Now before you all start saying -- oh wow, you're almost done, let me remind you that I'm not almost done. See all those motifs below the words but to the left and top left of the tree? I need to stitch them all again on the other side of the tree. Every single motif. The berry basket on top of the tree also is a middle line. So yeah. Still tons to stitch. I finished the flowers on the border though, so the border is finished.
But I am pleased with my progress, and glad to have that blasted tree of knowledge stitched. I dislike stitching trees, especially this kind of tree. Ironic, huh? (I love Adam and Eve samplers, as you might have noticed.)
We have reached week 49 of Fussy Cut Fridays as of this past Friday. So I laid out all my 48 stars once again.
See those white diamonds at the bottom between the stars? I will be making white and off white diamonds to sew in between the stars just like that. That is what will hold the stars together. With this layout, I figured I need 8 more half stars, not full stars. So from this point on, I'm making half fussy cut stars.
I made the top half star from the Moonlit collection (Cotton and Steel) by Rashida Coleman. The bottom half star is from the Fancy collection by Lily Ashbury.
I'm wondering if I will be cutting out and sewing the diamonds between the stars all next year. lol!
Last Sunday evening, something very unpleasant happened. My laptop crashed yet again. In exactly the same way. It's an Apple Macbook Pro from 2011. If one searches on this year, one finds that a bunch of the Macbook Pros made during 2011 were produced and are faulty. They break down in exactly the way mine has broken down 3 times. The first time was in spring of 2013, when it was still barely under warranty. The second time was this past October, mid October. Not that long ago. And now as of November 30 (a month and half later), it broke down again. There is a petition that I have signed along with other Macbook Pro owners affected by this flaw, asking Apple to address the issue and give us a new Macbook Pro as a replacement. I seriously doubt that will happen.
If anyone is interested in this matter of the faulty Macbook Pros, here is an article about it. I have to say that in general, I love Apple products. This is the one time I've found Apple to be at fault with something I've purchased.
Anyway, my sweet Father type took matters in charge instantaneously. He ordered me a Macbook Air Sunday night. It arrived Tuesday.
It's smaller and much lighter than my old laptop. I'm still in the process of checking to see what files I'm missing. I did keep a backup, but it was from October. But I'm very happy with my early Christmas present! Thank you, my Father type! I'm so lucky Santa was able to give me such a present!
Thanks as always for stopping by and saying hi. I hope everyone has a great week!
30 comments:
WOW! I hate to hear about your MacBook Pro--I have one (knock on wood) have not had any problems. Happy Santa (hubby) was able to get you a replacement. Oh those fussy cut stars--you will be putting that quilt together in no time.
Love the sampler
Your 'Eye' is beautiful !!! I adore this piece and it's so much fun to watch yours come to life. The fussy cut stars have been so much fun. This will be a beautiful quilt. I love it. Hugs to you and sweet Mia who always warms my heart !!
What a relief to have the tree done!
What a super, awesome Christmas gift!!
WOWZA on your new Macbook! ;)
Father type - he's a guy after my own heart! Ha!
I love your Eye on the Sparrow...you are the woman when it comes to huge projects like this. Tenacity! You've got it in aces :)
LOVE the stars and the diamonds will set them off perfectly!
Oh, Margaret, I'm sorry your laptop died. That's frustrating, but I'm glad you got a replacement. That was sweet of him to take care of it right away. (sounds like what Mike would do too) lol. Your stars are going to make such a beautiful quilt! Don't despair on Sparrow, it is coming along great, and you have the big tree done!!
So sorry to hear of the demise of your laptop, but happy to hear that "Santa" brought you a new one as an early Christmas gift!
His Eye on the Sparrow is looking marvelous, and the fussy cut stars are going to make such a lovely quilt!!
That's a lot of counting and positioning. My motifs would be bumping into one another. With the border completed, you'll be done in no time! Nice gift.
How do you like the Air? I truly sit with my Mac on my lap and wondered if there would be enough heft to keep it stable if I had an Air. My Mac was manufactured in 2010. Still going strong but sometimes I wonder how much longer I have with it.
Now that you laid out your fussy cut stars, I can't pick a favorite (again)! For some reason, that is important to me! Ha!
the stars are stunning ! Will this be hand pieces with those white backround blocks? No knitting yet? Glad Santa brought you an early Christmas present - you must have been a good girl this year ! Hope you have a great week and enjoy your new toy.
