It just goes to show ...

... that when you don't know what the heck you are doing, ask someone who does and, miraculously, frustrations can melt away!  A few posts ago, I wrote about this quilt (on the left) that was giving me a very hard time.  I couldn't figure out how to get the points of the diamonds to line up.  Kristen's mother told her to tell me that there was a trick.  So off I went to my local quilt shop (Quilter's Garden Patch in Oakville) where I learned that, yes, there is a trick and it is really obvious.  It's one of those obvious things that I probably should have been able to come up with myself but I have an amazing inability to think when it comes to sewing.  I like quilting because the sewing is generally straight lines.  Throw something else at me and I require extensive hand holding.

Since I was distracted by Christmas knitting, I didn't get back to the quilt until this week.  I carefully pinned the corners the way Janet at the store told me to and, voila!, I'm finished.  From the half-finished version several posts ago to being done, done, done, in a few hours!!!

I really like the finished product.  There are still some uneven diamonds because I decided I could live with that.  The fabrics are busy enough that it isn't obvious unless you look really closely.  It's a twin-sized quilt which will be a great addition to my pile of quilts for snuggling on the couch.  Now I just have to decide how to quilt it.  In the ditch or stipple.  Or splurge and have it done.  It remains to be seen.  For now, I'm going to start working on another top and think about the quilting later.

And the bread baking went pretty well too.  The two flatter loaves at the top are made with oats, bran, wheat germ and I think will be great for toast.  I only have 3 loaf pans so decided to make them free form.  If I make them again, I'll go with the loaf pans.  On the second rise, they really just spread out.

The loaves at the front are a rye, whole wheat (because I didn't have enough rye), caraway seed combo that should be great for sandwiches.  I'll be trying some of one or both with dinner tonight.  The little crumbs of the oat/bran combo were pretty tasty and, of course, the house smells great!