Friday, July 16, 2010

Two of these are not like the others ...

Houston, we have a problem.

So, other than all the French Braid strips being half-size (not to worry, they are only folded in half) ... does anything strike you as odd?

Did you notice that *2* of the strips don't have gray setting triangles?  If so, good eyes!  :-)

I wish I had your eyes.  :-)

It turns out that although *some* of the fabric used for this layout is suitable for FQs, some is not.  And even though the instructions do give directions for when you are using yardage vs FQs, Yours Truly obviously wasn't paying attention. 

It turned out that the setting triangles for the ends of each braid require (2) 7" squares cut in half diagonally, yielding 4 triangles (2 per end).  I had 1 FQ, which was only 18"x20".  I could cut (4) 7" squares ... enough triangles for 2 braids.  Somehow it didn't register that I needed *8* squares for the 4 braids.

That is, until I ran out of gray triangles.  THEN, I re-read the directions and ... duh.  ::thunk head on wall::

At that point, I re-read ALL the yardage and discovered that the FQs I had would NOT be enough for the sashing/columns between the French Braids.  Ooops.  (I also didn't have enough fabric for the final, outer border, but I knew *that* ahead of time, so I'm not giving myself demerits for that one.)

In my defense, as weak as that will be, the book prints the general, basic directions in the front and if the specific layout you are doing differs, the different directions are given at that page.  That means you are flipping back and forth between the pertinent pages in front and the specific pages for your layout.  I understand why they would do that ... no need to reprint the same directions for every layout ... but it *is* annoying.  And in my addled state, confusing. :-)

I called the two quilt stores that are really local to me, i.e. within comfortable driving distance.  One didn't carry Stonehenge at all.  The other one did.  Sadly, of the 3 fabrics I needed, they only carried 1 in the store .. the gray I needed for the setting triangles.  At least I can get the braid columns finished.

I also called the store that I originally bought my roll of FQs from, but since the Stonehenge line is quite extensive, no one store will carry every bolt .... and they didn't have yardage of the two remaining fabrics I needed.

I went online for the fabric I need to complete the sashing/columns.  Using Quiltshops.com, I was able to see which stores carried which colors.  The first store that had both the fabrics got my business.  I'll need to wait until at least next week before the fabric gets delivered.

In the mean time ... I will finish off the triangles for the remaining 2 braids and start on the sashing/columns with the fabric that I do have.

DO NOT EVEN mention the possibility that the dye lots could be different for the fabrics that are being mailed.  Don't go there.  :-)

3 comments:

  1. Have you ever used missingfabrics.com ? Been pretty helpful for me. But admittedly you have a very unique challenge.

    I do think your braids are going to be lovely.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  2. SewCalGal .. indeed I have! I semi-regularly peruse the site, mainly to see what others are looking for, but upon occasion I have listed a request.

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  3. Glad to hear that you had the knowhow to find what you needed.

    Love the Stonehedge line...looks so..so..stones in the mist..like.

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