February–#8

February’s challenge birthed what has become a very popular phrase in my house (I apologize for those with delicate sensibilities): “That’s some Ellen bullshit.”

You see, I was telling Brooke about this really awesome project I had started. Last year, I was going to be good and follow instructions (this never happens). So. I cut out all my pieces according to instructions then neatly stacked the pile away to finish it later. Sounds ok, so far, right?

Several months passed (as they do).

February, I started with this. That’s some Ellen bullshit, right there.

When I went to pull out the quilt pieces, I couldn’t find the pattern for which I had cut them. So, I did what I do: I just started cutting and sewing away. What I got was a bunch of blocks in all manners of sizes that didn’t come close to fitting together. That is what we call “some Ellen bullshit.”  Translation: a total disregard for instructions, logic, or sensible advice that leads to a mess.

 

I begrudgingly listed this project as #8 on my UFO Challenge sheet.

It got called in February. Freakin February.

I posted a picture of my blocks in the Facebook group. As a rule, the folks in these groups are quite kind and supportive. I could ask whether or not I should launder, iron, and use the bits of fabrics my animals eat/ throw up, and I would receive amazing encouragement (and not a little fabric-buying enabling). Many suggest I put varying sizes of borders around each block and piece them together. It’s a good idea. Really, it is. But it’s a lot of work.

But. These blocks are UFOs because I. Am. Tired. Of. Looking. At. Them. I didn’t feel like building borders around each different block that varied in size by everything from 3″- 1/8″. Not. Gonna. Happen.

Then, like an angel of gawd, someone suggested that these blocks don’t have to become a quilt.

They could be ANYTHING!

It was like I had been burrowed under this quilt while sleeping outside in a South Carolina summer-time then someone had taken it off and used it to fan me. Ok. I admit that metaphor’s a reach. 

The point is: it never occurred to me that I didn’t HAVE to make a quilt out of these little guys.  So I didn’t.  I made these cute little pillows…and a ton of coasters, proving once and for all that a little Ellen bullshit isn’t so bad.