Ok, so maybe I was wrong

**dcompton** · 02-07-2010, 04:09 PM

I said I had proved I could quilt and never, ever had to do it again. I said I was going to spend nothing on hobbies this year since I had more than enough in my various stashes. I said I don't need another quilt. I have a perfectly good lap quilt that I love. But -

I have fallen totally, hopelessly in love with a pattern I ran across when I was doing a google image search on lizards for a desktop background, and tracked down the pattern - http://www.quilted-lizard.com/patterns.htm. It's the mola lizard in the batik fabric about half way down the page.

It's a small hanging, but I would want to make a lap quilt of it. I think I could enlarge the pattern, maybe double it to 34x46 and add a wider border to make it about 40 x 52. Or I could do 4 lizards, tails to the center curling outward.

I've never done applique at all - I always did pieced quilts. Is it difficult? I would probably want to hand quilt this one, though I said I would absolutely never do that again, in this life or, God willing, in any other. Love makes idiots of us all.

As for the no spend, I could buy the fabrics bit by bit as the Joann sales and coupons come out. I love all those gorgeous batiks, and this would be an excuse to use them. The will power is crumbling, crumbling...

**mauimagic** · 02-07-2010, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by dcompton

I said I had proved I could quilt and never, ever had to do it again. I said I was going to spend nothing on hobbies this year since I had more than enough in my various stashes. I said I don't need another quilt. I have a perfectly good lap quilt that I love. But -

I have fallen totally, hopelessly in love with a pattern I ran across when I was doing a google image search on lizards for a desktop background, and tracked down the pattern - http://www.quilted-lizard.com/patterns.htm. It's the mola lizard in the batik fabric about half way down the page.

It's a small hanging, but I would want to make a lap quilt of it. I think I could enlarge the pattern, maybe double it to 34x46 and add a wider border to make it about 40 x 52. Or I could do 4 lizards, tails to the center curling outward.

I've never done applique at all - I always did pieced quilts. Is it difficult? I would probably want to hand quilt this one, though I said I would absolutely never do that again, in this life or, God willing, in any other. Love makes idiots of us all.

As for the no spend, I could buy the fabrics bit by bit as the Joann sales and coupons come out. I love all those gorgeous batiks, and this would be an excuse to use them. The will power is crumbling, crumbling...

Okay - I may quote you a lot - it's so true!! That pattern is gorgeous!! You absolutely do have to make it!! I think that you'll love doing applique work - it is so soothing!! Cannot wait to see your project as your build on it!! Congrats on being flexible!!

**dcompton** · 02-07-2010, 05:18 PM

Thanks, Mauimagic. That's exactly what I'm looking for in the quilting forum -- enablers to egg me on. If I wanted someone to talk me down from the quilting ledge, I would have posted this in some silly don't spend money on unnecessary things forum!

I leaning more toward doing it with four lizards.

Geez. I sound like I've definitely decided to do it. I haven't. But I'm really, really close.

They will write on my tombstone "Here lies Donna, a sucker for bright color."

**Imarachne** · 02-07-2010, 05:39 PM

You aren't spending money on totally frivolous stuff--go for it !!

**ladytoysdream** · 02-07-2010, 05:58 PM

Well could you make two of the same design ?
One for you and one to sell on ebay or etsy....
Sell the second one for at least enough to recoup your costs on both of them.....
just trying to help ............

**Contrary Housewife** · 02-07-2010, 06:09 PM

It looks beautiful! Hancock Fabrics is having a big quilting sale next weekend. I need more fabric like I need a hole in the head but I'm going to pick up a few specific things.

If you make a large quilt from combining several panels,at least it will be something useful and warm.

**monkeywrangler71** · 02-07-2010, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by dcompton

Thanks, Mauimagic. That's exactly what I'm looking for in the quilting forum -- enablers to egg me on. If I wanted someone to talk me down from the quilting ledge, I would have posted this in some silly don't spend money on unnecessary things forum!

lol I tried that last night on some place called "Frugal Village"

where I expected people to talk me out of buying a completely unnecessary laptop. All I got was egged on, now there's a new MacBook headed for my house.

The lizard is gorgeous though. How you would resist that? It's way too hard for me. There's so much precision skill on this board - my lizards would just look like crooked blobs

I really like the lizard on a ladder also.

**dcompton** · 02-07-2010, 07:04 PM

Laptops are good. Congratulations on your purchase.

It's probably way too hard for me too, but when has that ever stopped me?

All my rationalizing genes are kicking in. I'm getting a substantial tax refund this year, coming in a few days. I have allotted about a fourth of it to a sinking fund for insurance, about half of it to an IRA. Surely I don't have to be a grown up with every penny of it, do I? Yeah, I'm going to do this. I'll probably order the pattern tonight. What's left after that and the fabric can go in the EF. It's almost at 4 months, so I have enough wiggle room to skim a little off the top for some fun.

**miss_thrifty** · 02-08-2010, 09:02 AM

dcompton- Go for it. it looks like a wonderful pattern.

**dolphin** · 02-17-2010, 12:43 PM

I think you should "go for it" ! You've certainly thought it out and you appear to be able to afford it and it seems like something you would enjoy doing.

Applique is very easy and gratifying. There are so many ways to do it. I enjoyed doing it the very first time.

**mauimagic** · 02-17-2010, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

lol I tried that last night on some place called "Frugal Village"

where I expected people to talk me out of buying a completely unnecessary laptop. All I got was egged on, now there's a new MacBook headed for my house.

The lizard is gorgeous though. How you would resist that? It's way too hard for me. There's so much precision skill on this board - my lizards would just look like crooked blobs

I really like the lizard on a ladder also.

Don't think that there is any such thing as a completely unnecessary laptop!! Personally I love both PCs and Macs - for different reasons. When I first came to this school - I had one of each in my room and was in heaven!! Cannot wait to hear all about it!!

**mauimagic** · 02-17-2010, 01:49 PM

Donna - please post pictures of your fabric for your quilt!!! This is going to be so much fun!!

**dcompton** · 02-17-2010, 02:12 PM

Well, I decided to be a grown up after all. I have so much yarn to use up. So it's on hold. Maybe in the fall.

I tend to demand instant gratification for things like this. I had to be firm and tell myself the pattern will still be available in a few months.

I have two afghans underway, and when I look at the yarn, a few more I know for sure I want to do. Besides, the summer is not time to be messing around with a quilt on my lap hand quilting. If I plug away on the yarn, I can do strips and sqaures and assemble them when it gets cooler. The lizard will have to be a winter project.

But thanks for the enthuasiam and encouragement, everyone! If I ever do it, and ever actually get it finished, I'll figure out how to get a photo and post it.

**mauimagic** · 02-17-2010, 02:27 PM

Okay - we'll hold you to it and perhaps may be back to gently prod you!!

**vickilynn** · 02-17-2010, 02:36 PM

hum, I take a different stand. If you didn't want to spend $ on hobbies, don't! Wait 6 months go back and look again and see if it thrills you the way it does now.

Use the statsh and be your own creative artist. Bet you can!