Done and done

The boys practiced their square knots and finished up the Cub Scout quilt. I can't wait to have them display it at their Blue and Gold ceremony on Saturday. Even though the birthing process was a hassle at the time, now, the quilt is DONE and done feels great!

I've had some squishy mail lately. First, some unexpected Katie Jump Rope scraps from Angela - thanks, Angela!

And then the fabric for my February Bee Block. Pink and brown - pretty!

The instructions were to make a 9.5" Shoofly block and add scrappy sashing to two sides. My first instinct was to make one of those scrappy sashing blocks a mini shoofly block, but I goofed and the points got cut off - that's OK for a quilt that I'm keeping, but not for a block that I'm sending off to someone else.

So I substituted that mini shoofly with a mini 9-patch - I don't like it as much, but it'll do. I hope she likes it!

I was a Breech Baby

I have a feeling that explains a lot of things in my life. I seem to never do things things the "normal" way, or I do things backwards. Or, in the case of this weekend, inside out. Ugh.


No sewing on Saturday because I spent the day with my mom - wonderful! But that meant I just had Sunday to sandwich the Cub Scout quilt because we meet tonight to tie it. In my infinite wisdom, I decided I needed to "birth" this quilt, since I wouldn't have much time before this Saturday's ceremony to bind it, and I'd rather use that time preparing for Bonnie Hunter (I did tell you that Bonnie Hunter is coming this Friday and Saturday, right? And that I get to have dinner with her before Friday's trunk show? Oh, I am SO excited!!!)


Who cares that I've never birthed a quilt before. It can't be that hard, right? I laid out the quilt, pinned it and sewed around the edges.


Then, I trimmed it down nice and neat, and started turning it "right side out". Hmmm, something isn't right - the batting is on the OUTSIDE!!! Out with the seam ripper. It took me half an hour to pin, sew and trim, and another hour and a half to rip out the seam.


So, two hours later, I was back where I started. When I was giving birth to my first son, they called that "failure to progress", and gave me a C-section. Apparently, I'm not much more facile with this birthing process. About half way through the seam ripping, I considered "an emergency C-section" of my own. What if, instead of WASTING all this TIME ripping seams, I just trimmed all the borders down by 1/4". Who cares if my borders aren't the same width as my sashing strips, right? I could avoid all this seam ripping and just sew around the new perimeter. I was tempted, but I didn't. While this quilt isn't going to be a masterpiece, I did want to do as nice a job as I could for the boys. I'm curious, though, would any of you gone ahead and cut it down instead of all that frogging?


I had hoped by now to be able to show my completed Birdie BOM block. I've been working on it at basketball games and practices for two weeks now, plus through a movie. I've discovered why it is called a Block of the Month - it is going to take me ALL MONTH to finish the darned block!


I eased some of my frustrations last night with some mindless pressing - all the bonus triangles from previous projects that I've been sewing together into HSTs as a leader/ender project these days. One day, there will be enough to make some crazy quilt that is a conglomeration of leftovers from lots of different quilts.

Fighting through the inertia

Do you ever WANT to quilt, but you just can't muster up the energy and enthusiasm? That has been me lately. But this weekend, I decided to fight through it and CREATE. It helps that I was home during daylight hours - I feel much more creative when it is light outside.

I started by cleaning up my sewing room a bit. I had two big quilting frames set up, but wasn't using either one except for storage, so I dismantled one, freeing up more space. I rearranged my sewing table and my ironing board so there is more natural light on my workspace. And then I started with something quick and easy - a new pillow for my dog using some super thick batting and some home dec weight fabric that was gifted to me. So far, he hasn't eaten it. Instead, he has parked himself on there, and my husband says he has to physically drag him off the pillow in the morning when he wants him to go outside. I love a gift that is loved, even if it is by a dog!

(that blue and orange thing is another gift that he loved - a duck that has been decapitated and had the stuffing eaten out of him, but the dog absolutely LOVES it!)

Then I finished up the last of the scrappy log cabin blocks. As it now stands, the quilt will be about 64" square, not quite as big as I'd like it, but I don't have enough of the center fabric to make enough blocks to make it larger on all sides. Perhaps a thin-ish border and then a piano key border of scraps? Or, there's enough for one more row of blocks, so perhaps a border and then a "pillow row" of blocks? (I don't know the actual term when you have a row of blocks that is meant to lay over the pillows...is there an actual term for that?) Any other ideas out there for making this big enough to cover a twin bed?


While working on those blocks, I made some more free pieced letters as my leader and ender project. I'm not really loving the S, so we'll see if that stays or goes. I have some ideas about how to pull it all together...


