Thursday, April 05, 2007

New Deadline

I'm thinking about entering this quilt in Houston this year. I thought I had until the first part of July to send in my entry. Yesterday I checked the Quilts, Inc. website and, much to my surprise, the deadline has been moved up to June 15! That is the "received by" date, not the postmark date.

I'd like to finish the quilt by the end of May, but I think that's a little aggressive. Although I think I can get the background finished if I really go to town on it, it will take some time to do the hand appliqué of the blossoms. Plus, I haven't even sketched or designed the blossoms and I'm still pondering how to do them. I'm going to have to start carrying my photos and sketchbook with me so I can work on them as I have little pockets of time.

Here is a closeup of the next piece of the puzzle:

I've been revising the pattern a bit as I do each section, removing bits here and adding bits there to make the pattern flow a little bit better.

As I was working on it last night, I was wondering if there is a way to speed up the process. For instance, I've been working on small sections at a time, selecting colors as I go. I'll choose the fabrics, trace the templates and stitch the section, then move on to the next one. What if I go ahead and select all the fabric, then do all of the tracing, then do all of the stitching?

Actually, I just answered my own question. Since I didn't number all of the pieces on the master pattern, there is too much chance of pieces getting lost or mixed up if I cut them all at once. Never mind. I'll just poke along at my current pace. FYI, it took me a little over an hour to piece and add that last missing curve at the bottom (see my previous post).

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ya gotta do what works for you! And I think this quilt is coming along FABULOUSLY. I was part of a small friendship group in Canberra when Jenny Bowker was working on her ginormous Arabesque quilt
(http://www.jennybowker.com/arabesque.htm)
one small piece of applique at a time... from little things, big things grow! I do hope you will enter this quilt, it's really striking.

PaMdora said...

I know you can do it! Projects usually expand to fill the time alloted, and deadlines are a good thing, IMHO.

Anonymous said...

Remember the old saying...The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.
Keep doing what you're doing and you'll make the deadline. We'll even forgive you in the Art Group if you don't do the next project. This is more important. I want to see it there when I go to Houston!

Shel

catsmum said...

there will always be another quilt show if it doesn't get done on time. If not Houston, well there's Paducah. There's next year's Houston
It's looking fabulous and it will take as long as it takes.
btw I can't believe you sold my favourite [ Honu ]

Melly Testa said...

Gorgeous! I work well with deadline, do what you can, this deserves to be seen.

Deb Geyer said...

Working slow and steady gives you time to listen to the quilt as you go along!