Fractions and Shark Tents Don't Mix

I got all my squares cut last night. I cut while watching Monster-in-law of all things, an old recommendation of Aunt Ann's. It had it's moments, but all in all, I'd have been fine missing that one. Anyway, next up was the white for the betweens. But it was late-ish for me and I didn't trust myself to cut this one; the measurements got cloudy and I was thinking that I must have done the math wrong. So I'm now trying again and still having no luck. Part of the issue is that I'm trying to figure this all next to two kids having a great time in the shark tent laughing hysterically. Nothing so terrible in and of itself, but coupled with the fact that I'm trying to convert measurements in sixteenths of inches to twelfths so that I can multiple it all by a factor of six and two-thirds and then add half an inch, it all gets muddled. I'm having unit trouble I suppose. I will likely have to go metric. It really is easier for figuring, being ten based and all that, 'cause really twelve is just weird enough to cause me all sorts of problems, actually I think it may be the sixteenths. So, if anyone wants to help out...
the border is 1/16 and the squares and 12/16 (notice how I'm trying to simplify with the 16 not 3/4). I need to keep the same ratio, the square finished will be 5 inches visible, with an additional 1/2 for the seam allowances. The border needs the same extra half inch seam allowance.
I expect I'm just overthinking it, but really, unless I can get a moment to actually think this through Nathan is going to have to do it when he gets home, and I'd feel a bit like a dork. I can get as far as it's just one twelfth of five inches and then add half an inch, but .4166of an inch before seam allowances is as far as I can get before someone starts shouting and it's really frustrating me.

Here We Go

I'm all washed and ready to cut. Last night I cut the pink and had enough. That means I'll also have enough of the light blue as they are the same measurements. The red and dark blue remain to be seen. Basically it's all just squares except for the little triangles that flare out from the colored squares, but those shouldn't be too tricky really, I'll just have to pay more attention to make sure I don't cut them backwards or something. That'd be lame. But before too long I will be cut and ready to piece it together.

Three Days In, and Already a Problem

So I had planned on getting eight squares across, but am only getting seven when I cut. Which doesn't sound so awful, but it throws off all my figuring. I cut all the brown and I'm twenty short. I have 154 and need 174. Who realized a scrabble board had so many brown squares. Anyway, not the end of the world just a little annoyance seeing as all my fabric could be off. And then there's the debate do I cut them all and go once, it is thirty minutes away, or do I go as I finish a color and know how much more I need, lessening the chance that JoAnns will no longer carry my color. So that's where it stands now. In other news, I've washed the pink and am ready to cut it next.

I Heart My Acrylic Ruler

For my bday I got a rotary cutter, a mat, and an acrylic ruler. I am busting out the brown squares. I had been using the grid on my mat until it dawned on me that I can just use the grid on my ruler. It has totally changed the way I'm cutting. I don't preticularly expect anyone to understand this, but believe me, it's love. This will go so much faster.

Stinkin' Red

So I was all set to start cutting tonight, Nathan's working, and then in talking to Jenna I realized that I need to prewash it all. And, get this, I have to prewash it all separately. I don't want the red to bleed on the other colors. Really I spent enough time matching that I won't even wash the pink with the red. So, rather than cutting I'm washing the brown and the cream, 'cause really, has anyone ever heard of brown bleeding.

It Starts

Lily and I went to JoAnns. We took the Scrabble board and stood there in the solids comparing bolts to our board and debating. Seeing as only one of us is technically verbal I'm sure we were quite a sight. I'm super satisfied with how we matched, the darker teal blue isn't quite as teal-y as the board, but that's really only going to bother me when I'm holding a board next to it under flourescent lights. We even got it all on sale and it cost about a third of what I had feared, including the batting even! I will have to buy more later, like border and backing, but the actual board is upstairs waiting to be cut and assembled.