Grasp Exceeding Reach?

These pictures are a great example of how quilting can sneak up and take you completely by surprise. These are two blocks from the very large wall hanging I am making for our living room to replace Dear Husband's Christmas star, which has become "A Winter Star" now that Christmas is over.

This all started when I spied the "Sunday in the Park" fabric in one of my quilting friend's stash. It was love at first sight, as I have seen in Chicago the painting that serves as the inspiration for this fabric. I had to have it, so I immediately went online and purchased all the different fabrics for the quilt. I also found what was purportedly the pattern; "pattern" is too grandiose a word for the brief instructions on how to make the quilt. Here is an example of what I'm talking about, "Once you make the blocks, lay them out according to the diagram." O.K., but where's the diagram? No where to be found.

"No problem," I muse to myself, "I've been quilting for over a year now, surely I can figure this out." So I plunge in, cutting my beautiful fabric, a process that went quite well, with only a few glitches. Then I begin constructing the blocks, only to find out that I have a math problem on my hands. EEK! My resident mathematician (Dear Husband) comes to my rescue, even suggesting an easy way to end up with absolutely perfect 12 1/2" squares for the focus fabric blocks. He was brilliant so I have made him Chief Mathematics Officer of Karen's Cozy Quilting Corner, which is how I refer to my sewing room. With the exception of our first attempt which we cut too small, all other focus fabric blocks are stunning (see above).

Then, I moved on to Step 2, which required making what seemed like hundreds of squares from half-squares triangles. I don't know why this pattern called for making these "the old fashioned way," rather than the more precise method, but it did, so I - like the dutiful student I am - followed the directions exactly. O.K., this went alright. The product of this step is also shown above. Of course, unless you are a master quilter, your squares (mine at least) are not going to end up perfect, but I can compensate for this problem.

Now, here is the kicker! Poking around online, I find out that this quilt was featured in a 2009 issue of a quilting magazine, which contains the detailed directions for making the piece. And, of course, one has to buy the back issue, because right now I am doing the simple stuff; I sense the Creature of Complexity is right around the corner. Further, I see that this pattern is categorized as "intermediate/advanced." Wait! I am still a confident beginner! Oh rats! I have purchased the back issue, which will likely take 4 weeks to receive. In the meantime, I am consulting with my quilter friend whose stash was the original genesis of this project, who is a member of the Roseville, CA guild. Thank goodness the Calvary is on the way!

I am absolutely committed to completing this quilt and know the end product is going to be stunning, assuming there is an end product in my lifetime.

Non-quilting related news:

1. My niece's health continues to stress and perplex everyone involved, including her physicians apparently. Her seizures continue after her brain surgery. But we are finally going to Stanford's Epilepsy Center, where we should have been when we started this journey. Her neurosurgeon has added yet another major med to her regimen. This poor girl. But, she is tough as nails, and even registered for 2 classes at our local community college. We are praying that she will actually get to attend them, as she is very excited about college (I think more for the social contact than the learning, but that's alright; I think I went to college for the same reason, or was it to get away from home? Probably a combo of both).

2. I'm stuck in migraine miasma and not happy about it. Three last week. Dang this weather! It is not helping one bit.

3. Construction chaos continues unabated. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor migraines will stop our contractor from his intended work. Yes, he is truly the Pony Express of the construction industry. The shower pan was hot-mopped on the rainiest day of the year. Ah, doesn't everyone just love the smell of tar in one's master bathroom. But, things are moving along and perhaps this week tile will start to be set.

4. Skating is the last thing on my mind right now. Too many other pressing problems and activities. I miss the exercise and my skating friends (especially my BSB and Suzee) and do hope to be able to get to the rink on Tuesday. I have an ice dance lesson with Coach Chris on Friday, which always gives me something to look forward to.

So, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. In the meantime, I will fumble my way through "Sunday in the Park," with my lesson learned as follows: Sometimes knowing too little can end up causing one to plunge in where angels fear to tread. Or, "Trust the process," as we used to say in my strategic planning days, or "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing," or any one of myriad other trite expressions that aptly apply to this project. But, hey, I am having fun - along with some frustration - so "Onward," we go, deeper into Quilt Land!