On the wild side

Decided today to do a quick children's quilt. The first one I had designed myself. One that I would back with fleece ( so OK its not a proper quilt but you know what I mean). A quick one. So I finished my paperwork and started about four. I soon realised that when the instruction for half square triangles in my magazine said add 7/8 inch to the 'finished block' size it meant finished as in the size it would appear in a sewn up quilt. Not finished as in when I had first made two squares into two half triangle squares. So I was 1/2 inch two big. Which wouldn't have mattered had I not already cut solid squares out in the smaller size to attach later. So the first delay occurred in trimming 24 blocks down to size.

Then I was slightly slowed by having to teach Dennis how to cook Green Thai curry with vegetables while I fused animal shapes to my blocks. (Chop, stir fry, add cook in sauce, heat... but he seemed to require more detail than that!) The delay to eat what turned out to be quite a yummy meal was acceptable. As was I suppose the short delays involved in running into the lounge to see the replays whenever something interesting happened between Arsenal and Barcalona. (I am told the goalie being sent off within minutes is not funny, but I still think it was!)

Then came the problems with the red thread I used to machine applique. Bought cheap. I shall never use it again. I have too little knowledge to justify my theory that it was the thread to blame rather than me but it seemed to refuse to stay either in the needle or in the bobbin catch, slipping out every few inches. But I'd started so I had to finish.

Then of course there were the phone calls. First: Mum, 'I have a problem Your Dad's been on the computer and now the printer is broken.' (Code in our house for 'I've forgotten how to use the computer'.) Twenty five minutes of blind instruction down the line she remembers that perhaps I've told her this before and that perhaps it is not my Dad's fault for breaking the computer. I start to tell the tale of measurement woe when her B&B guests arrive. Second call: they have gone. I finish tale of woe. She asks - if the video has 3 on it and a red light and is whirring is she successfully recording the match for Dad? Third call: She has sent me an email and in so doing the computer has 'all by itself' now printed the original item she couldn't print. Now she has 3 copies.

Swap to cream thread. Same brand, same problem. Am now regretting not hand piecing. Eventually get the main pattern done of this Project Linus quilt and accept that the borders will have to wait. Triumphant, I bring it upstars to photo and it is then I notice just one block upside down.

ARRRRGH!

I have started to rectify it but gave up for tonight - so you can see above the troublesome half article and when it is finished I'll show you the difference. It has animal blocks so I've decided to call it On the Wild Side - the recipient child will never know the title had nothing to do with the animals at all!