Is Tinkering a Mental Disease?

Ok, here is the way I define these two words for the purpose of this post.  Tweaking is making tiny adjustments that improve an object or method.  Thanks to some great suggestions from you readers, I tweaked my pet collar slipcover designs to allow for a leash loop buttonhole.

Tinkering is making a change just because one can or because one wants to. (The pretty yellow flowers are keria that we have growing together with Lady Banks running rose.)

So, while happily into month three of my Block of the Month (BOM) quilt from Golden Triangle Fabric Center in Starkville, MS, I decide to tinker with one of the prints.

Photo two on this post is how the BOM Quilt should look so far.  This is a display at Golden Triangle Fabric Center.

It is really Valori Wells' fault!  She just HAD to design this beautiful fabric line featuring zinnas, titled Estrella.  How did she know I just cannot resist zinnas?  So see, she started this whole tinkering thing!  *grin*  (CUTE picture of Valori and her tiny two-legged inspiration here!)

Look at photos #1, 4, and 5.  Don't you agree?  The zinnia fabric is just ME!

So back I went to gingerly take out stitches, carefully fussy-cut pieces from the zinnia fabric, and then even more carefully hand stitched the new zinnia pieces back into my two finished BOM blocks.

Somehow, I misplaced my March pattern, but lovely Everlyn at GTFC put another copy in the mail for me this week. I was awake at 6 am this morning, doing some house puttering so that I can make March if the pattern arrives in the mail today!

You can see the March block in the store display picture (#2) above.  I can't wait to get started on the March block!

Then, by next Saturday, Everlyn will put my April block in the mail to me! I sure hope Everlyn, Lou Ann and the other ladies involved in designing and organizing this BOM project each month don't mind that I have switched out one of the fabrics. 

Once they see that zinnia fabric, though, I think they will understand how it is all Valori's fault!  *grin*

Sorry, Valori!  But if you insist on designing such beautiful fabric, then you probably already know that women around the world will need to blame you when their husbands grumble about yet more fabric purchases, as well as situations like mine.  *big warm grin*

This whole BOM concept is pure genius! It only takes an hour (maybe two if one tinkers) each month to make a block of the quilt.  The structure of the project builds anticipation so that one cannot possibly procrastinate and fall behind.  Then, at the end of the monthly blocks, one only has to strip, bind and send the quilt off to be quilted on a long-arm machine or hand quilt it!

I'm doing two BOM's this year. This pieced one, and the Red and Green Applique BOM.  I'll be sharing pictures of my progress on it soon.

Take a look at the fabric with the Mississippi Quilt Association logo on it!  It was part of a quilted wall hanging in the classroom at the GTFC!  I must find out where one can acquire one of these. 

Does your quilt guild or quilt association have any custom printed fabric of any kind...not just a logo?  I'd really like to know!

The last two photos are from the classroom at the GTFC.  There is a fascinating story around this burgeoning fabric store in Starkville that echoes this whole exploding Craft Revolution!  I'll write a post about it soon.

It is 8:44 a.m. now, and the little Kilmichael Post Office opens at 9 a.m.  Here's hoping that my March BOM pattern is in our PO Box!

We have to be out of town for a while today on business, then I am coming back to reorganize a little corner of the studio and set up my sewing machine!

I had the idea early this morning of how to rearrange things to make room for my little sewing machine to have a table of its own where it can stay ready-to-sew at all times! Yippee!  I can't wait!

Comments

[Penny]

Hi there, Christiane! Thanks for dropping by and commenting! I'd like to see your blog or Flickr account. Please email me with the addresses: penny (at) pennysanford (dot) com!

Cherry, I've not seen Valori's colorway for Estrella that is "antiquey"....zinnas on a beige or aged background. Do I need to order it too? I want to use these in many other ways, that is why I am stockpiling this particular fabric line...even though I don't know exactly how I want to use them at this moment.

It is such a happy fabric that I may make some summer-time curtains for the kitchen sitting area where my mother, age 84, has a recliner so that she can be in the center of activity. This fabric makes her happy too!

Her mobility is greatly diminished, so I've been trying to make seasonal changes in the kitchen to keep things visually interesting nto her.

Thanks for visiting, Cherry. If you have a blog or Flickr, please email the addresses to me!

Fondly,
Penny

[Penny]

Thanks, Anina! I agree about making the change early rather than later! I just hope the ladies who worked so hard to develop this BOM are not offended that I made the switch. The March pattern did not arrive in the mail today, so I am working on the Red and Green BOM (plus a ton of other stuff today!) It is always great to hear from you!
Fondly,
Pen

[Christiane]

Zinnias are my favourites too, I love the others of Valoris colourways-antique and quirky- too,just had no idea how to use them, your BOM is gorgeous.Happy Easter!

[Cherry Menlove]

I found your blog by accident and have just been taking a look around. It is LOVELY!!!

Cherry xx

[Anina]

I love all your beautiful photos.

I agree with you on the zinnia fabric - much better than the original. It's a good thing you made that decision this early in the process or you would have had a whole bunch of blocks to unpick and repiece...