A Sick Machine and Four More Moda Blockhead Blocks

While digging in my patriotic scraps three days ago to find fabrics for more Moda Blockhead Blocks, I uncovered a 6.5" handwritten block with the Pledge of Allegiance on it.  I was dreading doing the appliqued bird for Block 40, so I held the handwritten pledge block out, and I just may decide to use it rather than putting myself through the misery of the bird applique.   I haven't decided totally yet.

Perhaps a Block 40 Substitute

Last Thursday I went on to Block 41,  and I enjoyed making that star, and I'm fairly pleased with it.

Block 41

Then Friday I made Block 42, and it turned out okay too, fairly easily.

Block 42

Saturday I moved on to Block 43, and that's when I got disgusted.  I had cut every piece exactly by the instructions, and sewed each little section of the "nine patch" together.  When I laid the "nine patch" together, it became apparent that there is a serious mistake in the pattern!  I was not a happy camper!  I decided to go back to the designer's post to see if a correction had been made, but I had already decided what I would have to do to correct it and make it fit into the 6.5" block.  I found no note of correction, so I decided to read the comments below the blog post.  Sure enough, others had made the same discovery.  One comment gave the same size for the flying geese that I had decided it should have been, so I did the rip out on eight flying geese and got the corrections made.  In the meantime, I noticed that my Janome 8900 was skipping a few stitches, particularly when I crossed over some of the seams, and I had to re-stitch some of them.  I finally got the thing trimmed and pressed, after much aggravation!

Block 43

This afternoon I decided to try making Block 44.  I like the fabrics I chose, but I'm not really fond of the layout, but that's the way the designer wanted it, so I followed the instructions.  It was not really difficult, or shouldn't have been, but my machine got really cantankerous, and I had to stitch almost every seam at least three times just to cover the stitch skips!   I re-threaded, checked the bobbin area, and even turned it off and back on; nothing helped.  That machine is going to the shop for an overhaul, and soon!  I should have changed to my traveling Viking that I take to church quilting, but didn't.  I was so upset by the time I got it finished, I really didn't care if the points matched or if they were all there or not!  Sorry to say, but it is what it is! 

Block 44

IF I make another block tomorrow, I'll use the Viking, or I may drag out the Singer and try it for a change; haven't even had that cabinet open in ages!  It used to have the prettiest stitches of all my machines, but the cabinet is too high for me to be comfortable.  I may try it out, and I may not.  I think I just lack four more blocks, and I just want to get them all finished, and put them away until I decide when and how to put them all together.  I'll probably just use the Viking I guess.  I surely won't be using the Janome until it has been to the doctor! 

Speaking of doctors, I get to go for a routine blood draw tomorrow, and then to my primary doctor for a 6-month checkup Tuesday.  I hope she can tell me something that will help my legs work better.  They just don't want to pick up my feet, and I just can't walk right.  Maybe she will spend as much as five minutes with me, reckon? 

Boy, this has turned into a really negative post, hasn't it? 

Hope your day went better than mine.  I'm just now remembering that my mother used to tell me that every stitch I put in on Sunday, I'd have to gnaw out.  Maybe that's why I've had such a bad afternoon, you think?

I think I'll hush and go to bed!

---"Love"