Why did I take my sewing machine?

We got back from Orlando late Sunday after having a wonderful trip. I got my sewing machine out on Saturday and there it sat for seven days until I could pack it up again. Too much to do and not enough time to do it. By the time we got back to the Condo it was all I could do to get into a nightgown and fall asleep.

Max and Roxie traveled with us to Orlando and stayed in the Bass Pet Motel. They were happy to see us when we visited and really glad to go home. The kennel said they were welcome back any time.

We had a great time in Disney World and at Discovery Cove. I finally got to swim with a dolphin. I have been dreaming about this since 1992. Another thing to scratch off my bucket list. Oh...I need to start a bucket list.

The sewing machine is in the living room waiting for me to get at it. I stopped at two quilt shops on the way home and picked up more patterns and equipment for my quilt studio.

Have a great day.

Florida here we come sewing machine and all

We leave for Orlando tomorrow and I cannot wait. I am taking two projects that have all or most of the fabric precut and my sewing machine and a few tools for these projects.

We have three days at WDW with the entire family and then other things we want to do around the Orlando area. We also have a dolphin encounter at Discovery Cove and get to swim with the dolphins. Also there is snorkeling with rays and tropical fish. I cannot wait!!!!!

Have a great day.

Progress on MIL quilt

I have cut out four of the blocks for the quilt. By that I mean that a total of 17 blocks are cut as each one has four identical blocks placed in the top.

Saturday I was watching a video on QNNtv about EQ and realized that the top was missing somthing. No sashing. How amazing! I pulled up the design and added sashing in the same color as the borders. It is a really wonderful red. The cornerstones of the shashing are going to be white on white fabric. It really made the quilt pop. I cannot wait to start the sewing. However, I am going to have all the cutting completed so that I can just start sewing and not have to jump back and forth between.

We are leaving for Orlando on April 9th. I will be taking the cut pieces for my MIL quilt and Navajo Tears with me. In my spare time between Disney World and Discovery Cove I will sew and chat with our family. I cannot wait.

I hope we will be taking my DH computer with us so that I can post while I am down south, but if not I will update you when we get home.

Have a great day and enjoy Spring.

Helen's Quilt

I have actually started my MIL quilt. It has twenty five blocks 6 different patterns. It is based on the Christian Cross and then moves to other patterns that have crosses. I have cut out the one block that will represent five in the top and another block that will represent four in the top. That leaves me with 4 blocks to cut out. I am so excited. Surely you can tell by reading this.

Too many times I have posted my intentions and then life gets in the way. Not to be a Pollyanna or a goody-two-shoes, but no more intentions and only completions. Unless I have to get on the pity-pot.

We are leaving for Orlando on April 9 and I have packed "Navajo Tears" as one project. I want to have Helen's Quilt as my other project. I think two tops to piece should be more than enough. There I go again with my intentions.

Friday evening the Patchwork Party Spring 2009 started showing up on the websites of the 12 quilt shops that are participating. I was having so much fun with the blocks and the fabrics that I stayed up until 4:00 A.M. on Saturday. That was a long day, but really got my creative juices flowing. I still need to do some cutting on the PP Spring 2008, but I don't think I will get involved in the new one.

Have a great day.

Vikki Pignatelli at Guild Meeting

This month our guild had Vikki Pignatelli as our guest speaker. She also taught two classes over the weekend. I was fortunate enough to be able to take her Curves class on Saturday and her trunk show and talk at guild was inspiring.

I finally got my sewing machine out of moth balls after no sewing since early November. It felt really good to be creative. I learned a lot about myself as well. By going outside of my comfort zone I discovered that the zone is much larger than I ever knew and it can be increased with little if no culture shock.

The curves class was great. Finally a way to applique without struggling. Well that isn't quite true. I did have difficulty using the blind hem stitch and staying in the ditch. My accuracy needs some more practice! The technique Vikki teaches is going to be so useful. I think that hand applique will diminish in my piecing and quilting.

Tonight after two doctor's appointment and several errands I will get to work FINALLY on my grandson's Cub Scout vest. It has been sitting too long! After that I will continue to work for a hour or so each day on my quilting. I have been immersing myself in reading for the last month instead of creating I have been involved in someone else's creativity. Now it is time for me to express myself.

Have a great day and keep quilting!

Quilter's blogs

I frequently read other quilter's blogs. I laugh with Ami Simms and learn with Myrna Giesbrecht along with many others. Today I changed my thought for the day in this blog and it made me realize that with all the teachers I have had over the years I have gotten so many good tips and occasionally a not so good tip. We learn through experience.

(Thought for the day: Creative minds always have been known to survive any kind of bad training.)

Another lesson I have learned over and over is that we often make the same mistakes time and again. Each time life shoves my mistakes in my face and they are mistakes I have made before I try to learn. Sometimes I am more fortunate than others.

New Year's resolutions are definitely a thing of the past. I know that I will not keep them. Instead I have to set small specific goals and work until one is done before going on to the next. I am applying this at work as well as at home.

Have a great weekend.

Guild Meeting

Last night I attended my quilt guild for the first time since November. At that time DH was still in the rehab center recovering from sepsis, pneumonia and kidney failure. He had lost over 30 pounds in one week and at one point was on life support.

My former friends in guild ignored me. In fact I said hello to one and she just walked passed me. They all gathered in a corner near the membership and name tag table. I would never treat a worm the way they treated me.

I know that some will believe what I next say is a lie, but I would never wish any harm to them, I would never wish they have to go through a devastating life change like mine and I will never attempt revenge on them. They were my friends. They are now people that I know but do not wish to associate with. I will be polite and keep my distance. I just want them to be polite and leave me alone.

We moved my MIL into a nursing home over the weekend and closed her apartment. She is adjusting very slowly. She likes the food and that is a big help. Everyone in the nursing home is so friendly and helpful. I think we made a good choice in where to have her live. She is not so sure about that, but I think she will come around to realize that it was for the best.

My quilting goals have gone totally out the window. Between my own recovery from total knee replacement to DH recover to MIL I haven't had my sewing machine out since November. Once things settle down I will start to access my works in progress and projects that I want to make or finish and set some specific goals.

I haven't done any knitting in years, but have a project I started two years ago for DH as a Christmas gift. It is a hooded sweater. I think I will take it with me when I visit MIL so I won't fidget when visiting.

Have a great day.