Valentine's Project

Well, here are the pics.  I'm pretty sure I tried a project way above my skill level.  I don't sew straight very well, so choosing something where things need to be straight proves challenging and leads to wavy results.  I wish I had made it longer.  I thought it was longer.  I'm pretty sure it came out about what I'd measured for, but it doesn't hang loosely, so it seems too short--I have a lot to learn obviously.  One or two more rows of blocks would have been better, but I honestly didn't want to cut any more blocks. 

The overall look.

Bowl o' hearts.  These were fun to make.  I think I'll add some more next year.  I'm not sure if you can really tell in this picture, but the rows have a decorative zig-zag top stitch running over each row, vertically and horizontally.   

Looks pretty good from this angle though you can see the bubbles on the left.

When you can't sew or cut straight you make waves.  Ric rac was a major pain in this.  I think had I not had to add straight pieces on either end for length (which should have been bigger still) I might have been able to prevent the wave more?  I wasn't precise enough on my blocks.  This is what comes of cutting and sewing until midnight.  You make dumb mistakes when you start using subtraction to figure out 5 inch squares instead of just turning your mat around.  It led to a lot of 4.5" blocks squeezed out.  Note to self, slow down, take care. 

I should have just gone w/simplicity my first try.  Though I think this side turned out really cute.  I had a major brain fart, when I got my material for the back side.  I was really incorrect when I asked for 1.5 yards instead of 2 yards.  I had to cut one long piece and then two short pieces and add ribbon as trim to hid my seams.  I think the effect is cute. 

This project used almost an entire spool of thread.  That's a lot of thread!