It's been said before....

....and no doubt will be said again......if I had half a brain, I would be dangerous.

All the narrow sashes for between the house quilt blocks were cut last weekend.  The shorter sashings had already been attached to the left side of each and every block, and the blocks joined into rows.  On Tuesday at quilt group one more sashing was sewn to the right side of every row so now all the blocks are sashed vertically, if one can have 'vertical' in an on point setting.  That just leaves the long strips for joining the rows into a quilt top.  (I dislike the term 'flimsy' used for quilt tops.  Believe me, there is nothing flimsy or insubstantial about this one.)  The shorter strips were the length of the blocks, so were all cut nine inches.  All well and good.  Hunky dory, one might say.

When cutting the longer strips a little voice in the back of my brain said to me "you need to allow nine inches for each block width, plus the half inch sashings, plus two times one quarter inch for the two outer seams".  Calculations were calculated and strips cut.  

However.....when I went to attach the first strip it's too long......because the blocks are not nine inches between the sashings, they are eight and a half inches.  That's what happens when one doesn't measure, one just assumes the guess is right - so now each and every one of those strips will need to be measured again, and shortened.

Oh well......although I suppose it's better than cutting them too short, isn't it?  Silver linings and all that stuff, but still....

Sigh.

I want to start sewing the green and blue blocks, but those sashings need to be corrected first.

My jumper is now being seamed in preparation for knitting the neckband.  Having the weight of a whole jumper on one's lap is really good on a chilly night.  Words have been read.  No diamonds have been cut or joined this week.  Ukulele groups aren't meeting because it's school holidays and some folk have grandparent duty, so it's a quiet couple of weeks.  A little hunting and gathering has been indulged in, although I'm not sure that 'indulged' is the right word for a foray into the supermarket during holiday time when some of the kiddie-widdies are a bit feral.

Some plinking will be done this week as the choir is having a 'Christmas in July' hooley next Saturday night, and I have been asked to reprise my recent prize-winning performance.  It's probably a good idea to practice before that so as not to make a complete and utter fool of myself, yes?  It has been suggested that we wear 'bright clothes', something not easy during the dead of winter.  I have a purple lightweight wool jumper, and a lime green silk scarf, and a sparkly brooch which was my mother's, so that should do nicely; if memory serves me correctly I may have given her that brooch a long time ago either for a birthday or for Mother's Day.  Some of those vintage brooches are quite sought-after now.

Wearing a brooch isn't 'done' as much these days as it used to be, is it?  I wear brooches in winter because they set off a plain jumper or jacket nicely, but summer clothing fabrics don't always lend themselves to a brooch.  Woven fabrics are usually sturdy enough to have a brooch pinned on, but not knits.

Continuing on with Etiquette of the Street:

"It is an insult for the salesman to offensively suggest that you can not do better elsewhere, which should be resented by instant departure."

Indeed.  If it is suggested that I may get a better price or article elsewhere, I shall be off post haste to find out if this is so.

Enjoy your days!