F.I.F.I.

I am having a F.I.F.I (find it, finish it) week.  Doesn't matter what it is, its being completed.  I finally have the Jungle Babies done. 

I don't have a favourite but the the hippo and lion make me smile.  I hope the children enjoy it and it makes them smile too.


I need to make a backing that fits 44" square.  Why this measurement:?  Could have been smaller so a width of fabric would have done it. It really irritates me when patterns come out so that you have to put that single little strip down the middle so you can stretch the fabric to fit the back.  Why not 40" so a width will do?  Okay, I've made it up.  I think it looks pretty good. 

Then I finished up my bunnies.  I had some embroidery left to do

and now it is all completed.  It didn't take long...........I was procrastinating.  I can do embroidery for so long and then I need a break.  I also had to re-word the quilt top.  It was designed for a baby and I want it as a seasonal quilt for the living-room. 

I read the instructions for the pattern and I nearly -- not quite -- just nearly died!  It said to make 1/4" finished borders.  Not me.  I don't do that small.  So I thought of another way to get it done.  I should have just put the borders on.  I was in for a lot of angst.

This is what I decided to do.  I cut the fabric 1" wide

I then cut it the lengths that I needed

took it to the ironing board

and pressed it in half -- wrong sides together.

Then I started to sew them into place.  I like to baste them in place before I put the sashing on as then I know they won't shift on me.  I used a scant 1/4"  ( should have used more) and as I knew I wouldn't get it completed all in day, I left myself a note on my machine to remind me of the settings.

It took me two days to do all the sewing.  Each block needed the "framing" done, before I could do any of the sashing.  For no particular reason, I did the sides first and then the top and bottom.

Of course, now that I'm not doing the little border around each block I have to readjust all the sashing sizes.  I'm telling you I was brain dead the day I did this.  I couldn't add 1 + 1 and get 2 that day.  I have never re-cut so much in my life.  I know, I know, I should have stopped and left it til another day, but I didn't. 

I have it done.  I think I like it.  I'm not really sure.  The fabrics are from a line but I'm not too happy when they are put together.  I think I'm going to have to live with it.  Nothing fancy on the back of this one.  I think its going to be very plain as its going on a wall and no one will see it.

I did something I have never done before.  I didn't pre-wash the fabric.  I have never had as many problems with my eyes as I did while working with this fabric.  They just burned!  I will never not pre-wash again.  I worked in the fabric store as you all know for years and never had this experience.  This little quilt is going outside when it gets frosty to see if that will take care of it.  I'm not quilting it until the odour is gone.

Tomorrow another one.....................til then.........