Lesson Learned

Ahoy Mateys,

This is how I spent my day working on my new "Crossing The Pond" pattern. I put all of the blocks on my design wall and started attaching the sashings to my blocks......so I thought.  The ship on my journey was totally blown off course.

I always tell my students to make a "pilot" or test block before you continue with the entire quilt.  My blocks are perfect.  My sashing measured exactly 10-1/2" which it was supposed to be.  So I was good to go to start putting everything together.....right?  Sew, sew wrong!

My sashing didn't line up perfectly with my block.  Could it be that this "math lady" made a huge mistake?  I checked and double checked my math, and sure enough, my perfect sashing didn't line up with my perfect block.  This "math lady" deserves 10 lashes with the cat o' nine tails. I think 10 lashes with a wet noodle would be more appropriate.  I felt like a wet noodle by the time I finished disassembling and re-cutting a few pieces for each sashing section.  Then re-assembled the sashings.....which I will continue to work on today.  

Part of my nautical knowledge base today is about the cat o' nine tails.  When not in use, it was stored in a bag.  Hence the term "the cat's out of the bag".  "Not enough room to swing a cat" also derives from this.  I was dodging the cat all day long!

The seam ripper came out and spent the day with me out on the deck while I ripped and ripped some more, then started remaking the sashings.  It is a good thing that Marcus Fabrics produce a high quality fabric with very little fraying.  I pressed all of the parts and pieces to remove the wrinkles and seam lines, and I was good to go to insert the new pieces and start over.  (Boy, I wish I could iron myself and remove the wrinkles!)

This is how it should look.  Much better now and I no longer have that sick to my stomach feeling when I look at my design wall.  I think I had a huge case of seasickness.

So I learned a huge lesson yesterday, which I vow never to repeat.  My ship is back on course, my sails are harnessing enough wind to power me across the ocean, and I'm back to "Crossing The Pond".  I'm no longer at the bottom of the sea in Davey Jones' Locker.

Soon,
Lynn