Travelling?

I decided yesterday seeing as my brain seems to be on malfunction, to leave my sewing alone and do some computer work that needed to be done.  I had some labels that had to be printed off so 2 of the 3 are now done, and the other will be done today. 

I also thought maybe it was time to find the duster and the mop and get the house looking a bit better than it has been.  I've been helping out in the yard, something in 37 years living in this house I've not done.  Its always been Karl's joy to be working out there.  Not mine, girl, definitely not mine!  I have this phobia about dirt under my fingernails................the thoughts of it just sends chills up and down my back.  Anyway, three rooms are done with 3 to go.  Perhaps while it rains today I'll get them finished and then my Thursday will be mine to sew.  Perhaps by Thursday, I will have a head that is functioning properly

Irene emailed me today and we got yacking back and forth about holidays.  They are headed state side while we go off camping over to Lake Erie.  We both plan on hitting quilt shops of course.  Irene is looking for borders for her row by row.  I made a suggestion and so you can all thank Irene for today's blog.

I started doing this in the good old days when we would head down to Pennsylvania -- Intercourse -- to be specific...............I love telling people that................the looks on their faces...................priceless! 

See I wasn't kidding ya!  Its true, another town is called Paradise and then of course who could ever forget Bird-in-Hand.  We couldn't.  Fabulous restaurant there.  Made a habit of eating there for good home cooking.

Before I would start off on my trip I went off to my local dollar store and bought a cheap little photo album.  I would take a photo of the quilt that I was working on and put that in.  Now don't be stupid like I was and have the ruddy printer set on greyscale........I'm telling you I've lost this particular faculty somewhere!  I didn't do it once.....................geez, no, I did it twice!!!!

When the lightbulb finally came on and I did the adjustments that needed to be done, the photo actually came out.................Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamazing!

Once this was done, I went into the cutting room and started to find the fabrics I had used.

I started with a fairly large piece of the background...................I found one about 10 x 20 so I folded that up and set it into one of the photo holding pages.  Then I started to select the fabrics.  I tried to find lights, mediums and darks of each colour scheme.

The reindeer are a variety of colour so I chose a LT, MD and DK of that row.  I just picked a black and white, and then the three reds and the turquoises and the two prints.  They are a sort of goldy/creamy.  I then came onto the computer and wrote up who the book belongs to.  You never know.  You could leave it in the store somewhere and at least this way someone can get in touch with you or even be kind enough to mail it back to you.  You could include your cell number if you wanted to.

I gathered a bunch of index cards and using my glue stick, I started putting the fabrics to card.  Here is the book.  Page by page.

I now have it all neat and tidy and it will fit into my purse or tote.  I can take the cards out and lay them on the bolt of fabric and see if they look good or they clash like the titans.

I have one little tip here for you:

TIP: Only use one side of the card.  If you glue your fabric swatches to both sides you will have to flip them back and forth.  If you only use the one side, you can lay them all out on the bolt at the same time.  Cut them large enough so that you have a good perspective of the piece.

If you were really fussy, you could cut the background piece and put it on every card and then the swatches on top of them.  For me, that's just a bit too much work.  I'm particular, but I do draw the line at times.

If you are starting a project from scratch, make sure you have a copy of the entire project with you.  You could take along the pattern or the magazine, but that can get cumbersome.  We take our home along with us.............a 28 foot trailer.  I have this little corner in the back where I keep all my quilting things.  See that back window, that's my spot!

I went off subject again didn't I?  I take the magazine along with me for reference, but I also take along a photocopy  of the quilt and list the fabric requirements in BIG print so I can read them easily.  Once I've selected my border for whatever I'm doing, I then start with the rest of the fabrics.  I may find everything in one store and then and again I may not.

I'll finish this one up tomorrow........................................................TTFN
A very LARGE P.S. to this.  Don't forget to take the book with you.  As soon as you have made it up, take it and put it in the suitcase you will be taking away.  Don't leave it on the kitchen counter, at the sewing machine, or as my mother would say "at your backside".  Pack it now so you have it when you need it.