Stolen moments

After realizing the error I'd made in laying out the first couple dozen pieces, I had a hard time concentrating on much else until I made the necessary fix.  It didn't take long, but it was exasperating.

Of course, I couldn't stop with just making the quick changes and letting it go.  NOPE.  I stepped in and filled in some of the holes AND made a few adjustments here and there with the newest materials to aid me.

PROGRESS!  Can you see my original gaff now that it's been fixed?

And what's more - it pleases me no end that I am now only thirty-three pieces away from finishing this block.  From there, I am only 2.3 blocks away from completing Row B.  Be still my heart!

UPDATE: A-a-a-nd I have a pretty good start on B9

Only two-thirds left to find and place (with several of the new materials having to be cut to make it happen).

UPDATE: Now, looking at this photo days later, I can see an error I made in laying out this block.  I'm glad to catch it early on, otherwise I would be driving myself AB-SO-LUTELY nuts in about twenty or thirty more attempts at matching (or, probably more like five-to-ten pieces).

Can you see my boo-boo?

Oh yeah, and by the way

Yup, I did manage to configure and stitch 1,930.  Nineteen-point-three completed squares.......BOO-YAH!

It needed saying.  Thanks, I feel much better, now.

In truth

I managed to contain myself yesterday, while visiting three material stores. One was a big box, retail sewing store, which also sells crafts (so I think you know where I mean), but the other two stops were 'local quilt shops' that are not local to us...by any stretch of the imagination.

Luckily, Jean had to have her car serviced - and her dealership is in Lansing - so that meant: 'road trip'. She graciously allowed me to join her, and we had the usual gabfest-laugh-a-paloosa in spite of the early morning hour(s).  Following the time at the dealer, we joined one of her lovely daughters (and her beau) at a Lansing eatery known for their soup.  The wait for a table was forty-five minutes longer than we anticipated, so we were less game for poking around in stores after brunch, but we made it work.

Following a quick trip through World Market in East Lansing (the WM in Rochester closed years ago, and everyone here still misses it very much) we mosey'd over to Country Stitches (a favorite LQS, and a MUST if you're in the EL area) for a bit.  So much to look at, and so much fun, but it was overrun with little girls who were there for goodness knows what reason. They never sat in the classroom area long enough to get anything accomplished, and boy, were they an annoying bunch of bodies to shop around. I was there with a specific mission, so I was able to stay fairly well focused in the things I found/purchased.  Yes, I bought a little bit beyond the golds/yellows/ochre/rusts/cinnamons/ golden-oak/green-overcast-yellows/yellow-overcast-greens I was in search of, but was not as badly out of control as I really could have been....so pat me on the back.

In truth, I cashed a savings bond for this little foray, so I feel less guilt than normal, and I stayed under the limit enough so that I could stop in to A Quilter's Garden in Fenton on the way home. I had to check out their batik wall to see if there were any possible blenders I could pull into my palette for VGS.  And there were...so I did!  Again, I didn't go so overboard that I feel guilty, but I did pass my budgetary mark by a small bit - which I stole from the gas tank money.

All told, I bagged 35 new materials for the VGS palette, and I am a very happy camper. I even think I may have located a source for the perfect light grey to rework "Pink Lemonade"! But that will have to wait for a bit ($).

How was your Saturday?

Well, OK, then...I suppose

Never certain of why it is people do what they do (and I am not entirely certain those people I am referring to - i.e.; all people in general -  know any better the reasons that compel them in the instance of some actions), but in the specific case of Lee Eiseman, Executive Director with Pantone Color Institute, I am seriously doubting most of her 'color of the year' choices from 2007 forward.

It's not that I dislike purple, nor is it the fru-fru name they gave Color 2014 ("Radiant Orchid"), but seriously? Aren't we a little full of ourselves? They claim it's "a captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones..."

You'll have to visit their website to read the copy the posted over the image (above), as it didn't copy over.

Looking at the image of the lovely orchid, I can see the purples of the petals and the more deeply-colored veins; the fuchsia of the center and the edging of off-white; I can even find a soft pink on a small section of the flower furthest to the rear.  I find it very hard to conceive how Pantone made the jump-to-light-speed decision to choose the color they did, claiming it's a mixture of the flower presented. And I further find it difficult to swallow naming it anything "Orchid".

Look, it's a pretty color, but it's hardly "orchid".

Time to step down, Ms. Eiseman.