#thisissewweekly | little bit of thyme

Escapades on the sewing front are off to a flying start as I made the shrewd decision to take my sewing machine along on holidays.

This is a project I started about two years ago. A Kaufman jelly roll for Moda – perfect for a nine patch project. It was the bright orange and green designs that had me smitten at first sight. I cut out most of the strips into 5 inch blocks right away and then forgot about it as life took over and it was delegated to that ominous, often uncharted for years area of unfinished projects in my sewing cupboard.

Last week I lugged it out of its imposed hibernation, ironed all the blocks, whipped it into a bag and off it went on a three-hour road trip along with Bernie* the Bernina for a tree-change in Pemberton.

Day two of family holidays and being eager to make a start, I started sewing them together in forty degree, un-airconditioned heat. The blocks didn’t match up. Then I measured. Every. One. Hundred. And Forty. Four blocks was 1/8 of an inch out on one side. Shock. Horror. May not seem like much, but when it comes to quilting, the more precise you can be, the easier they are to sew together, the flatter your quilt will be.

So, in forty degree un-airconditioned heat, I cut every one of those One. Hundred. And. Forty. Four suckers an 1/8 inch shorter. (Did I mention it was hot???)

A bit of dedication, perseverance and a large dose of not caring what anyone else thought (the tennis court beckoned everyone other crazy person in the house – little does it know what I have a passionate hatred for that little round ball…….oh, and heat – I hate sweating) I managed to whip up 16 svelte nine patches, then proceeded to cut them up into four smaller squares – yes quilters are slightly sadistic – they sew together, cut up and then sew back together….. An hour later, there were eight lovely rows.

After having been to Spotlight today to buy some gorgeous black polka dot for backing,(which was on sale – whoop, whoop!) I will be sewing the rows together tomorrow, then pin, baste, quilt and bind next week to have the completed project for you next week. Ahem. Hopefully.

“This is sew weekly” is a prompt challenge for you to get your sewing machine out every week. Use up that stash that sits hidden behind closed doors or in neatly folded piles in crates. It doesn’t have to be much. Not a completed project. Just get the machine out. Make a start.

Feel free to use the button on your side bar = you can find the code here.

Feel free to link up using the inLinkz thingamajig below. Just click on the blue blob.

If you are on twitter or instagram, use the hashtag #thisissewweekly. Let me know if you tag – my profile name is “littlebitofthyme”.

What project have you started this week? Let me know. Link up!!