Frustration

Last night I cut out 10 red and green blocks, all ready to be put together. I am trying to psych myself up to start sewing on them, but I must admit that I'm finding it difficult. I tried squaring up the blocks, only to discover that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get them to come out the same size. They are as close to square as I can get them. Oh, well--when I get these 10 done I will put the sashing strips on them and see if that doesn't even them all out.

I have been watching both Create on cable and QNN (Quilter's News Network) on the computer, sometimes at the same time. On some days, I can watch one Fons and Porter episode on QNN, then turn around and watch them on Create in a different episode. But today, just as I was all set to watch an episode I had been wanting to see, QNN was having "technical difficulties." How frustrating! And the episode on Create wasn't interesting to me at all. What a bummer.

I have been buying past issues of Love of Quilting, the Fons and Porter magazine, on eBay. I'm trying to complete my collection so that I have all the sections of the bi-monthly series quilts.
I have subscribed to most of the quilting magazines at one time or another. I only subscribe to three now: Love of Quilting, McCall's Quilting, and Quiltmaker. All three of these are magazines that concentrate on patterns and instructions, without all the articles that tend to clutter other magazines like QNM. I like these three for their clear step-by-step instructions, alternate color schemes for most quilts, and readers' tips. Quiltmaker also gives quilting designs for each quilt.

I have clear preferences in quilt patterns. I don't mind being a little challenged, but I don't want to do a quilt that frustrates me more than it challenges me. Quilting should be relaxing, not raise my blood pressure. I also want something that I can feel proud of. This is why I don't enter any quilt shows. I don't want someone examining a quilt that I am very pleased with and telling me every little thing that's wrong with it. If I did that, I would feel like throwing the quilt in the trash afterwards. I much prefer enjoying my own work, warts and all.

Maybe that's why I feel frustrated with these red and green blocks. No matter how well my points match, no matter how they might even out with sashing, I know they aren't really square or all the same size. I know I will never feel completely thrilled with the resulting quilt. But I will finish it and pass it down to my descendants, and hope they don't know any better.