Thursday 22 September 2011

update and sewing "progress"

Thank you to all who sent good wishes for my recovery from sinusitis. I'm now on my second course of antibiotics and am feeling much better than I was but am still a little "stuffy".

Today I tried to do a little sewing for the first time in three weeks. Perhaps I shouldn't have tried to piece this block.

I cut the pieces as accurately as I could. I sewed and ripped and sewed and ripped and sewed and ripped and pinned and sewed and ripped... well, you know what I'm saying.

I couldn't sew a straight seam. Not even for two and half inches. Everything was slipping and sliding all over the place (Yes, it's quilting cotton). The square in the centre of the block was not square (although it was cut perfectly square). It had curved edges and a corner that was definitely not square. The white strips were more curved than straight.

I think part of the problem was not knowing which way to press the seams to prepare properly for the next step. I know I should press towards the dark fabrics, but my seams didn't want to lie that way.

Even when I tried to square the block with a rotary cutter, it looked more like a kindergarten child had attacked it with a pair of scissors. I gave up in the end and really felt like giving up sewing for good!

Fortunately, I have enough fabric left to cut some more pieces and try again!

I couldn't even get any decent photos for you! Taken with a flash at night, they were still out of focus! What's wrong with me?

Do you ever have days like that?

10 comments:

  1. Yup. Days like that come to us all. It will get better.

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  2. Yes, I am living that day right now! lol The block is ot so bad-blend him in with all his neighbors and it will be okay! Glad you are feeling a little better-this illness hit low, hard and fast but the recovery is so s l o w.......

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  3. Whenever I'm really tired but try to sew, this happens to me. :( I'm glad that you have enough fabric to try again! I'm sure it will turn out much better this time.

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  4. You are being way to hard on yourself, the block looks great! But, yes, we all have those days, I promise!

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  5. So glad you are feeling a bit better! Sorry to hear you are having an off day at the machine, but I really think your block looks fine!

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  6. Yes days like that quite often. I find even cooking anything apart from the simplest food goes poorly when I am upset like that.

    Good to see you back.

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  7. So glad you're feeling better. Don't beat yourself up too much. Sometimes it's really just the fabric that doesn't want to work.

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  8. Good to hear the antibiotics are working, maybe some cold & flu tablets for the stuffiness (that is if you're not on any other meds that will clash)?

    I'm sure once you're feeling better, you'll feel better about sewing. Since coming back from holidays, I've been unmotivated to do any sewing. Not sure why. Maybe there's something in the air. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the blocks though.

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  9. Hi, thought I would drop in. This is going to sound like a weird comment. :/ I'm getting involved in charity sewing. I found out that the average girl in Africa misses 9 weeks of school because of guess what? Menstruation. They need cloth pads like crazy. If you have any time or know other sewers...here's a list of site on how to make the things and where to send them.http://tinyurl.com/3tlhdcc
    Thanks! Carrie in Wisconsin

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  10. Glad you are feeling better and hopefully no more health issues for the rest of the year for you :-)

    The quilt square isn't as bad as you think, really. Make another one, but don't throw this one.

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