Friday Finish & Giveaway

Yes I realize it isn't Friday yet, but I've completed what I can for the week and I have a cool giveaway, so why not go ahead and post about it.

I am a little sad to say that I did not get a quilt completed this week ::insert sad face here::. I do have one loaded onto the machine, but it is going to slower since it will be my first quilt using a ruler.  But I did get something completed.  Yeah!!!  I was asked a couple of months ago to test a quilt for Cornelia of Pieced With Love called Every Which Way.  She designed the quilt for her daughter and once I saw it, I immediately said yes.

Now March and April were very busy months, but I thought it would be no problem to work one more quilt into the mix.  Yeah I know I'm not always the brightest bulb in the box.  She sent me the pattern and when I reviewed, I knew I would like making it.  My first hurdle was picking fabrics. I wanted to use some of the fabrics I had on hand.  I found three fabrics I really liked, but nothing to use for the background or backing. So I headed out to the store.  I really like what I found.  I was using yellow, pink, purple and green.  Now to do a test block.  And this is where things started going south for me.

I made my half square triangles and trimmed them up with my bloc-loc ruler, and I really liked the colors,  I did enough HST for two blocks...I must be psychic because I needed to all of them.

I put together the first test block and at the time, I thought something is wrong, but I was making the fatal mistake of sewing while tired.  Please for the sake of your sanity don't do that, it never leads to anything good.  About the only thing right in this block were the purple and green arrows.  I had even cut some of the pieces the wrong size, but was determined to get a block done.

I posted it on instagram and Cornelia told me it was put together wrong.  Of course once I looked at it I knew that....duh what was I thinking.  But looking at it I also decided that I wanted to change the pink and purple.  So it was off to do another block.  What I didn't do was get a good nights sleep before doing the second block, which would have been a very good idea.

Another block, and still it isn't right.  Now this one was much closer only one little HST was flipped wrong. But I decided that I liked the colors in this arrangement better.  So now I had to sew and trim 280 half square triangles.  Now the sewing part was easy but the trimming took time.  I would trim some every night as we watched TV.  First there was the green ones, then the pink ones and the the 120 purple ones.

Then I think nerves kicked in, because it just sat.  After two failed blocks I was afraid to start the assembly. But I knew I had to do it, so I sat down and started, and the first two rows I put together wrong...no pictures, but believe me I was mad at myself.  It is a simple pattern, her directions are clear, but I'm just a dummy sometimes.  But I told myself to get over it and I did each row individually.  Then put the rows together.  I would double check myself, but once I slowed down it just worked. And soon I was sewing rows together.

And now I have a finished top!!!  Yeah!!!  Is it perfect, no, but I'm very happy with it.  I can't wait to start quilting it, but that is going to be a week or two from now.  

And now for the even better news, Cornelia has graciously offered a free copy to one of ya'll.  Yeap, she is a real sweetheart!!!  We are going to make this a very simple giveaway, just leave me a comment before Monday morning to enter.  Don't know what to say, then tell me your middle name (hahaha).  And if you want this pattern right now and just can't wait then you can buy it at Cornelia's Craftsy Store or her Etsy Store.  And if you want another chance to win it check out her blog and you can see the beautiful version of this that she made....she is @  Pieced With Love.

So today I'm linking up with my normal crowds at . . . Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Link a Finish Friday @ Richard and Tanya Quilts, TGIFF...at Quokka Quilts, Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation,  Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio.