Stuck

Does it ever happen to you?  Last night I really wanted to sew - not read blogs, not write Curves Class tutorials, not any computer work.  Wouldn't it be nice to just sew something new, like a quilt block or whatnot and share it with you today?  If that sounds easy enough, let me tell you, it wasn't. 

First I had a Curves Class project ready to be started.  But I kind of wanted a break from it and I wouldn't be able to share that work with you today.

Then I had this assortment of playful Modern Whimsy fabrics, a gift from Robert Kaufman that I'm totally wanting to cut into.  Only problem is I want to do a 2nd version of a Curves Class week 5 quilt in these fabrics.  But I wouldn't be able to share that with you today either.  Nuts!

So, let's see. I could sew my endless string of Flying Geese.  Bor-ring!  (Not really, truly boring, but that's how I felt last night.  I wanted to finish something!)

Do you see where this is going?  There were a few other options on the table, like bee blocks, but nothing fit all my criteria.  It's so frustrating to waste precious time hemming and hawing about what to sew instead of actually sewing.  Grrrr!  Tell me this happens to you too!

In the end I decided to work on finishing my Star Blossoms project.  I'm done with the English paper piecing, so its ready to be transformed into a table runner.

I've removed all the basting stitches and the papers, and last night I pressed open the seam allowances on the outside edges.  Once pressed out, I trimmed the work into a rectangle, leaving quarter inch seam allowances beyond all of the star points.

I thought it might be nice to put in a thin border before backing/binding the runner.  So after auditioning a zillion prints I settled on this black and white Hayworth print from Circa 1934.  I carefully sewed it in, slowly and precisely so as not to chop off any star points.  Pressed the seam open and - - - promptly hated it.

1. Possibly too distracting from Star Blossoms. 

2. The print isn't printed on grain, which makes it look crooked. 

3. With the border it's too big for my table.

I'll rip out this border and just go ahead and bind it, perhaps with that Alexander Henry floral shown with the work-in-progress above. 

The moral of the story is: sometimes I get stuck. I'm betting you've been there too.  Please do wish me better sewing mojo tonight.  I really need it!