Helen's EQ8 mock-up

Under the wire, I finished up May's section of the Quilt Show's Block of the Month quilt.  I won't lie, it was a struggle.  This month's section was the flying geese that surround the elaborate medallion center.  I spent a good 10 days hmmmmming.....hawwwwwwing on exactly how I was going to handle the color placement of the geese.  When I spoke up about these concerns on the quilts forum, Helen W used her EQ8 to come up with a quick mock-up (Cool right?).  Several quilters were going with solid flying geese and they really seem to anchor the piece.  With a little more thought though, I decided that I would use prints and value changes to give a bit of movement.  I decided the corner sprigs would anchor the borders.  Problem #1 solved.

Next, I spent 2 - yes 2 - weeks struggling with getting the half square triangles right.  After 30 years you'd think I would have the skill down pat, but no.  I had to remind myself more than once that the reason why I was doing this piece was to hone my traditional skills.  Apparently, this was going to be one of them.  I did stick to my rules and used the designer's method which I actually found pretty user-friendly.  About 70% of them turned out right.  The first set, no lie, I probably did 3 times.  By the last set, I flew through them.  So the old adage is true...practice makes perfect.  As Rebecca Grace says, "Getting them just right is SO SATISFYING!"  She's right too.  It gave me a Victory Rush!  Problem #2 solved.

It's now the last week of the month and only the little applique Sprigs to finish.  Easy right?  Ya

many, many years of math behind me.  Somehow, I missed the fact that  2 sprigs each that had 4 leaves each would add up to 32 leaves.  Let me repeat that 32 leaves to hand applique.   At about 15 minutes each that is 480 minutes or 8 hrs of hand applique.  Oh and lest I forget the 8 little circles that went on the end of the sprig.

So now you know, why I only managed to finish June 1.  But why am I stressing you ask?  Because the minute you fall behind on a BOM it's HELL to catch up.  I've learned the hard way, that the best way to get a big project done is a chunk at a time on a strict schedule.  

And it's done.

On to Month 6.

Enough about me....

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