What a bitch!

One of the best things about being a quilter is the challenge of it all.  No matter how experienced a quilter is, there is always a block or a pattern that causes her to stretch her abilities.  So it's no wonder when I loaned my copies of our Guild's Spirit Quilt pattern to another member, that there was a block that just didn't go well.  Having taken it apart to the point that some of the fabric was starting to fray, she reread the directions to made sure she was doing it correctly.  It was then that she noticed that I had written "What a bitch!" in the margin of the paper.  Our shared frustration and perseverance were helpful in her finally getting the block made.  And I greeted her sharing of the story with a shout of laughter as I knew exactly which block she had been working on.

I once conned a group of friends to work on a Pam Bono block of the month.  Not only did they have to put together a block of 200 pieces each month; I got them to pay me as well.  Block #1 was easy enough that we were confident it was going to be fun.  Then they became difficult enough that we often called it "Oh, No, Pam Bono."  One especially complicated block of pieced bunches of grapes caused two of the mildest members to throw the blocks across their sewing rooms.  And I was told "There will be no grapes in my quilt," by another.  It all came together and most of us ended with a finished quilt or at least a wallhanging.  Even I lost enthusiasm when it came to the border and used a floral fabric instead of the pieced flowers designed by Pam Bono.  But we certainly bonded during that 12 month ordeal and learned a great deal about piecing.  And for some reason I have never been able to get them to do another Pam Bono pattern.