OBW Cubed

AHHH! It’s finished..well the top…and back is pieced…and binding cut. I think this is about 4 years old. I had the hexagons cut out…but not the cubes. I actually didn’t know how I was going to make the cubes.  I have never really worked on a  OB. I kind of got discouraged and set it aside. Not because the layering was difficult or anything…I just couldn’t see how I was going to get it all together. So a few things:

1. you can avoid Y-seams by making half hexies and sewing them into rows…but you need a design wall for this because you can get easily confused. I opted for Y-seams..which is why it took me a long time to get it all together. You have to stop so many times..and clip threads ( yes Donna I actually clipped most of them!) I am pretty sure a bird would get a nice cozy nest from them.

2. For a OBW cubed the book suggests that you choose a fabric that has fewer colors than more. I think it would be tragic to make all of these blocks and go through all of this trouble  and not see the cubes.

3. A common rule is that somewhere in the finished quilt you put a cut of the original fabric unchanged. I used it for an outer border and also in the top corner I used it to fill a gap. In the book they just finished many of the quilts in their awkward shapes…but those were more “artsy” than mine….and I would prefer to use it as a quilt rather than hang it on the wall..it’s pretty big anyway.  almost full size.

4. There are some pretty dynamic cubes and triangles and what not..I opted for the most simple version because I was unsure of my skills and I didn’t want to get frustrated my first time out…I actually really like it..and I may try it again on a smaller scale and make some more dynamic pieces.

I already have my quilting plan ….it’s just a matter of getting it in the line-up. So I will share again when it’s finished. It took me 3 days of sewing and constructing. on friday night I thought I had it all laid out on the floor the way it needed to be. Then we left for a movie at church and I came back to find the plan destroyed. The dog had gotten into the studio ( usually the baby gate keeps them out of that part of the house but the kids were not so diligent that night.) and walked on my design wall AKA the floor. DARN! So I had to start over ..and I got frustrated so I asked Rob to help me. I know some of you will relate to this…but as I was trying to explain to him how to arrange them and what I needed..my mind can’t see it…his can. He is trying to tell me what to do..and I am telling him that he doesn’t understand…yadda-yadda. then he gets frustrated with me…I get frustrated with him..he tells me to leave the studio…walk away and he will do this.  I tell him not to worry about it I will do it. Then he tells me to leave again. SO I did. within 5 minutes he had it arranged properly. LOL So I had to tell him HOW GREAT HE IS! and start sewing away again.

It is my mission to use stash…and finish UFO’s. I have to admit that I lack blue and purple in my stash…and I tried very hard to just make something work within my set limits…but I couldn’t.  I had to go to the shop and buy the purple border ( which is also binding)…however I conceded on the back. I used fabric from my stash the color is fine but the them of the fabric is very elegant and sweet …rather than bright and geometric.  But it’s a back and I a ok with it.