And when it is dark outside, I'd rather be curled up in bed or on the couch than in my sewing room. So on Saturday night, I turned on the TV (gasp! yes, I turned on the TV. I remembered how it worked! It has truly been a while since I've watched the boob tube.) and finished up the last few stitches in my mother's Christmas quilt (yup, gave it to her for Christmas and then took it back because I wasn't done) while watching PRETTY WOMAN.




(Another aside, does anyone else just inexplicably LOVE that movie? I could watch it a hundred times and not tire of it, but I'm not quite sure why. Well, I know Richard Gere is definitely part of the reason. I remember the first two movies I ever saw on VCR back when our family first discovered VCRs in the 80s - The Neverending Story and The Cotton Club. Richard Gere was a horn player in The Cotton Club and my adolescent self fell in love with him. That adolescent self still lives on in me.)

So, anyway, the quilt is done, and I hope to give it back to my mom this weekend when I hope to go visit her. (Are you reading this, Mom? If so, can I come visit on Saturday? I'll call you.)

And then, finally, last night I decided to watch the Netflix movie that has been sitting on my counter since just before Christmas (NOT joking!). DUMMY. Not me, that's the name of the movie. I don't remember picking it out, and when it arrived, I just wasn't moved to watch it. But I popped it in last night and started the Birdie Stitches BOM that I've been wanting to do.

Hmmm...just went looking for that link and found a flicker photo stream and it seems everyone else's snowmen are white. Certainly he didn't HAVE to be white, did he? I'm just gonna say mine was so cold he turned blue. And now looking at the directions, apparently I was supposed to do a back stitch. I don't even know what a back stitch is. I did stem stitch, because that is all I know so far. I hope there aren't embroidery police out there! Anyway, I enjoyed the movie much more since I was stitching. Otherwise, I don't think it is one I would have sat through until the end.

So, I feel like I'm back in the saddle again, which is good because I need to get the Cub Scout quilt's final border on and sandwich it so we can practice our knots on Monday as we tie the quilt. And truly, I'd like to give Donald his Boys Will Be Boys quilt before winter is over - that needs sandwiching and quilting. And in case you were wondering, he's been good at school two days in a row and today at homework time, HE initiated, pulled everything out of his backpack and called me over to get started and did everything with enthusiasm and a good attitude. I'll be putting Donald's photo on a milk carton because OBVIOUSLY this wasn't my kid who came home with me today, but a good-natured, homework-loving look-alike imposter. But seriously, I was so proud of him and told him how I actually enjoyed doing homework with him today. It may not last forever, but I'll bask in it as long as it does!

The absolute best!

Yup, that's what you guys are - the absolute best! Thanks for all your encouragement and support. We had a snow day today, so Donald didn't have a chance to redeem himself at school, but we've done a lot of talking and he has had consequences today, and I am hopeful that he will start to understand how important it is for him to do the right thing, if not all the time, then as much as possible.

I worked entirely too much today, but tomorrow is also a snow day, and I'm going to be more disciplined about stopping work when my usual work day is over - that's the problem when I work from home, I tend to overcompensate and work more than I would if I were at the office. But for now, the kids are in bed...wait, I hear voices...what are they up to?

(tiptoes up the stairs to find...)

"I'm teaching him how to play chess, Mom!" OK, let them stay up, there's no school tomorrow, after all.

So now, I'm in bed with my laptop and my new little notebook ready to catch up on some blogs! Check it out - Jason wanted a journal (NOT a diary, mind you!) and while shopping for him, I picked up this little notebook that fits in my purse and has GRAPH PAPER in it! (not to mention a hot car on the cover! I'm sure it was never meant to hold quilt ideas, but unconventional is my middle name.)

I don't know about you, but I have a million little scraps of paper with sketches of quilt block ideas from when I'm looking at blogs or perusing magazines at the library or whatever I'm doing when inspiration strikes. With this little notebook, I can keep all those ideas in one place and be ready to sketch any time, any place!

Good den leader...bad mother?

The kids did a great job coloring their quilt blocks yesterday, and I was proud of myself for putting them right together when I got home last night. I still need to sew on the borders, and sandwich it so we can tie it at our meeting next Monday, but I don't anticipate having trouble doing that. I think the quilt is going to be a hit at the Blue and Gold Ceremony in February.

But meanwhile, back at the ranch, my youngest is having trouble in school. It's just kindergarten, I know, but I think the foundation for building lifelong learners is created at a young age. It seems to have sunk in with Jason, but Donald is another story altogether. Jason loves going to school; Donald claims to hate it. Jason enjoys doing homework; homework reduces Donald to tears. Jason has always been a teacher's pet, never getting into trouble; I got another exasperated note from Donald's teacher today letting me know that another day like today and he won't be able to accompany his class on their next field trip. What am I doing wrong??? I hug and kiss him and tell him that I love him every day. We read books together before bed every night. We play games together, go on adventures together, and I include him in projects around the house like baking and cleaning. How did I end up being "that mom" with "that kid"? I know it is a giant leap from kindergarten class clown to juvenile delinquent, but my mind can't help but travel in that direction. I'm so frustrated and flummoxed. Anyone been there? Anyone still willing to associate with "that mom" and give me some advice?

