My Patchwork Life

Quilting is becoming an increasingly important and integral part of my life. My creative outlet changes how I view the world around me, influences the activities I pursue with my family, and introduces me to new people whose life paths wouldn't ordinarily intersect mine. My life is much like my favorite types of quilts - scrappy and unconventional, full of interest and surprises, and with an underlying current of making do (and making something beautiful!) with what I have.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Keeping the postman busy

I gotta tell ya, there are some gadgets out there that just THRILL me! Two came in the mail yesterday:

a double dog leash so I can walk my 176 pounds of dog flesh (apparently, together my pups are about 20 pounds overweight - I'm not saying how overweight I am, but if walking them helps me shed some pounds too, then BONUS!)

These aren't my dogs, but the lab looks quite a bit like my Biscuit

a Beam N Read hands free 3 LED light. I foresee much more hand quilting this summer. See, here's the problem: I like to hand quilt while watching something. And I long to use my home movie theater more. But the movie theater has a projector and screen, so you need to have the lights off for it to really work. If the lights are off, then I can't see to hand quilt. Enter the Beam N Read! I've been wanting one for a while, but hadn't gotten around to getting one (I'm pretty cheap, guys; I talk myself out of lots of purchases because I don't NEED them). I finally decided to treat myself, and I LOVE IT! I used it while reading to the boys at bedtime last night. I used it while closing up the chicken coop last night. And I pretended to use it in the movie theater last night, but didn't actually quilt because the other thing that came in the mail was...

the first disk of Cranford. Who was it on here who recommended that? I watched the first episode and loved it! I look forward to having time to go down there and watch the next episode - maybe tonight? But anyway, I didn't hand quilt because with a new series, I need to pay attention, get used to the accents and figure out the characters, otherwise I'll be lost. Perhaps on episode 2 or 3 I can multitask. Certainly with McLeod's Daughters or Glee (my current watches).

I'm also sending something OUT in the mail today. Yesterday I finally made my star block for Beth at LoveLaughQuilt.

For Beth's Starry Quilt project

I also started my Zig Zag Quilt Challenge quilt - I want to make another baby quilt, so I'm using a multicolored polka dot and some solid primary colors.

Fabrics for Zig Zag Quilt Challenge

The beginnings of my Zig Zag Quilt

And for my leader and ender project, I made a couple more blocks for my Summer Breeze quilt. I think I am only going to make 3 more for now, and make this into a baby quilt, too. I have enough bed-sized quilts waiting to be quilted - I think my new projects should be smaller.