A Monkey Threw A Wrench in My Project!

Have you ever been cruising along in a project and BAM, stopped dead in your tracks? Maybe it is because the thread stash doesn't contain that perfect thread, or the plan was for a thin stop border and then scrappy border on the outside and it just didn't look right in the mind's eye or.... I experienced this yesterday with my scrappy bargello.  I have been steaming ahead on this project and FINALLY had the top all sewn together and ready to attach borders.  Here it is!

Those starch bottles are anchors for the design wall, classy huh? :)

Maybe I will use the same blue as the middle border... Not enough fabric left (this flimsy is huge, it now measures in at 99" x 100").  Maybe the really dark blue (looks almost black) . . . Not enough fabric. OK to the stash I go, I have some marbled black, several types actually (a girl can never have enough marbled black right? lol), just not feeling the love.  What about that dark orange blender? That might look good and I have over a yard left.... Not enough. :(  What's a girl to do but go shopping right?? :) Off I went to the shop where I thought I had gotten the dark blue batik.  This shop pulled all of their batiks from the shelves months ago because they said they were not selling.... can you imagine?? I had not been in months.  I asked if they still had them in the back and had a strip of the fabric to show.  Then the answer came "No, we don't have those anymore.  We put them on sale and they are all gone." NOOOOO!!! Not only was I not going to get my border but they put them on sale and didn't call me???? The nerve!!! ;)

With head hanging low, I soldiered on to the next shop :) Maybe I had gotten it there! They had one king size wool batting left - YAY Yes I definitely want that!  On to the good part, fabric! I scanned the backing fabric.... Nothing sang to me.  I scoured all of their batiks.... Nothing even close to what I wanted.... then I checked out the blue blenders... No dice.  I have learned the hard way, if I say in my head, that fabric might do, I could make it work or it's not what I wanted but itlldo (it will do) don't do it!  So I left the shop with my batting and as I walked out thought - what about a king size flat sheet for backing?  (Some of you may be gasping NO don't do it! But I have used sheets as backing for several projects and it really has not been an issue.  My mom has been quilting for decades, she uses sheets as backing and I have a couple of her quilts that are over 20 years old - they are fine!)

So off I go to find the perfect sheet!  Did you know that there is not a difference in the size of a flat sheet between King and CA King?  I didn't... AND I looked at many different brands, cheap to expensive, none of the flat sheets varied in size and they were all an inch short in the width!  Bummer.  My head hanging low once again, I resisted the urge to stop for ice cream to sooth my woes ;), and went home.

After discussing the situation with my husband (I was back to 'just going with black'), I decided to see if I could find the fabric I wanted on line.  Not only did I find the EXACT fabric for the border, I found the backing too AND they were both on sale!!!! WOOHOO :) So now I wait..... that pesky monkey and his wrench!  The good news?? I get to start another project! Double Woohoo!! haha What will it be?? Stay tuned, there might be the start of a new quilt top shown in the next several days!  I have several in mind and I might just break my rules and start two!!

Linking up with Show it Off Saturday over at Sew She Can.  Click on over and join the fun!

Until next time, keep on quilting!!