Just Can't Get Anything Right

I have been doing this and that and taking pictures, but just couldn't really come up with a post.  I have been staying off of the computer, so I have been getting a few things accomplished, but boy, there are times I feel like I am so very slow, and nothing is turning out quite right on the first try. 


I started the Bonnie Hunter Mystery QAL Alletaire!  The 1st week was 294 -  2 inch HST of your gray which is your constant and  neutrals.   The first clue was announced the day after Thanksgiving. 

I didn't have them all cut out and sewn until last Friday which was the day that clue 2 came out.  It takes me forever to square things up.  By Friday afternoon I only had 150  squared up, and it had taken me about 8 hour. When I got home Friday I had a package waiting for me.  I had taken advantage of a Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal from Connecting Threads, and purchased a set of 3 bloc- loc rulers.  The price was really good. 

Friday evening I finished squaring up the last 150 squares in less than 2 hours using the bloc- loc rules!  I think I am seriously in love with the tool!  Obviously I cannot count though.  I ended up with 325 of these HST. 

I had started to work on Christmas presents before the great Thanksgiving clean up.  The first up was a bag which I was making for one of my daughters.  She lives in a downtown area, and so they walk to the grocery store almost on a daily basis.  This is how the bag turned out, but it took me several times of cutting it out to get it right.  I needed to cut 2 pieces for the outside which were 20 inches wide by 14 inches long, and the same for the lining.  Lets just say that it took me two tries to get the dimensions right for both the exterior and interior.  I even had to go and purchase more lining fabric because I did my cuts wrong, and of course I couldn't find the lovely brown fabric that I had purchased originally.

I finally got it right.  The bag is made that it will sit on the bag stand at the grocery store.  I think it turned out great.  I just decided to cut it out using a sewing cutting board instead of trying to measure and cut using my cutting mat, and rotary cutter. 
Next I wanted to make a few small snap bags to put gift cards in.  I know that some of the blogs I read have done tutorials on them, but when I went in search for them, many of the pictures were gone, and there are times I am a visual learner so I really needed those pictures.  I found a lot of tutorials but they were all a lot larger than I wanted.  I started trying to make my own.

Too small, and I didn't like the edge.  I had tried to do french seams but I just could not get them narrow enough, and the frayed edge showed through.  Also I wanted wider.

Too big, and again still could not get the french seam right.  Still a frayed edge showing. 

Just right!  I decided to not stress the french seam and instead just did the seam, then over edged so it was more finished on the inside.  One down, five more to go.  Hopefully it will not take me 3 tries to get them right. 

I began working on step 2 of Alletaire!  Twenty sets of 4 decapitated geese.  I began cutting my reds, and again.  Miscount! 

Somehow I ended up with 24 sets of the squares to make the geese.  I have my wings cut and ready to mark while I am watching the kids tomorrow.  Then I can work on the sewing part. 

The only thing I managed to get right the past few days are these wonderful shortbread cookies which I found a recipe on Taste of Home. 

I crushed up some candy canes to decorate, and then some sprinkles on others. 

The other thing that I do right is my great bloggy friends.  I received this super sweet package in the mail from Barbara at Wont to be Quilter. 

Hopefully things will start to get more on track since we are on the holiday push!