“go” bonkers

The plus with keeping data on how long it takes to perform each quiltmaking-related task is that when I am coming up against a really tight deadline, I know pretty well how much time it might take. This is also the CON with keeping that data. I think sometimes the realization of how many hours I need to put in before this or that date causes more stress than I need. On the other hand, not knowing also causes stress. Really, I’m just making stress. But that’s what gets the work done, so I’m going with it, and I don’t think it was a bad thing to overextend myself on these two projects, and when I was offered a copyediting job in the middle of it, I very realistically told them I couldn’t start until the end of September. I even emailed my photographer so I wouldn’t be freaking out at the end, so hopefully my dates work for him and I have all the time I can spare. Which isn’t much, let me tell you.

With that in mind, I was determined (but not positive I could do it) to finish stitching down the big quilt last night. You’d think I would come home and start sewing then, wouldn’t you? But part of being a teacher is grading papers, and I had given my students an assignment Thursday and Friday that was supposed to give me grading time, but they’re working like molasses, so it was more like babysit me on my computer day because if it’s not Snapchat, I can’t possibly figure it out without the teacher helping me (I really love technology…I do…except when I have to monitor 150 7th-graders on it). So I got no grading done, and this is just going to snowball on me if I don’t try to keep up. So I came home, popped my Game of Thrones DVD in (because who doesn’t grade to rampant death and rape and crazy shit…I watched PBS after that as a cleanser), and I graded for three hours before I couldn’t stand it any more. Seriously bad shit going on there…on the papers…sighs. Big sighs.

Then I ate. Because I have to eat. Then I came in here and realized the art show I was supposed to enter tonight had an 8 PM Eastern time deadline. Fuck. Well then. That ain’t happening. Whatever.

Time to stitch down. Even though it’s so hot in here that sweat is literally dripping down my face, back, everywhere, even with the fan blowing directly on me. Ugh. It’s cooler here than it was earlier this week, but it’s still muggy and hot.

Stitching down…I predicted another three to four hours…

And I was right. I had to do all of the larger figure from the knees up, including the bird. I didn’t start until just after 9 PM, so yeah…it was 3 1/2 hours and I didn’t go to bed until after 1. Someone should tell my neighbors that, because one of them was doing garden/yard-type stuff way too early for my brain, which made me pull the pillow over my head. Luckily, I had no dog this morning (yes, I share custody of my daughter’s dog with her dad), so the only wakeup call was Kitten, and she seemed to be fully aware that it would be a mistake to wake me.

At around 11 PM, I wasn’t sure I could do it. I was tired. But somewhere I found the extra energy I needed and kept going. It took 8 hours and 17 minutes to stitch this down…I can’t remember what I predicted. Ten hours?

The scary thing is I’ve been using last-year’s big quilt to estimate on this one, and I figured about 40 hours left before I started stitching down, and this one took longer to stitch down. Huh. I think I did my math wrong? Anyway, looking at last year’s, I’m estimating about 2 hours to sandwich and pinbaste today (longer than the other one because I will have to piece the backing), then about 20 hours to quilt it (2 hours more than the other one), and 5 hours to bind it. Now it might take MORE than that…but at least I can sew binding in more places than my house, right? Because I have some stuff on my calendar for this week (might have to ditch some of it). My goal is to be quilting as of tomorrow…maybe even today, but I have an opening tonight and I’m moving slowly today. But let’s say 27 hours left and my photographer just OK’d my delivering it on the 27th or 28th and photographing it in time for the entry. That makes two weeks basically. If you don’t see me in those two weeks or I cancel something you thought I might show up to (because there’s a fine line between working my ass off and getting incredibly lonely because I don’t talk to humans for hours or days on end…students don’t count), well now you know why. Although I do build in time on the weekends and during the week to be a social animal, because otherwise I might go bonkers.

“go” bonkers. Yeah. I know.

OK. Off this and onto the floor with pins. I hear Sion yelling…why??? Why not just spray baste like you did the giant-ass woman? Yeah. I don’t know. For one thing, I don’t have any spray baste. For another, I still like the pinning better. Crazy, I know. But those snot cans were driving me bonkers. They were the best option for that quilt, but I don’t know if I want to do it again for something big. Certainly isn’t happening today.