Complaints and a Triumph!

I am afraid this post will be alot of complaining, but also triumph! LOL I have the rooster quilt ready to machine stitch around the rooster pieces. Oh my, this quilt has been so hard. I did learn some new techniques, so I guess I shouldn't complain too much. I told you all about the paper piecing yesterday. I got all of the pieces of the sun appliqued together, after sticking myself numerous times. I'm not sure I did it right, but it is done. Then I got the sun sewn into the rest of the quilt. Whew!

Then came the rooster. By the time I got that baby done, I was thinking the sun was quite easy. LOL In order to have the rooster facing the right direction, I had to trace the pieces onto tracing paper with my black marker. Then turn this paper over and trace onto the fusible webbing. Each piece had to be carefully labeled because they go on in a certain order. Then I ironed the fusible webbing onto the back of my chosen fabrics and cut them out. It was hard to tell where one piece ended and the next began when I was doing the tracing. This morning, I laid the quilt over my ironing board, peeled the paper off the pieces as I needed them and began arranging the pieces on the quilt. I didn't realize how hard it would be to get all the pieces to line up just right. Move one and it creates a problem with another piece and so on and so on. I finally got it just like I wanted when Callie showed up. I grabbed her just in time and bribed her with treats away from my quilt. LOL I very gently pressed everything in place. It is not perfect, but it will do. This is a closeup of the rooster, but my camera washed it out.

Here is a picture of the whole quilt.

Another view. Now I have to machine sew around each piece. I haven't done much of this, so it will take a while, lots of curves and little pieces to sew around. I just figured it would be easier to use the machine than to hand sew with a blanket stitch around each of these. I also need to sew a black button on for an eye. Then it is ready to be sandwiched and quilted. I will hand quilt it. I love the way it looks, but it sure has been a pain to work on. If I ever do another one (very doubtful LOL), the rooster will be facing the other direction. I hated tracing all of those pieces then turning them over and tracing again so they would be going the right direction when fused on the back of fabric. Maybe I made this harder than it had to be. Remember, this is all new to me. If someone knows an easier way to do this, please share. (grin) My husband always says I make things harder than they need to be. Maybe there is an easier way, but I sure couldn't see it. LOL

It is a nice day out, about 41*, so I may take a walk with the dogs in a bit. They love walks and it is good exercise for me. Sorry not much else going on here today. I have spent the past 3 days working on the rooster. I think my next project is going to be easy peasy. Something I don't even have to think about. LOL Just sew some blocks together. Everyone have a great day.