Exercising

Those who know me well, know that I.DO.NOT.LIKE.TO.EXERCISE!

The subject of exercising has come up a lot lately in my house.  Yes, I know all about the benefits of daily exercise....blah blah blah....yes, I know I need to set a good example for my daughter...blah blah blah....yes, I know I am getting older and my metabolism is slowing....blah blah...you get the idea ;-)

Once upon a time....for a VERY short period of time...I exercised regularly and completed my first (and it's looking like my last) half marathon.  This was SO not me, and I didn't even tell anyone what I was doing until a week or two before the race, and then I wouldn't let my family come out and watch....but all that's a story for another day ;-) 

However, I have been doing some quilting exercises!  These kind of exercises I can do all day long!  My plan in joining Amanda Jean's 36-patch quilt along is to work on my matching seams skills.  Yeah, I know this is a basic concept which I should have already mastered, right?  Well, sometimes I'm not so patient with those details.

Listening to, talking with and watching my sister who recently started quilting has inspired me to pay more attention to the basics....not to mention the not so basics...such as actually quilting my quilts.

  (I deleted a whole bunch of mushy sister love stuff that I had written here...ha..ha)

Anyway, I am having so much fun with these exercises, that I have three different 36-patch block quilts going on!  One thing I am dealing with though is that I have used three different machines for piecing these and the 1/4" seams are not all the same 1/4"...does that make sense?  I started this quilt along in Montana on my baby Janome....continued in Orlando on my Bernina...switched to piecing on my going-to-sew-day Janome while my Bernina is quilting Super Star....think I need to name my machines ;-)

The first one is my "practice" 36-patch.  This quilt is being made following Amanda's tutorial exactly.  I have completed all of 5 blocks now...and they are still on the wild side ;-)

The second 36-patch quilt is my Postage Stamp quilt.  I am still following Amanda's tutorial, but with a few changes.  I'm using 1.5" squares instead of 2.5", and instead of sewing pairs of strips, I am cutting up scraps into 1.5" and piecing as leaders and enders.  For that reason, this one is taking longer.  I have three blocks completed....plus more scrappy pairs waiting....

The third 36-patch quilt is my Cowboys & Cowgirls quilt.  Remember when I asked what to do with this fabric?  If you have Kaffe's Glorious Patchwork book, turn to page 129, and that will give you an idea of where I am headed.  The colors in my picture above are off...they are shades of purple and green shot cottons.  I will use Amanda's tutorial for the 36-patch blocks and then frame fussy cut squares of cowboys/cowgirls in shot cottons and stripes.

Yep.....I'm sure loving my design wall right now ;-)

Now, it's back to quilting....ugh!

Have an amazing weekend!!!