Corn and Beans

After checking out the comments from the blog yesterday, it appears that I'm not alone in my thoughts about Quiltcon. Now to craft a very carefully (and positively worded) letter to the organizers of Quiltcon. I think it's important to provide feedback. But the feedback needs to be positive (and there were many positive things about Quiltcon) and it needs to be non-judgemental. I know the girls who organize Quiltcon - they do a great job, but always room for some adjustments - if possible.

So I stand corrected on a couple of things. First, there was a casualty to my hard disk crash. EQ8!!!!  As mentioned, the support team deactivated my copies of EQ8 so I could reactivate my copy on the new hard disk. They're very good that way. However, when I went to open a file, it wasn't there. Some of the files are and some are not. I think what happened is that some of the files were saved to the external hard disk and some went in the program file on the internal hard disk. Totally sloppiness on my part.

I'm not worried as most of the files I create in EQ8 are for magazine quilts. There are a few that are still outstanding and I print out copious details so it's easy to recreate the quilts in EQ8 if needed. Many of the quilts have been made and there's really no need to look at the file again. Occasionally I went back, but not that often. I can live with that. But it was a wee bit of a wake-up call.

The other thing that went missing (besides my contact list in Outlook) is all the fabric libraries that I had created. Oh shoot - it appears that they were saved in the program files which resides on the internal hard disk. Many of them were from one time collections and so no need to ever use them again, but I had many basics in there and those have to be recreated. Not a huge deal as the files are on the external hard disk. Takes about 4 minutes or less to create each one. My guess - about a half hour and all will be right again.

Just a couple of things that I hadn't thought about. I'm certainly not going to lose any sleep over that.

But I did have to recreate a quilt yesterday. A slight issue with the source of the fabric. A couple of rejigs and all is well again. And a whole new world opened up for me. I normally work with one fabric company. After a fairly solid promise that I could get the collection, turns out I can't. Yes - I played the risk game and lost! So a competitor stepped up to the plate and saved the day. A HUGE SHOUT OUT to the marketing team at Riley Blake Designs for helping out. Can't wait to get my hands on this collection. It's super cute!!!  I think I might just expand my horizons in the future and look at other companies for creating my magazine quilts.

Let's talk about my scrap quilt. I did get one more block completed this morning.

One more block for the scrap quilt

Here's a picture of a Corn and Beans quilt that Elizabeth sent me. It's not her quilt and unfortunately, I don't know the source.

A version of Corn and Beans

Can you see how the center of each "big square" is the same fabric and some of that fabric bleeds into the next block? It's a fairly complicated process to put together as the colors have to be just right.

Look at my very scrappy version with clearly defined lights and darks.

My blocks

This is the Corn and Beans block according to EQ8.

Corn and Beans block

Notice that this block has THREE half square triangles (two are included in the dark blue flying geese) along ONE diagonal corner of the block. My blocks have four. I have a feeling that this is one of those blocks with several different versions. I'd dig up my Barbara Brackman Encylopedia of quilt blocks, except - OH - I thought that book got packed away, but it did not.

According to Barbara's book, there are FIVE different versions of the Corn and Bean block. And those, in turn, are often called by another name. Hen and chicks, Duck and ducklings,  Shoo Fly and Handy Andy. It's totally crazy. In Barbara's books - one version has two different fabrics in the center (yellow and white above) and another version has the same fabric in the center as per the picture that Elizabeth sent.

In fact, I would say that my block is NOT Corn and Beans, but a variation of it. Perhaps it has a totally different name.

I do know that my blocks are made by starting with TWO big squares - one light square and one dark square. I'd dig out the book, but I'm not sure where it is. It's quite possible that it's on the shelf. I do know that it was written by Sharyn Craig and we took a class with her. I'm not sure what she calls her block. I do know that I have one other scrap quilt that I did as part of this same exercise. It's all about how you position those half square triangles. I must go and look for that book.

Oh boy - now I'm confused. I managed to find the scrap quilt in that huge pile on the banisters upstairs. Have a look at the blocks.

Scrap block

This for sure is the one that we did with Sharyn Craig but it only has THREE half square triangles. How did I get four in mine??  Now I don't know the source of the pattern of the one that I'm working on. I was SURE that it was from the same book. Now to find that book. It might be with yet another unquilted top. I'll peruse that list later today. See - I can look at the LISTS of unquilted quilts instead of searching through tubs of unquilted tops. Lists do work!!!!

Sadly - that quilt doesn't have a label on it!  OK - even more reason to locate that book and get a label on the quilt. Oh, shoot - I just checked online and I don't think it was from a book. Probably just class notes. Hmm - now that is going to be even harder to find. Maybe on one of my clean up days!

Do a GOOGLE search on Corn and Bean quilts - you'll find LOTS of variations.

Now that I'm working in a smaller space, I need to be even more focused. However, yesterday - well focus wasn't the name of the game. I seemed to pull out stuff - do a little, then pull out something else. That has to STOP!!!  Not only because there's no room to work in there, but it's very distracting as well and nothing is getting done.

Messy cutting table

Don't get me wrong - I did manage to get stuff done, but unfortunately, I can't share any of it with you yet. It's for upcoming blog posts and classes. So hang tight - you'll get to see eventually.

Believe it or not, I'm excited about my tidy up day tomorrow. I'm glad that I've got the day scheduled. I can't really afford the time, but then when can I ever afford the time? Come on - that's such a lie. I sit around every evening reading - I could tidy up then or rejig my day. Don't you worry - I have plenty of ME time. I'm just selfish and don't wish to spend my ME time tidying up after myself - that's just plain lazy! I only want to do the fun stuff. But imagine how much better I'll feel when the mess is cleaned up.

My biggest fear (only because I do this every time I'm getting ready to tidy up) is that I'll pull all the stuff out and place it on the kitchen table. Then I only get a fraction done because I have no place to work and I'm overwhelmed. What I need to do is grab ONE box at a time. Sort through it, create the three piles - keep, giveaway or garbage. Then grab the next box. That's how I plan to tackle tomorrow. I'll be taking some video I hope.

On that note, I'm out of here.

Have a super day and if you live near me - stay warm!!! Will it ever warm up? OK - so we don't live in the prairies where they had countless days of bitter cold, but I'm so over winter!

Ciao!!!!