I was just reflecting back on the feeling I had when I finished my needlepoint rug decades ago after nine months of constant stitching.

Maybe sad is not the right word. It was an empty feeling, though.

Well you hit on my concern.  I'm very happy with my hand work.  But my quilting is still in the "learning phase".  I really really don't want to ruin it with sloppy quilting.  So I am going very slow and carefully.  This project is a "forever" project, so the intent was to go slow and careful - no deadline.

Regarding patience - actually NO.  Typically I am a Nike person - "just do it".  I'm the person wanting the teacher or speaker to hurry up and get to the point.  "Let's go, let's go, walk faster, hurry up".  But I am also pretty precise (an accountant), so I do gravitate more towards that type of crafting.  I would not do the free-form, random stuff very well.  Even looking at Gees Bend type quilts makes me uncomfortable.  I like flat, even, square quilts with seams pressed consistent directions etc etc.  Quilting charity quilts is helping me get over that particular fixation-haha!  

I do two types of quilts.  Fast fun easy I spy quilts and fiddly, slow, precise forever projects.  

Here's my latest progress on Inner Cube.  Mostly the progress has been predictable and then I get thrown a zinger!

I have 32 of the following elements to make.  There is a small Tumbling Block in the center, made of 3 different colors (light/medium/dark). 

The next round is a star wreath made from a black/white print with a color spot that coordinates with the colors in the Tumbling Block.  THIS is the part that is currently driving me nuts.  The black/white yardage was not designed to have the color spots fussy cut, so that in the process of cutting 6 of the same color spots, you are necessarily destroying the ability to use an adjacent color spot.  There is no guidance on which color spots to use for which Tumbling Block ... you need to use your "best judgement".  This makes me anxious that I will run out of yardage before all the color spots have been cut.  But, I suppose that, should I run out of black/white fabric, I can try to find more online someplace.  And *that* fear is the main reason that I decided to work on this kit *now* instead of years from now.  :-)

The last round are large Tumbling Blocks, done in the same color combination as the small Tumbling Block.

Because Mr. Pirate & I are hoping to resume our road trips "soon", I am currently cutting the necessary fabrics so that I have a "kit" to work from while we are on the road.  I don't want to be cutting fabric (even when we are parked for the evening or the length of our stay), as there just isn't a whole lot of space in our travel trailer.   

So, here is the process: I cut the required color combination fabrics for the Tumbling Blocks.  There is one diamond of each color fabric for the small Tumbling Block and 6 diamonds of each color for the large Tumbling Block.

Then, based on the colors of the Tumbling Block, I cut out 6 color spots from the black/white fabric.  In the photo below, the small Tumbling Block has been stitched.  The templates for the large Tumbling Block have been wrapped/prepped.  The black/white/color spot fabric has been cut but not prepped.


Lastly, the large Tumbling Block templates have been stitched together.  The black/white fabric has been wrapped onto the templates.  Everything is ready to be stitched together to create the big element that is pictured above.


Here are the packets that need to have the coordinating black/white prints cut for them.  


And here are all the packets that have the black/white fabrics cut but need them to be prepped (wrapped around their template):


So, I've been busy doing all this preliminary work so that "soon", all I will have to do is stitch-stitch-stitch while on the road!  

Gee, that looks like a fun hobby, Ms Pirate. (Says the tourist who is parked next door to you while you are on the road.)

Just keep at it one stitch at a time. Great idea to do some samples of your ideas before you do them on the quilt.

Looks like the hard part is done. Now you can just stitch away.

I am quilting Kathi's quilt. Trying some new ideas. I really love the border.

I like that border, might steal that idea from you.

Feel free, I stole it from Pinterest!

Wow! You sure put a lot of thought in what you are going to do.  This will truly be an heirloom quilt!