It’s been awhile since I’ve had time to write. Big goings-on in my life. I’m preparing for a visit from my daughter and granddaughter. I can’t wait for them to get here!! The quilt is coming along, I’ve finished the top and now need to get it quilted and finished off.
Have been shopping for winter clothes for Boo (my granddaughter, Michelle). I have found some really cute and good quality things. And, a lot of fun shoes since she is really fascinated by foot wear at the moment. I sent her some crazy, big house shoes that are shaped like frogs. They’re for adults but thought for a buck she could have some fun with them. Apparently she loves them and has discovered that they will make a rip-it sound. I had no idea they would do that when I bought them. My best find so far has been a set of six pairs of Disney princess slippers, and cowgirl boots with pink cut outs.
This weekend I found one of those big plastic play structures with a little slide. All the pieces slide into place, it’s like a giant Tinker Toy set. We took it apart, scrubbed it down and put it up in the backyard. It didn’t go back together quite as easily as it came apart, but luckily Matt was there and could give it something called a “hatchet” kick and that did the trick. Can’t wait to see the yard ape having fun on it!!
My daughter received the last box I sent, which had a bunch of stuff for Boo and two jars of homemade pickles for Kristin and her husband. Now you know she’s pregnant because she served Polish dill pickle for lunch with potato chips and PB&J sandwiches. LOL
Showing posts with label quilts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quilts. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Time for me and the cat
My cat is feeling very neglected lately. I’ve worked late three nights straight. I barely have time to throw some cat food in her dish and fill here water bowl.
While I’m sitting on the couch watching T.V., the time I would usually be unwinding from the day and petting her, I’m now working on The Quilt. You know the one I started two years ago and that I’m now actually getting somewhere on? So, my cat is feeling really deprived of attention. The situation is made even harder because she won’t let anyone else touch her. There are scads of people who would love to cuddle with her and pet her, but she’s having none of that mess! Bless her heart.
In the mornings I usually give her a little petting while I’m putting on my socks. This morning she was so needy it was really kind of pathetic. I noticed that she had a sore between her shoulder blades so I put some antibiotic crème on it, and of course she didn’t care for that. She’s acting all mistreated and put upon. You would think I’ve committee animal abuse!
This evening I should get home at my regular time. YEAH!! There is a lot of housework I need to get caught up on, like changing out the litter box. But, I will be able to open the back door and let her roam around in the yard, which she loves, at least as long as I’m out there with her. That’s OK, I need to work on the garden, refill the bird feeder, pot some plants and any number of other things. Shit, I’m tired just thinking about it all!
Maybe this evening I can even find some time to just sit and give her a good petting. Now if only I could find someone to do the same for me. Or better yet, someone to change the litter box. I crack myself up!!!
While I’m sitting on the couch watching T.V., the time I would usually be unwinding from the day and petting her, I’m now working on The Quilt. You know the one I started two years ago and that I’m now actually getting somewhere on? So, my cat is feeling really deprived of attention. The situation is made even harder because she won’t let anyone else touch her. There are scads of people who would love to cuddle with her and pet her, but she’s having none of that mess! Bless her heart.
In the mornings I usually give her a little petting while I’m putting on my socks. This morning she was so needy it was really kind of pathetic. I noticed that she had a sore between her shoulder blades so I put some antibiotic crème on it, and of course she didn’t care for that. She’s acting all mistreated and put upon. You would think I’ve committee animal abuse!
This evening I should get home at my regular time. YEAH!! There is a lot of housework I need to get caught up on, like changing out the litter box. But, I will be able to open the back door and let her roam around in the yard, which she loves, at least as long as I’m out there with her. That’s OK, I need to work on the garden, refill the bird feeder, pot some plants and any number of other things. Shit, I’m tired just thinking about it all!
