Quilting Like Proper Quilter

Today I am going to prove, despite my usual laissez faire attitude towards the rules, that I can quilt by the book. And I am doing that because I finally got the chance to work on Trudi's blocks for the bee. (Won't she be relieved to hear that?!)

First block in my first bee! I was determined to get it right and to do that I had to be more precise that usual and read, and then reread, the instructions.

Step one was to take a photo of Trudi's block on flickr. I did this because my computer and sewing machine are in different rooms and I wanted an instant reference by my side for those many moments when I got confused.

Then I cut, and sorted, and marked, and pinned. Those half square triangles were not getting away from me!

And I started string piecing. I was so intent on doing everything correctly and concentrating in a way that my brain is not used to. Needless to say I made a mistake right away.

I had momentarily been so proud of myself for my precise following of that pencilled line I had drawn onto the squares - until it occurred to me a number of squares in that I wasn't supposed to be sewing on the line but 1/4" to either side of it.
Attempt number two occurred after some interesting language and name calling (I was by myself) while I picked out stitches.

Eventually I succeeded in sewing them correctly. Then came the pin removal, cutting into triangles and pressing them all. Oh, but the next step was tedious. Squaring all those triangles off. A first for me. I generally just hope for the best and then make the little buggers fit. But this isn't my quilt and I don't want to be the block in Trudi's quilt that people do that special smile over and quickly skip onto something more pleasing to the eye. So trim I did -

In theory I should now be showing you the completed block so you could tell me that I was no longer under special measures. But I can't because that's the rules. No showing of the blocks until Trudi has received them all. So all today was about was showing you that I can do what I am supposed to upon occasion. Amazing, isn't it?!

Susan