Friday, September 2, 2011

Catch Up Time!

How on earth did it get to be September? The summer is winding down and I've got lots to tell you!

I've finally gotten my quilting mojo back. YeeHa! I started with a plan I heard years ago on the Stashbusters online quilting group. Pick 5-7 projects you want to complete. Assign each one a day.

Example: Monday: Mr D's Jungle Baby quilt ... Work an hour on the project that day. After that hour is done, continue working on that project; move to another project or go sit on the deck with a book! Doesn't matter! Next day - pick up the "Tuesday" project. If you miss a day - simply start up where you are - don't worry about getting caught up.

So the first day I got the first border on Mr D's jungle baby quilt and set it aside for 'consulting' with his mom and dad as to how big to make it. [Silly mom said, if we make it bigger, we can use it on his 'big boy' bed. I said, "No worries about that, I always make a 'big boy/girl' quilt for the bed. How big do you want this baby quilt????" We decided a little longer will work. Piano key border in the works.

The second day I got out the "Selvedge Yard" UFO. And from then on, I ignored the other projects and worked on this one 5-6 hours a day!! It grew and grew and grew ... I added Unruly letters to it and am almost done with the selvedge borders going around it. This will be double credit for me - an UFO finish AND a summer challenge at guild - due in September. YIKES! It will have to remain a surprise until that meeting's reveal. But other than being twice as big as I thought it would be, I like it! And nope, not running out of selvedges yet!!

Today, it all got put away - company coming tomorrow for the weekend and needed room for the other single bed in the sewing/guest room. I feel odd about not sewing on it today - but there were threads EVERYWHERE - and we vacuumed today - so best not start up again!! Monday when they leave ... sewing commences again!

Poor "Birds of a Feather" has been languishing in the corner. So close and yet so far! But I'll get back to it - hope to finish it in September too - at last!

I've got to tell you about the coolest quilt hanger I bought. No affiliation - yada, yada - the Hang It Dang It quilt hanger.

As you know, I used to live in a large house in Nebraska. I had quilts hanging in each room - sometimes more than one in the room. Now I live in a small [some might say, 'itty bitty'] condo with lots of south facing windows and only one wall large enough and dark enough to hang a quilt. But I want to hang a bed-sized quilt today, maybe a 40" wall quilt next week, then a 60" wall quilt for Halloween ... HOW? Let me tell you!! This telescoping rod hangs with a magnet on -wait for it - one nail in the middle!! All you need it a sleeve on the back of the quilt - as usual. You might have problems getting a quilt to hang straight if there's alot of embellishments, some heavier than others. But that's not my style - so no problem!

Go to their website and check it out! I measured and hammered and hung it all by my little lonesome, while Rick sat on the couch and watched sports!! Woohoo! I've had 2 quilts on it already - both looked awesome!

A little Mr D story before I go. We were there last Monday - L & J2 had bought, for my birthday, tickets for 3 of us to go see "Pirates of Penzance" at the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland Oregon. BeachPapa was the designated babysitter. The show was G*R*E*A*T! The casting wonderful and the stage props hilarious!! A good time was had by all. If you have an opportunity to see it - run like the wind to it! And be prepared to have a great time!

We came home to a calm Papa and a calm baby - until 2 am. Then it was a howling good time for a couple of hours! I got to give him his bottle in the morning. I warmed it up first and then went in to get him up. He was all snoozy and cuddle-ly and hardly opened his eyes while chowing down the bottle. Half way thru - time for a burp. No burp cloth so I sat him up, braced against my hand. He turned and looked at me with big amazed eyes like I was crazy! "Good grief, don't you know how to burp a baby??"

R threw me a burp cloth, and Mr D went to my shoulder like 'Frankenstein' arms straight out. R laughed and he got one of those wide-eyed looks, "Good grief, there's someone else here too??" So fun to see his little personality developing. He's 5 months old, rolling over and trying to blow bubbles. Just perfect!

Next time pictures!! Happy Labor Day weekend!

No comments: