Same but different

Good thing the Schnibbles parade is tomorrow or I might never get around to blogging! I have such good intentions and then...pfft! ...the day is gone.

As I mentioned before being here in Mesa allows me to spend time with my sister, ans it's a good thing we planned a Schnibbles day a way s back because I had a minor accident that slowed things down a bit in the sewing department.

I finally got the borders done and finished assembling the circle quilt I'd been working on. I have friends who voiced their displeasure a time or two with doing bindings, but I would gladly exchange border applications for bindings any day!

I am calling a local long arm quilter in the morning, with hopes of getting it quilted this month.

I had no pattern for this quilt, but had a picture I found online that I used for inspiration. I had decided on 48 blocks. After choosing 48 different fabrics, I cut 10 1/2" strips width of fabric. From that I cut one 10 1/2" square. From the rest of the strip, I cut 3 different sized circles (8.5, 6.5, 4.5) using my circle templates. These circle templates are a June Tailor product that I purchased on clearance at WalMart and I have to say they were a very good purchase!

I used the scraps from this quilt to make my Schnibbles this month, in fact I had so many scraps left over that there were enough for both Barb and I to make our Jersey Girl. We gathered up the scraps, she cut the darks into charms and I cut the lights and before long we had everything we needed to forge ahead. Because my fabric choices were sort of high contrast and quite busy, we both decided to use a more "neutral" sashing. Not wanting to waste the 1 1/2" strips I had cut for sashings, I used a 

1 1/2" neutral border first and then the 11/2" scrappy border. All done! Sandwiched and ready to quilt...

Before I had a chance to get Jersey Girl quilted, I had a minor mishap.

Mr. O and I decided to go for a 10k bike ride. We were only gone five minutes and my chain fell off; no problem...a quick fix. While fixing my chain I noticed my tire was a bit low, so we had to stop for air; service station on the next corner, no problem...so we continued riding up to the next corner. 

We stopped for traffic before crossing the intersection and when I put my foot down against a concrete curb I lost my balance and with my foot against the cement I couldn't shift and correct...down I went! Trying to break my fall I reached out and ended up driving my hand into a concrete slab...I knew instantly it was broken...(from experience)

Almost one week after the fact it is still swollen and bruised and unmovable wirhout extreme pain.

I had no choice but to quilt it with my finger still in the splint. My machine quilting needs work at the best of times but I managed to get it finished.

Today while Mr O was out hiking I set myself up and stitched down the binding.

I purchased a Craftsy class by Monique Dillard a few weeks ago and decided to watch it while stitching. I'm sure you're wondering what the cookie sheet is for...I placed it behind the speaker on my IPad to intensify the sound. The bowl? Well it corralled my thread, scissors, clips and thread clippings...hey! You use what you have!

After it was all finished, I took Jersey Girl out for a photo shoot.

Done is better than perfect!  Far, far away in the land of ice and snow, Sue was working away on her Jersey Girl, and strangely enough she was working injured as well! Somehow she had pulled a muscle in her neck. She managed to persevere and get hers pieced as well. Now Sue has a family member with a brand new baby so she made the sweetest baby quilt...all pretty in pink. Being a baby quilt necessetated a little change as well. Sue added an extra row.

I only have the one photo she sent me, but isn't it just the cutest baby quilt?

We started out with the same Schnibbles pattern, encountered a few injuries between us along the way...(same) but used different fabrics and  colours and she made hers larger...(different)

So there you have it...Same but Different.

Stop by http://pinkpincushion.blogspot.com  to see the parade. See you there! I'll be the one with the splinted finger.

If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on.

Lance Armstrong