Mel
Sparrow looks wonderful!!! And the fussy stars are wonderful. New air, you lucky girl!!! Merry Christmas!!!!
Your Sparrow is looking AWESOME! I don't know why but I lost interest in mine. I think I didn't like the colors I chose. Bummer about the old laptop, but have fun with the new one! Miss Mia looks real curious.
Hello, Mia! She looks so cute there.
Sparrow is looking great as are your stars for the big quilt. I guess that will be your big project for 2015? or maybe there will be bigger ones. Wouldn't surprise me!
Sorry you had such hassles with your laptop but what a great early Christmas present!
Great early Christmas present! This sampler is downhill now :)
His Eye looks great Margaret. I know you still have a lot left to do, but the way you stitch it shouldn't take long. I love your stars. How big is each one?
Linda
Your Sparrow is coming along nicely. It's funny how differently we approach symmetrical (or nearly symmetrical designs). I'm working on Frances Eden and have recently completed the tree of knowledge and Adam and Eve and am now doing the motifs on the sides. I do the same motif on each side at the same time versus doing one side and then the other.
Looking forward to seeing the quilt you make with your fussy stars.
That's funny, you dislike trees and I dislike houses. Maybe we should swap! LOL!
What a treat to see all your stars laid our like that, Margaret--that is going to be one amazing finish :)
Nice progress on your sampler, too, even if you do have a lot to go. I can't imagine stitching a piece that large!
Hope your new computer is more reliable...must have been a bad year for Apple!
Oh Margaret, your sampler is stunning!! I'm glad you are finished the tree if it's your least favourite part.
Your stars are so spectacular as well. It has been such fun to watch your quilt grow!
I was chuckling over your comment recently that Mia was no longer used to the kids being home and the contrast between that and how difficult it was for her when your son first left for school.
What a great Christmas gift!
Have a great week.
Hi, Margaret, Sparrow is wonderful :) I just saw that it has been selected as the Sampler World stitch-along for next year. I am tempted, but don't think I can take on another large sampler. The fussy star quilt will be an amazing accomplishment. Bravo! I'm sorry to hear about your Macbook Pro, especially since I just got a new one about a month ago. My Air had developed this strange pixel line going through the middle, and it was 4 years old, plus too small for me to try and chart samplers. Do you buy the extra Apple Care? I didn't this time, but wonder if I should.
Melinda
Hello Margaret, I love that you show your progress on The Sparrow and your fuzzy cut stars. I ordered mine a month ago and still waiting. Mia reminds me of our cat, she is in the middle of everything I am on. Your stars will make a beautiful quilt.
Carolyn B
Yep, it does look like you still have plenty to stitch! Love that Mia girl and seeing all those fussy stars laid out is stunning!
Gorgeous sampler ♥ Great Christmas gift
Huge sampler Margaret, but lovely progress. And your stars are gorgeous. Those diamonds...whew! A lot of work. Sorry about your computer issues. We are all so dependent, aren't we?
I love looking at the sampler progress.
What a pretty lay-out for the stars. I would get discouraged thinking about all the white filler, but you have that zen-like approach to all of this.
How nice to get a brand-new computer. I'm looking at the bright side!
I have a Dell all in one. I don't know if it is the computer itself causing me problems (since I got it about 6 months ago) - or if it is the Windows 8.1 software. Either way, every day, it seems like I have some problem with it freezing or today it said, scanning and repair Disk C (when I turned it on) - arghhh!
Linda in VA
I just replaced my Mab Book Pro too. Very disappointed. I got a HP.
Love your stars. Fun to look at your fabrics.
Very nice progress on the sampler - it was the almost perfect bilateral symmetry which made me not want it after the first burst of enthusiasm, and I can see that I took the right decision :-) Enjoy the new laptop - pretty shoddy of Apple, they're usually better than that.
How great you have the tree done. Hope your new laptop has no issues. Great Christmas gift - WOW!!
Lovely stitching. love Annette
I like Eve's "flip' hair do. And oh the fussy stars - I could just sit and gaze at all those blues and feel calm and relaxed and centered. That's what blues do for me! Hope this new Mac product is the bee's knees and no more tech troubles.
Your quilt is just so amazing! I love it!
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