Funk

Not much to say at all this week I'm afraid.  Been in a bit of a funk. 
I wanted to get a move on and start my Dresden quilt for Lily's QAL, but I couldn't decide at all which fabric to use, each stash I had seemed to need something else to complete it and I didn't want to keep buying and not getting good matches.  Its not easy choosing fabric online, but it sure is fun for a while!    Anyway, I got my monthly surprise parcel from Pink Chalk Fabrics, 8 mystery co-ordinating solids.  I liked them, didn't have a predestined use for them, so thought "sod it, just forget all the other options and use them for the Lily's Quilts QAL."  So I did.

Thing is, I don't think I like it.  It is actually nicer than the picture cos I couldn't get the light right to show that there is a difference between those blues!  But, somehow, I just don't like it.  So I haven't gotten any further with that.

I did do a few stints at the single girl hand quilting, but the hole I dug in my finger kept bursting open and so I had to stop for a few days to let it heal. 

So, what to do when you're in a funk, you cant get motivated, you don't like what you've done lately, and everything seems poo...  Why you sign yourself up for multiple commitments making things for people way more talented than you are of course!  Hmmm, not sounding quite so sensible...  But then I'm not feeling sensible am I?  Actually feeling more like a whiny brat to be honest, my poor man is taking the brunt of most of it!  So maybe this was me whining "I'm bored, someone play with me..."  Whatever it was, I'm still glad I've done it.  I'm sure I'll snap out of all this soon enough, then I'll have lots of lovely things to do! 

So, what have I signed up for?  Well, Lynne @ Lily's Quilts had the bright idea to start a flickr group for British Quilters.  Quilting seems to be such a big thing in the states, Canada, Australia etc, and such a small hidden society in UK.  Well not anymore, Lynne's group has unearthed loads of us!  From which has stemmed Brit Bee.  Yay, my first ever BEE!  Ever so slightly intimidating, but only due to to talent of all the other participants, the participants themselves all seem ever so lovely. 
I've made a start practicing for Mays Block...  Based on Lynnebobsquarepants. 

Yes, first block in the bee and I meet my nemesis.  The Half Square Triangle. 

These are some pics of the process, which I think highlight my problems with them..  See how as soon as its pressed its no longer a square.. 

See also how every single one has to be trimmed precisely...  (Love my HST ruler though, makes things much easier and you know how I love easy!) 

See how there's always at least one that is way too small?  Then you have to make more...

See how despite all my painstaking precision trimming,  50% of my points don't match up?  Gonna need a whole heap more practice....

I'm also signing up for Lynne's mini quilt swap, of which I can tell you no details cos I know none myself...  Yup, she said "do you want to ..." and I said YAY!  To what I really don't know....  But I'm sure it'll be fun!

And, yes there's an AND...  I've opted to take part in Pay it Forward.  You've seen the movie, well this is the principle applied to sewing, minus the cute wee boy, single mother, scarred teacher and all that mushy jazz.  Dianne, of Quiltova will be making me a little something, check out the link as she explains the rules better and if you're really lucky you too could join in!
So, if you would like to receive a wee thing made by me, (and judging by the photys on this post you might wanna think carefully bout that!) then you comment below.  The first three comments will receive an email from me requesting a postal address to mail to, and in return they need to promise to post the same on their blog, and commit to making a wee something for 3 people.  Oh, and the beauty is you get 365 days to do it!  So, the first three numpties brave faithful followers to comment will, at some point in the next 365 days, receive a wee surprise pressie from li'l ol' me....