In love Again

I am in love with the quilt again.  I really do like it.  I still worry that others won't but that okay now, as I think it is fine.  I have the two major pieces nearly complete, with just a few finishing touches to the piecing, and I can't wait to get them together and see how it all looks.  Don't know if it is really big enough, but that is what borders are for, right?

Things are better today.  Nick got about 12 hours of sleep, and I got two.  So maybe I am getting too much sleep, which I sort of suspect.  I went for a long walk (3 miles).
I finished up the scarf/(what's that other thing called) as far as i could.  I ran out of yarn with about four rows to go.  I may block it anyway.  I have more fiber at home, quite a bit spun up into singles, just needing plying, so I am not going to finish it now.  It will keep.
I also made a washcloth, as I didn't have anything else I could just grab and go with.
So, one more good day to add to the stack.

Traveling

We are on a trip along the Oregon Coast. I have been knitting up a storm. I knit while DH drives.

Yesterday we stopped at a quilt shop in Newport OR and I was inspired. I went home (to the MH) and dug out the fabrics, planned and cut the next section of the rainbow quilt. It is awesome, that I sorted and cut, that I am continuing to work on it.

I am not sure I am going to like this when I get it done, and I won't know until I sew the thing together. Oh well. That is a worry and sometimes a stopper. But I have decided: DO IT ANYWAY. If I really don't like it, then I can decide then what to do. But try it. That is my message to myself.

I have so many ideas for quilts. The shop was really inspiring. She said they specialize in landscape fabrics. They had so many picture quilts, pieced, appliqued, and even pictures printed onto fabric, then quilted. I got the idea that I could take some of my photos, print them on fabric, paint the important parts (in case the original ink runs or fades) applique other important parts over the print fabric, and create quilt blocks as individual as my camera's eye. Mine, in every way. Can't wait to try it.

They had dozens of lighthouse patterns, material, and other landscape ideas. One was a picture of cute water animals. There are sea lions here, dozens and dozens of them, but I think the water animals weren't really sea lions. The flippers and such were sea-liony, but the heads were more like an otter or perhaps a seal, even a baby polar bear. I'm not really up on my mammals of the sea, but these weren't quite right (to my taste).

There was a quilt pattern, or rather ten to twelve patterns, of local attractions, so one could make a quilt with favorite vistas. That was really awe-inspiring, except that I keep wanting to do my own thing, such as the quilt I have planned of Maritime Canada. The idea of choosing 10-12 pictures, printing them onto 8.5 by 11 muslin, and creating a quilt that way is so exciting. I am ready to choose pictures RIGHT NOW.

I want to make a lighthouse quilt for Julie. The Newport quilt shop had lots of ideas, and I was so inspired.

Keep on keeping on.

Live, learn, love, laugh, leave a legacy.

Suzie

Keeping Going

At the start of October, I had every intention of working heavily on the quilts for the grandkids. But then I took the boys camping for a weekend, and then I got sick or something, anyway didn't feel well for a few days. So much that I missed out on going to the boys last week. And I haven't been working on the quilts AT ALL. Until yesterday.

I kind of feel like I am balancing on top of a large ball, perhaps 10 feet in diameter. As long as I stay centered on the ball top, I am fine. However, once I fall off, it seems impossible to get back on. Imagine trying to climb up on a ten foot high ball. Impossible.

So yesterday, I finally got busy and got sewing again. I have gotten all the colored stripes sewed together, which was my goal for the first week. I know, this has been three weeks. However,....

Next step, pick out "sky", "ground", and "pot of gold" fabric to complete quilt top. And cut apart strips, to resew into rainbow shape. That shouldn't be so difficult. Goal timeline: Get fabrics picked out by Sunday, take with Monday, and complete cut apart-resew by the following Monday.

I can do this.

I keep thinking

But I don't always take the time to write it down. And then I don't always think I should just put it out there for anyone to read, not that anyone is.

I finished the citrus socks, a trial fingerless mitt and started the second (real) one, and am working on the challenge quilt which was not done yesterday and therefore will not be in the quilt show. I don't mind, it is turning out the way I want it too, so will have it together someday.

This Month (October 2008) is turning out to be verrrrry busy, with lots of scheduled events. Which means fun, but less time to work on projects.

My priorty for housework this week is decluttering. I have so much junk, I am to the point where it is tipping over and hitting me on the head (figuratively of course, I'm not really in danger, just overwhelmed). For instance, I brought my walking stuff (waist pack, pouch, hat, bandana, visor, etc.) home from the motor home, and haven't found a home for them, so they are cluttering up the kitchen table.

The waist pack contains my "port-a-john" (I forget what they call it and don't want to interrupt this train of thought to go check) which I intend to practice with here in the privacy of my own home, and when I tried to use it, it was a disaster. So I should take that out, put it in the bathroom, and store the rest of the stuff where it will be out of the way, but easily accessible for next Saturday. Perhaps the front closet. What a novel thought, out of the way, door closable, but easily accessible. Deep sigh.