Measure twice cut once

Great saying. In this case however it is measure once, cut twice. The first cut down was still too big.
Why? You see I have a problem with entering this piece in a competition that I cut it down the first time so I could enter it. In the case of this piece I should have read the measurements requirements a little more carefully before cutting it down the first time. If I had, I wouldn be comtemplating ripping off the sleeves and the facings to cut it down again. This as shown is what my original screen printed and stamped cloth was originally cropped to, so that it would meet, I thought, the requirements for Sacred Threads. As I was attempting to submit it online I ran into a problem. It was too long by 5.5 inches. In the case of this exhibit, the maximum length is 30". Well shot!!!!

I still wanted to submit it, since I don't know of any other show that it would fit into. As a rule I don't make quilts to fit a specific show and I didn't in this case. So what to do.
When all else fails, CROP. So in Picasa I cropped it to see if it would work proportionately if I cropped it some more and the second image is what it would or will look like. I submitted the second image (cropped image) but will wait to see if it is accepted before actually taking a rotary cutter to it and crop it off to measure 5.5 inches less on the bottom and 5 inches less on the left side.
For most of today I have been quilting and answering e-mail from guilds requesting teaching information.
Had a late lunch on the deck and read quickly through the last SAQA issue.

I hope you all are not tired of my abstract blooms, if seen altogether they really are different compositions and sizes. I really do find them fun to paint. No brainers. They are simple and gives me something to work on as I test paint colors, different brushes, different brands of paint and color mixing which is quite different than understanding and mixing dye colors. This is a small piece that will finish to approximately 17" x 26", when it is faced. Just the right size for a one day class project sample.
I finished the quilting, blocking and squaring before I called it quits for today.
Tomorrow I will be back to quilting the other class sample that I showed you in the last blog post...... maybe.
As my bedtime reading I will be opening the latest book  in the Death series by J. D. Robb.  Got a copy today.  I hope it is a grabber.... well, maybe not... if it is I'll be up all night.