EXHAUSTED!!!

I have some quilt-y developments, but first, a peek into my work so you understand why I am so exhausted right now. I am the scholarship coordinator at the university where I work. We had 2327 applications for scholarships this year, and we had to narrow that number down to 200 finalists. Today was the day I had hoped to get the letters in the mail, and everyone in my office pulled together to make that happen. 207 signatures later...

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Literally. Like the weight has been lifted but like the carrying of that weight for so long has left a permanent knot in my right shoulder blade. I'm headed to my room to lie down as soon as I finish this post. Or at least that's where I WISH I were headed. Instead, it is off to basketball practice for Jason, grocery shopping, and family movie night at the kids' school. When do I get to rest!?!

Anyway, if you are interested, you can read more about the process on our Admissions Blog. (which, by the way, was just named one of the Top 25 Admissions Blogs - who knew there was a ranking!?!) The posting the link will take you to is one I put up today titled, "Time to Stalk the Mailman!" (oh, man, looking at that now, I should have written "mail carrier". Drat! My sincere apologies to all the female mail carriers out there!)

So, understandably, my quilting time has been close to none. But I did manage to slip down to my sewing studio for an hour or so last night. I settled on my sashing strips and cornerstones and borders for the Cub Scout Quilt, all from my stash.

I had some pretty grandiose plans, but then reason took hold and I realized that with my quickly approaching deadline, it didn't have to be fancy. The colors are Blue and Gold because that is the name of the ceremony in February where this quilt will make its debut. I'm sure the colors signify something, but my mind is empty right now. I'll have to research that. Unless any of you know...Angela? Julie? Anyway, I've sewn together the rows of cornerstones and sashing that will go between the rows of blocks, but everything else is on hold until the kids color their blocks on Monday.

While digging out pre-cut scraps for the cornerstones, I found some pre-cut scraps of the fabric I needed to finish my first border around my little house from Beth, so I got a little stitching done on that, too.

I'm liking it, but not quite sure where I'll be going from here. I do like the golden fields that remind me so much of where I live in the fall and winter, so I'm sure that fabric will figure somewhere in my plans.

Bonus - while stitching those two small things together, I finished two more scrappy log cabin blocks. I'd love to finish making all those blocks this weekend so I can get it off my design wall and make room for my Bonnie Hunter style Virginia Bound quilt,

but we'll see. I need some rest this weekend, and I refuse to over-commit myself.

I do, however, commit myself to spending some time reading! All those books I ordered came in, and while I had already read 4 of them, I have 4 other new-to-me quilt fiction books stacked up next to my bed. I decided to start with The Fortune Quilt.

I'll let you know how it is!

A Scout is BUSY!

I recently learned that only about 15 members of our quilt guild entered quilts in the quilt show last year. I am determined to encourage more people to enter quilts. As I was wondering who else could I cajole into submitting a quilt, it came to me - my Cub Scout den!! One of our activites that we need to complete is to create an original piece of artwork, and a quilt certainly qualifies. Plus, we can tie the quilt, and get lots of practice tying our square knots. So most of my (absurdly minimal) free time lately has been dedicated to prepping this project.

• Coming up with an idea - a crayon-colored quilt that highlights some of the fun things we do in Cub Scouts.
• Buying the fabric (see last blog entry).
• Cutting the fabric into squares and ironing it onto Freezer Paper to stabilize it
• Sketching and printing out images to put under the fabric for the students to trace and color
• Making a sample block - my block is CAMPING, obviously

This project is going to have to be fast-tracked because we are coloring our blocks one week, then tying the quilt the next week so that we can display it at our annual Blue and Gold Ceremony the following weekend. I've already indicated how I work well with deadlines, right? Well, I'm going to be putting that theory to the test, big time.


Readers who've been with me for a while probably remember that last year, our Cub Scout den sang the National Anthem prior to one of my husband's basketball games. Well, we were invited back this year. So this past Sunday, we sang again. I don't know how the kids feel about this, but singing in public is NERVE-RACKING for me. We got through it, received a huge round of applause and then settled down to watch the game.

I gave the scouts each a stat sheet for a player, and they kept track of their points and fouls. Then, after the game (which we won, yay!) we lined up to give the team high-fives (OK, low fives - the boys are only 8, after all) as the players retreated to their locker room. As per previous arrangement, my husband sent the players right back up and the scouts collected autographs from and photos with the players they had been tracking.

Here's Donald with the team captain on the right

And Jason followed two players, the shortest guy on the team (5'9")

And the TALLEST (6'10")

Being a Den Leader takes up a lot of time, but it sure is FUN!