Sunday, August 14, 2016

Another New Quilt is Started

Ever since the peak time for my work was over, I have been diligently working on making progress on my quilting projects. I thought that if I kept myself busy, I could delay or avoid starting a new project.  In the past, I would promise myself that I could start a new project after I finished an existing project, but the quilts I was working on were long term projects - BOMS which did not have all the months released - so that wouldn't work.

Until now, I was able to keep working on getting up to date on the Adrinka blocks, and making progress on the 1857 blocks.  I decided it would be a good time to work on putting together the blocks for the Elephant Parade.  That led me to think I could start this new project as a leader/ender. Or maybe the idea to work on the new project came, which led me to think I could put together Elephant Parade as a leader/ender.  These two projects became tied together because they are pieced in similar ways. They are also similar because I am using the solids box for the fabric.  They also share the white fabric.

I bought yards and yards of the white fabric when the modern movement first came out and I saw how a white background was  necessary for most of those quilts. Yes it is tone on tone. I thought solids were a fad. Why pay the same price for plain as you pay for fancy?


I saw this free pattern on a blog during peak, and knew that I had to set it aside for later, but recently I saw someone else made this quilt and that reminded me all over again that it took great strength for me to not start it in January.  I've held off starting this quilt since January!


It turns out that Elephant Parade does not work as a good leader/ender in its current state.  I need to trim and measure my improv blocks. Some of them were made the standard size, but some of them were made to go into the sashing.  What sounded like a clever idea when I was making them is going to be more work for me now. I also need to decide on the layout so I know which blocks need sashing.

Also, one part of the new quilt serves easily as the leader/ender for another part, which makes it easier to keep progress going at a steady pace.

I feel guilty for starting a new quilt.  I make quilts for the joy of making them, not for the completed projects, so I really shouldn't feel guilty for not finishing something before starting this one, but I do anyway.

Linked to Monday Making, MCM #34 and Moving It Forward.

9 comments:

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

You have to knock that little conscience guy off your shoulder and do what makes your heart sing. Those little voices in our ear that tell us to feel guilty are stifling.

Karen said...

Starting new projects when you still have quilts in the works is what most quilters do. I used to do a quilt from start to finish when I first began making quilts. But then when you have stimulation from quilting friends or browsing the internet, it is hard not to get enthused about several quilting projects during the same time period. Just join the crowd.

ES said...

I started a leader ender project and it soon became the main project for a while. Today I've been preparing some fabric for some hand stitching, I'm resurrecting an old qayg hexie project.

Lisa J. said...

I know that guilty feeling and like you I'm not sure why I get it either as its mostly for pleasure. but sometimes I get overwhelmed if I feel like I'm doing too much (stretched in too many directions. The new quilt looks very intriguing.

Rebecca Grace said...

Well, as the pastor said in church yesterday morning, "I HEREBY DECLARE UNTO YOU THE ENTIRE FORGIVENESS OF ALL YOUR SINS!" No need to feel guilty about your new project anymore! :-)

Also, you are enabling ME to start a new project before finishing any of the many MANY others I have got going on already. If it's only "leaders and enders," it doesn't really count! What's more, I really think I need to get one of those GO! Baby machines so I can cut up a bunch of scraps into HSTs or squares or tumblers or something for my leaders and enders project...

I was surprised when you said that "fancy" prints cost the same as solid fabrics, though. Kona Solids are always several dollars cheaper per yard than any of the prints, and I find them easier to use than the white-on-white prints, which I often sew wrong-side-up by mistake and have to frog stitch.

gayle said...

I'm also learning not to feel guilty for starting new projects. (I've always been a woohoo-new-project-starter, it's just the 'feeling guilty' part I want to get rid of!)
My 'main' projects and my 'leader/ender' projects frequently get so tangled that I forgot which is the main!

em's scrapbag said...

You should never feel guilty starting a new project. Life is way to short. when it comes to quilting just do what you love.

Bonnie said...

Hey, you did a great job of holding off starting your new project. That gets congratulations and proves you are a mature adult with the ability to postpone what you want. Ok, enough of that ridiculous. Enjoy the new project. Sometimes new is just what we need.

Kaja said...

Don't feel guilty; enjoy the diversity!