there is another snag. Hope it all gets solved.

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  2. Well done for tackling the block. I'm trying not to laugh at the spot/bleach/interfacting mishap, but not succeeding terribly much... Still, glad you can replace it, that would happen to me with rare, unusual fabric that was the end of the line knowing my luck!

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