ramble

I worked on the quilt last night. I ended up going for the straight stitches to look pretty similar to the quilt from the pattern I originally used. It’s not going so well. I had no idea it would be this difficult to sew in a straight line with that walking foot on my machine and the quilt. First, something got stuck. I got about 5 stitches into my line and it stopped and just kept sewing in the same spot. So I had to finagle the thread and machine and rip out what I had just sewn. This happened three times. Finally, I got the hang of feeding the fabric through. I guess I was expecting the walking foot to actually just pull it through like a sewing machine does when you’re using the regular presser foot and sewing curtains or something. But that’s not the case. There’s just too much bulk with the two fabrics and batting. It pulls it some, but you really have to push it through too. And at a constant speed so your stitch lengths don’t vary. Yeah…it took me about 3 lines to get the hang of the constant speed thing, so my stitch lengths kind of vary on my first couple lines. And then my needle bent. I guess I should’ve put in a fresh one anyway. They say to change your needle after every project, but I figured I’d only done some minor sewing for my last two. So that made it sew all crooked. Another line to be ripped out. This quilting business is no easy task! Once I got going, I decided that I actually think the free motion would’ve been the better way to go. You don’t have to sew in straight lines, and it would be easier to cover up your mistakes. Oh well. Too late for that. I’m nowhere near done, but I did make some progress. I’m trying really hard not to be a perfectionist, but it’s in my blood. So of course I got extremely discouraged after looking at my sort of crooked lines and decided I needed to call it quits for the night. I know it’s going to a baby who won’t know the difference between straight lines and kind of crooked lines, but still… I wish now that I would’ve made myself one for practice before giving one away. I guess the next one will have to be my free motion practice. And it will be for me. So that I am the only one who has to look at the imperfections. Oh well. No going back now. And it’s not like after all this work I can just not give it to her. So she’ll just have to accept an imperfect quilt. Sigh

I’ll post pictures a little later after I make more progress. I was so mortified last night by my horrible quilting skills (or lack thereof…I know, I know, it just takes practice) that I couldn’t bear to snap a picture. I don’t want to go back and look at it later and nitpick how bad it is. I think I’m really making it sound worse than it is. I hope. I guess you can be the judge after I post the pictures. I still have to get back together with my friend Jenny who’s going to show me how to sew the binding on. I hope she doesn’t laugh at it. I’ll probably cry.

On to happier subjects. It’s Thursday. Which means Saturday is one day closer. It will be good to do an easy sewing project. This weekend. I need something easy to make me feel more confident after this quilting stuff. I seriously had no idea how hard it would be. I might be the world’s worst quilter. But I’m determined to get better and master this craft! Ok, I’m off the quilting subject now. I so so SO need that manicure/pedicure right now! I can’t tell you how excited I am to have a relaxing morning with the sis. Then it’s down to business afterward and a day of crafting, but hopefully the morning will get us through it without going insane. Who knew planning a one year old’s birthday party would be so much work? It’s not even like they’re going to know the difference. I think I’ll stick with the immediate family for our kids’ birthdays. At least until they’re old enough to figure out what they want to do. It’s like planning a wedding all over again! Invitations, place to host (because their teeny apartment will not fit 40 people), food, cake, presents, decorations, etc. It’s a lot of work! Ok, maybe not as bad as a wedding. But close. Or maybe it’s just because my sister and I are big “do-it-yourselfers” and want to save money by making everything ourselves. Plus we like crafting and that homemade look. You can’t buy that look at a store. I feel a Mastercard commercial coming on… Ok, I’ll spare you the cheesiness and keep it to myself.

Life is just crazy lately. Crazy, crazy busy. Crafting and quilting this weekend. Our church’s women’s retreat next weekend – which I’m still struggling with whether or not I want to go. I know in the end, Corey will drive me there and leave me if he has to, so I probably don’t have a choice. And I’ll have fun once I’m there. But I just always hate the getting myself there part. I don’t know why. It’s a big internal struggle for me. Maybe it’s Satan’s way of keeping me home so the Lord can’t speak to me. I’m sure I’ll go. I just don’t want to at the moment. April is Easter weekend, the niece’s birthday party, family up from California, an Esterlyn concert our church is hosting (which my husband is very involved with, so I better be too if I want to see him at all that weekend). And that brings us to May. May is mother’s day and Ocean Shores with the in-laws and visiting the best friend in California to work on wedding plans. Wowie! I need a vacation. Soon. Maybe in June? We’ll see. My motor might burn out before then.

If you’ve read this far, thanks for bearing with me. My mind is on overload right now with all we’ve got going on for the next 3 months. I know I’m rambling. I’ll end it here. Goodbye for now. And Happy Thursday.