So I’m all ready to cut up my fabrics, all ready to complete Part 1: Choosing & Cutting Fabric on time, like a good little sew-along participant. I had been stressing over whether I could get away with not buying more fabric to cover the fabric requirements for the bold solid, and settled finally on 2 yards of solid chocolate Kona, with a good yard of Alexander Henry’s Heath. It was Sunday afternoon, with Monday’s Part 2: Making Napkins looming, and so I grabbed my printed instructions, and with great precision given by the new blade I inserted into my cutter, I proceeded to cut up the first patchwork fabric, sticking strictly to the very clear guidelines.
Ah. I stood back and smiled. Lovely. And right then, as I was about to grab the next strip and cut it into the “subcuts”, I gasped. OMG!!! OH. MY. GOD. I’d forgotten to wash my fabrics first!
What followed, that is, what came out of my mouth, isn’t for public exhibition. My brain was dancing on hot coals, trying to work out what I should do. I mean, I don’t have any more of that fabric! What will I do if it does shrink in the wash? How will I make it work???
I put on my Big Girl Pants, and marched those little strips down the hallway into the washing machine, along with the rest of the fabrics for this first set of 4 placemats and napkins.
Now, all there is to do is wait, allow them to dry, and then, with my eyes wide open, place the cut strips on the cutting board and see what the damage, if any, is. Hopefully, if there has been shrinkage, it will be minimal.
Part 1 - yeah, not the image I wanted to share with you today!
If not, I might have to resort to opening one of those bottles of wine peeking out behind the washing line. That way, I may not have correctly cut fabric strips, but at least I’ll be happy!