Maybe this evening I can even find some time to just sit and give her a good petting. Now if only I could find someone to do the same for me. Or better yet, someone to change the litter box. I crack myself up!!!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
A quilt's tale
About two years ago I started a quilt for my granddaughter. Because she was a girl, which we had been really hoping for since girls are so rare in our family, and because she was being born in Hawaii, I planned a Hawaiian quilt. On my first trip there, while my daughter was pregnant, I purchased a book of traditional designs, and some great Hawaiian print fabrics.
Once I got home I poured over my book and chose designs: an octopus, a turtle, a pineapple and various flowers. I worked the copier hard getting them copied at just the right size. I realized the turtle wouldn’t work for what I had planned and ended up having to come up with my own design. I got the fabric fused, then pinned the designs and cut them out.
At this point I realized I needed to develop my appliqué sewing skills. Up to this point in my life I have only used a very old straight stitch Singer sewing machine from the 1930’s. I found a new machine with a lot of bells and whistles, and an appliqué stitch at a garage sale that worked, but now I needed to learn how to use it. That has been a bit daunting. Since my granddaughter has been living in Hawaii, where it is always in the 80’s I haven’t felt a big need to get this little project finished. Of course now that her family is moving to northern Kansas in December, I’m felling the need to get this done. Not to mention that with the new baby due in March, I’ll need to get a second one planned and completed as well. The pressure!!
So, this weekend I took up the quilt project again. Now I have to tell you that I usually find things like sewing, operating machines, and being creative come pretty easy for me. So it’s been a frustrating weekend trying to get the hang of a satin stitch with a sewing machine. In my youth, when my eyes were superior, I had a great hand for this and didn’t need no stinking machine! Now the eyes are not so good and I really need the machine, but even more I need to figure out a technique that will work for me. Sad to say, I’m not quite there yet. In fact, I’ve had to place the quilt pieces in room separate from the sewing machine because I’m afraid all the cussing will somehow leave bad karma on the finished quilt if it’s too near. It would be a bad thing if my sweet little granddaughter started cussing like a sailor for no apparent reason. Worse, I might get blamed!
Tonight is will start basting the designs onto the squares, and maybe by the weekend I will have progressed the point where I feel my skill level is good enough to actually apply the sewing machine needle the pieces. Hopefully the blue haze around my house will be less then expected and thing will go smoothly. Wish me luck!!
Once I got home I poured over my book and chose designs: an octopus, a turtle, a pineapple and various flowers. I worked the copier hard getting them copied at just the right size. I realized the turtle wouldn’t work for what I had planned and ended up having to come up with my own design. I got the fabric fused, then pinned the designs and cut them out.
At this point I realized I needed to develop my appliqué sewing skills. Up to this point in my life I have only used a very old straight stitch Singer sewing machine from the 1930’s. I found a new machine with a lot of bells and whistles, and an appliqué stitch at a garage sale that worked, but now I needed to learn how to use it. That has been a bit daunting. Since my granddaughter has been living in Hawaii, where it is always in the 80’s I haven’t felt a big need to get this little project finished. Of course now that her family is moving to northern Kansas in December, I’m felling the need to get this done. Not to mention that with the new baby due in March, I’ll need to get a second one planned and completed as well. The pressure!!
So, this weekend I took up the quilt project again. Now I have to tell you that I usually find things like sewing, operating machines, and being creative come pretty easy for me. So it’s been a frustrating weekend trying to get the hang of a satin stitch with a sewing machine. In my youth, when my eyes were superior, I had a great hand for this and didn’t need no stinking machine! Now the eyes are not so good and I really need the machine, but even more I need to figure out a technique that will work for me. Sad to say, I’m not quite there yet. In fact, I’ve had to place the quilt pieces in room separate from the sewing machine because I’m afraid all the cussing will somehow leave bad karma on the finished quilt if it’s too near. It would be a bad thing if my sweet little granddaughter started cussing like a sailor for no apparent reason. Worse, I might get blamed!
Tonight is will start basting the designs onto the squares, and maybe by the weekend I will have progressed the point where I feel my skill level is good enough to actually apply the sewing machine needle the pieces. Hopefully the blue haze around my house will be less then expected and thing will go smoothly. Wish me luck!!
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