Math Geeks Unite

It's finished!
You knew I'd get it done in time. I finished the binding at 1:30AM, rinsed it in the washer and pinned it to the carpet to block it. I went to bed at 2.


After I started stitching down the binding, I realized I hadn't added a sleeve. By that time, everyone else was asleep, so I had to decide by myself which end would be up. This the way I had been looking at it for a while, so it seemed right. This morning, I wish I had turned it 90 degrees, so the big block is on the bottom, weighting it all down. Maybe I'll change it someday.

You can kind of see the spiral. I wish I had couched a fiber or appliqued a tiny "stem" to make it stand out more, but I didn't want to cover my pointy points.

I included the failed test block on the label.

I'm on my way to Providence now to drop it off.
If anyone is planning to attend MQX on Friday, let me know. Karen and I will be there! We'd love to meet you!

Fibonacci

I've been stuck. Paralyzed by the fear of screwing up. Does that happen to you?

This piece needs to be delivered to MQX on Saturday and I just started quilting it this morning. I'm not working well under pressure.

The MQX charity challenge required that a pack of fabric be purchased (with the proceeds going to the New England Quilt Museum) and a Bear Paw (the MQX logo) had to be incorporated. Simple enough.

I decided to make a Fibonacci sequence of Bear Paw blocks. Figuring out how to distribute the quarter- yards of fabric I was given and what to add from stash was the first hurdle. I'm moderately please with the results. My family and Girl Scouts really like it. The smallest blocks are 3.5" and the biggest one is 28".


Now it's crunch time and I'm quilting. I knew I wanted to incorporate a Fibonacci spiral, so I laid the outline of a chambered nautilus on top. I'm not sure how one of the coolest invertebrates in the ocean relates to a bear, but whatever. Not my best quilting work, but with no time to spare, it stays. I think you can see here how I'm not matching up well when I have to double back. I'm using a thicker thread on the main spiral.

The next problem is filling in the segments. Like the blocks, the "chambers" get bigger as it radiates out from the center. That leaves a lot of unquilted space to fill in. Maybe I'll fill in around the outside edges first and come back to the chambers after some fresh air. I'll use a thinner thread for filling in. I want the main spiral to stand out.

Are you sensing the stress? I want the quilting to be good. It's the Machine Quilters Expo, for Pete's sake! I've never had a quilt judged before, so I'm trying to use this as a learning experience. I feel like the African Olympic skier whose goal was to not be the worst one. How's that for setting high standards?

OK. Enough stalling. Back to the machine!

Dreaming of Quilting

Now that's a pleasant way to wake up in the morning! For the past week, I've been dreaming of Girl Scout cookies. Not in a good way, though. In an inventory, gotta count the cupboard sort of way.

The top of my MQX Charity Challenge piece is almost done. I just need to add the borders. So I'm planning out the quilting, watching quilting videos online and dreaming. I can't wait to dig into this one, but I definitely need a plan first. All I can tell you right now is that Fibonacci is involved!

I'm also dreaming of being back here...

next weekend! Yay!