WiP – Random Rainbows

 
Late last year I joined my first ever quilting bee! Waited anxiously for January to arrive so I could get started making blocks for that first Queen Bee. January arrived, along with the chosen pattern and colours. Suddenly the anxiety increased, but with nerves, not with excitement! I practiced sewing 1/4" seams and measuring them, rinse and repeat about 5 times. It took me a stupid amount of time to complete my block. I was terrified my block wouldn't work out just right! So it's been like that each month since.

Until May. My month! Whew! Take a load off. No worries - packages arrive in the mail for me - woohoo! All I have to do is sew it all together! But unfortunately there were a few hassles with my tutorial and more experienced quilters than I were worried about the resulting chopped off triangle points in my chosen block. It made me sad. I looked a bit like this :( except with a nose. I didn't want people worrying over making my blocks perfect - I was just thrilled they were making them!

I've pointed out more than once on this blog, I am Really not about perfection with my quilting (to emphasise that required bold, underline and a Capital letter - that's how really not!) . If I were, I'd never get anything done. I'd be spending all my time unpicking, (probably swearing some choice swear words and I know some good ones!) and would probably not go back to sewing at all. I know not everyone is like this, but this is my approach.

Anyways the lovely girls in my bee persisted with my block and I received a whole bunch of blocks in the mail throughout May. I am so pleased that they stuck with it, chopped off points and all! Because look what gorgeousness resulted!
Look at those bright happy cheerful colours! I didn’t even have to edit that photo – that’s how perfect those colours and blocks are! Doesn’t that make you smile? It makes me smile. I look like this :) but with a nose. Now really – are you worrying about chopped off triangle points? I’m not. I’m revelling in the gorgeous bright rainbow colours that make my quilty heart sing.
I’m enjoying the fact that 11 other lovely girls helped me make a beautiful quilt. I’m not paying attention to whether their seams were exactly 1/4”. I’m not caring if some edges were uneven (I don’t even know if they were, I didn’t look, that’s how much I’m not caring in my love of a gorgeous quilt).
I’m picturing a little kids face when they received this rainbow of deliciousness and realise this quilt is just for them. This quilt has a big destiny! It’s going to Angels for the Forgotten – an Aussie charity that works with children in foster care and crisis. I know that the recipient of this probably won’t even notice any tiny sewing errors (if there are any! Again, I didn’t check. Hello rainbow loveliness).    

So all this to say – thank you to the bee girls who persisted with my block, trials and tribulations and all. I’m sorry if it caused you worry and hassle. I Very much appreciate your efforts!

And if you join a bee, ease up on the pressure on yourself. I bet the Queen Bee for that month is not going to be examining your block with a magnifying glass and a 1/4” seam checker (if such a thing exists!). Have fun and smile knowing that you helped someone make a fabulous quilt!
This was completely not the post I intended to write for this quilt at all! I planned to tell you about this new fab rainbow WiP! About the blocks, how I have already picked a backing, binding, basted (three B’s!) and quilted this beauty and how it just needs the binding (a lovely light grey) added. So no, not the post I intended. What can I say? The rainbow made me do it. :)

Linking this up at WiP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced, and hope it'll be an FO by the end of the week! :)