New WIP. . . Glitches

I am starting a new project. . . previous posts have discussed my attempts at sewing Flying Geese. . . I have had some successes and some well, what I would consider not so successful :) I decided to document my entire process with this one so I am going to show you my craziness right from the start.  I saw a couple of different calls for quilts from MQG.  I started thinking about a design.  Then I started thinking about whether or not I wanted to put myself out there to be judged. . . and then I decided I'd try it once and see what happened.  And then I decided (the practical side of me finally kicked in haha) how about make a quilt and then decide if it is 'good enough' to submit. . . Now there's a plan. grin

So here we go, the design process - done my way ( Think "My Way" lyrics by Frank Sinatra)! I have EQ7.  I would not call my skills proficient but I can get around and I can pretty much end with a picture of how I want a quilt to look.  I typically end up with a bajillion . . . OK maybe 3-5 different designs and/or color options.  I have been admiring quilts with Flying Geese.  I have never in my life made one but how hard can it be?? grin I came up with the name of the quilt first. . . I know right? Weird.  "Off Course" . . . which is what my sewing sometimes turns out to be. . . Anyway, over the span of several weeks (yes, really it took that long and I was changing it up until yesterday) here are what I decided were the top three contenders:

This was the first design that popped out of my creative dark side.  I played with colors and the like for days.  I like it, will likely make this one too but I need to find the 'perfect' fabrics.... Oakshotts?

And then I came up with this:

I'm liking this. . . but maybe it needs more. . . hmmm . . .

 So I pondered and played and consulted (my husband has a great eye for color, DOES NOT share my love of modern).  Generally we agreed it needed more color.  By this time I had ordered the fabric (gutsy right? Kinda wish I had not been so hasty. . . thus the glitches part in the title of this post), and this is what I came up with:

Now this is a design I can get behind and was SOO excited to start sewing and cutting yesterday. . . read on to find out why that didn't happen...

 Yesterday morning I pulled the fabric out of the two bundles of In the Beginnings Modern Basics bundles I purchased from Pink Chalk Fabrics for this little fiasco adventure.  I bought the Beaujlais and Summer Sky bundles.  I thought I had enough of a combo to make whichever design I chose. . . 

I start by starching the fabrics.

The fabric is SOAKED with starch at this point.  Dripping wet actually.  I like my fabric to be the consistency of construction paper :)

I use Niagra starch - I've tried Mary Ellen's Best Press.  It is good but honestly, no better than the cheap stuff near as I can tell. . . Saved money = more $ for fabric :)

 When they are dry enough (I let these get TOO dry and the wrinkles didn't come out) I ironed them.

The blues and the grays for the geese.

I think this picture shows the gray colors a little better.

 And then I sat down to figure out just how many squares I needed to cut for the project. . . OK, yes, it would have been smart to figure this out before I did this but that's just not not how I roll . . . there are sometimes problems with rolling this way ;)

And now for the fiasco. . . glitch. . . air turns blue with words typically used by sailors (do you think sailors get a bad wrap with this old saying?? I'm thinking maybe they do!) I did not have enough of the lighter gray.  Bummer.  Now what? Cut what I have and buy more yardage? Hmmm. . . Normally, that is exactly what I would have done but I had bought and used most of the Beaujlais bundle before. . . NONE of the colors were the same.  I decided not to take the chance, different dye lots and all that.  I ordered more of the lighter gray (metal) yesterday. . . and now I wait. . . Don't you just hate it when that happens??? I was all ready to go! Whoa ponies :)

While I wait, I will put the back together for the string quilt.  I'll post on that soon.  I will also continue with paper piecing. . . can you believe I actually like paper piecing??   I DO!!  More posts on that to come too :)

For now, I'm linking this post to Lorna over at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social, Lee over at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and Kelly over at My Quilt Infatuation for NTT.  Hop over to these great linky parties and check out all of the wonderful inspiration! :)

Until next time, keep on quilting!