A Prairie Home Quilts

Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything. Eugene Delacroix (1798 – 1863)

I found this quote on the tag of my Good Earth Sweet & Spicy tea today.  It was like a personal message just for me.  It made me smile.  On the projects I’ve been working on recently, I’ve been obsessing a bit over my mismatched seams.  I’ve been making myself a little crazy unsewing seams.  Several seams I’ve unsewn more than once.   All in pursuit of perfection.  To what end I’m wondering?

What is perfection? Isn’t it different for everybody? Can we attain it then?

Then it hit me and I had to laugh out loud. I used to have a little sticky note on my computer reminding me to accept every day as perfect just as it comes.  When I just accept everything as perfect, there is no need to seek perfection. Perfection is already there, all around me.  I accept it.  To continually seek perfection just seems to leave me more and more dissatisfied.

Perfection:  It’s all in my attitude.

Now, can I transfer this acceptance of all things as perfection just as they come to my quilt seams and blocks? I think I’m going to give it a try.  I’m sure I’ll get more quilts done.

These are the fabric bits for my first challenge block that I’m adding to my Inklingo Sampler Quilt.

I chose to make an Aunt Sukey’s Choice block because it had flying geese units and I wanted to try them with Inklingo. I used the instructions that Linda provides in her Triangle Tips PDF to make 8 flying geese units.  Yeah, I know I sound like a walking ad [or broken record] for Inklingo but I really do love using it.

This is the block laid out for sewing after the flying geese units are made.

Next I made the 4 patches and sewed the flying geese units together.  [Man, are my photos blurry.]

The finished block.  [It looks a little wonky.  I need to do a better job with my photos or my pressing.]

I did make myself a little crazy unsewing a seam or two several times trying to be sure my seams lined up.  I seriously won’t be doing that any more if I want to get a good number of challenge blocks completed for my quilt.  I realized I’ve been spoiled by the precise seams I can get when I’m hand piecing.  I’ve never been able to sew by machine and get precise seams which I’m attributing to the way I pin because I’m a leftie.  [Any excuse will do, right?]

This is my progress on my 9 patch leader / ender.  I started sewing together 9 patches inspired by Bonnie Hunter’s leader / ender method of completing a scrap quilt while working on other projects.  I could have more of this done if I wasn’t spending so much time on the computer…

This isn’t my design wall.  It’s where I’m house sitting.  Except for the white-on-white that I used in the 9 patches, this is made all from scraps. I’m sure I have enough 2″ & 5″ squares already cut to make another top, but I think I’d like to use an off white or beige in the 9 patches the next time.

Back to sewing so I can get this one to the finished top stage before I’m done house sitting…

This Ohio Star block is the 31 July 2009 Inklingo Sampler block posted by Tilde.  Ohio Star is one of my favorite blocks.

The Quilt Index has a nice selection of Ohio Star quilts pictured in their index.  There is one that has both LeMoyne Stars & Ohio Stars with applique in the border.

Both blocks are among my favorites and I love applique in the borders. I’m not in love with the original colorway, but I’d like to duplicate it in another colorway. Isn’t it great? I think my design idea list has just grown.  No, I can’t go there. . .

This block is Shoofly.  Instructions for this block were posted on 24 July 2009 on the Inklingo Sampler blog.

This week’s block is made with the same bits as last week’s Friendship Star block.  They’re just arranged differently.

This quilt shall otherwise be known as “Erin can’t make up her mind.”  I’ve had the 9 patches for this scrappy quilt done since January 2008.  I originally planned to make the alternate blocks an hour glass block in tan/beige neutrals.  I used the fabric I had for them for some other project along the way and the 9 patches have been sitting…  waiting…  patiently…  to be transformed.

After I cut a bunch of apple core shapes for an Inklingo swap in April [May?], I hit upon the idea of using the “peel” part that was left over from cutting out the shapes to make a flowery-looking motif on the alternate blocks.  This idea involved ironing fusible stuff to the little “peels” and then sewing around each one either by hand or machine.  Did I mention that I need 128 alternate blocks?  Yeah.  So the 9 patches have been sitting…  waiting…  patiently…  to be transformed.

Then I saw Lori’s post at Humble Quilts about her 9 patch quilt.  She used reproduction fabrics for her alternate blocks.  WOW.  It’s lovely and inspiring.  Mine won’t be near as nice as hers with the beautiful shirtings and other repro fabrics, but I do aim to quilt mine with Baptist fans.  It will be warm and charming and inviting I’m sure.  I’m in the process of cutting up the alternate blocks from my scraps.  Then I should be able to get the top together quickly.  Then it will probably sit…   waiting…   patiently…   for borders.