Sunday, September 10, 2006

Lincoln's Platform ......



It was interesting reading JudyL's comments on procrastination a while back. I found that I was procrastinating finishing up this challenge quilt. Also in that time frame, a few other bloggers commented on how borders were their least favorite (or most hated) part of the process. Just what I was procrastinating on! I've tried to analyze myself on this but can come up for a number of reasons that I stalled-all excuses. Bottom line, the top is finally finished and ready to find its place in the stack of tops waiting for a turn on the quilt frame. I may push it closer to the top of that pile, as I like this better than some of those old UFOs and would like to use it.

I don't know if you can tell from the enlargement, but the HST darks are all various browns with blacks that I found in my stash. Because each of the browns had black (and some had others colors as well), I used black for the dark borders, and of course because that was one of the few stash pieces large enough to make borders.

THANKS to all of you who commented or sent me private emails about audio books. I'm married to a techno junkie who has been pushing me to go ahead and get the mp3 player and quit stalling about. I did find one that suited me and have been listening to a book while I finished up these borders. I found that this fiction book by an author I like has been very enjoyable. I have gotten into the story, as I do with a hard copy book, and don't want to stop listening. This has kept me at the sewing machine when I might have walked away for a bit of a break.

For those of you still considering this, I do make this observation. The book that I am listening to is a light mystery, not a great deal of detail or such. I'm not sure that I could listen to non-fiction or instructional tapes (which I want to do at some point) while piecing. It would probably work well while doing hand work-such as bindings. If things were all laid out properly for chain piecing (anything semi-mindless), I expect will work and be enjoyable. For me, it would not work where I have to pay attention to what matches up with what. Pinning to match seams is fine, but paying attention to subtle direction or color placement will probably be a no-no for me-- too much room for error and frog stitching. Some of you have pointed the way to some free sites, and I plan to see what my library has available.

14 comments:

Laurie said...

I love this quilt! And I am NOT a fan of brown, generally. But you've put the colors together in a way that makes it really snap.

Laurie said...

Oh, and Janet Evanovich is wonderful to listen to on tape. (If you don't mind bawdy details. I would NOT recommend recommend it to my MIL!) The reader doesn't sound at all like you'd imagine Stephanie would sound, but within a chapter she's gotten you totally hooked.

Linda C said...

I love books on tape especially when I am driving long distances in the car by myself---I didn't even get so spooked about driving between Chattanooga and Nashville my last trip, LOL. Evanovich is good--Lori Petty was a good reader on the first ones, Maeve Binchy, the Jan Karon series. I check mine out from the library generally as that's free.

Hedgehog said...

This quilt is beautiful - well done! I find that the number of characters (in fiction or non-fiction) really matters for me in terms of how much concentration is needed. Happy listening!

quiltpixie said...

I hear you about choosing wisely re what to listen to while quilting. I've found things I wouldn't otherwise get around to reading, that are for fun, a great "stick to the sewing machine" incentive; but anything I really want to absorb or concentrate on ought not to be done while sewing or one of these days I'm going to sew my fingers!

Sweet P said...

The black and brown borders are cool for your quilt. I've been thinking about making a quilt with a black background, but haven't acted on it yet.

Bonnie said...

Your challenge quilt came out great - another color combination that works well.

Melanie said...

Isn't life with a 'techno junkie' wonderful!!! We've got the most up to date on all the computer toys. I never worried about the kids being behind when it came to computers--Don was the hardware person and I the software kid.

sewprimitive karen said...

Gail, it's so pretty, just love the brown/black in the blocks and the golds in the "platform". It wants you to finish it, Gail :-).

Cynthia said...

your challenge quilt looks great in the colors you have chosen.

Good to hear that you have decided to go ahead with the audio books. Hope you enjoy it.

Susan said...

That is a platform that Lincoln would be proud to be seen on..... Good job....

Mary Johnson said...

It looks great. I worked on mine today to but I'm way behind the crowd because I didn't start until September and then spent a week in VA with my mom.

For me, I procrastinate loading a quilt on the longarm - borders I don't like to do but I'm usually motivated enough by the thought of finishing the top to go ahead and get them done.

Samantha said...

It looks great- and hooray for audiobooks!

Susan said...

I like the way this turned out. I hadn't seen it, since I was mostly offline for the last month.