Yup. I skipped writing all weekend. It’s not because I was out doing totally amazeballs things away from technology, so I couldn’t check in and clear my brain (cuz that’s REALLY why I write, to do the brain dump thing…AND to keep me on task with the artmaking stuff). Nope. It was just because I was trying to get this quilt done…and I was pretty close to successful.
Friday night, I graded…and yes, that woman in the background was me. Totally.
But I only graded until it was time to head out for the musical event of the evening. This was in the parking lot where I left my car…
Everyone likes old signs.
Then to the Music Box for that band I follow…
It was a good show…might be because we got a VIP table this time. Much nicer experience…but not particularly cheap.
Came home and then hey…I was the one who fed all you bastards and threw balls and petted snotty-nosed cats. But I do not get all the love (actually, I’m OK with that)…
Saturday, I got up (eventually…it was a long, exhausting week)…and started quilting…outlining first.
And I outlined pretty much all day Saturday, on and off.
While on FaceTime with the girlchild, do you see the mouse? On the agave leaf? He was trying to get seeds off my weeds (see, having weeds is good for the ecosystem. Please tell my neighbors.).
Fascinating stuff. Back to the outlining. This usually takes the longest part of quilting, because I have to be (semi) careful and go (semi) slowly.
It helps that the machine behaved…always. This section will need inking too.
Then a late afternoon walk to clear the brain and allow my eyes to see in the far distance, instead of cross-eyed close up.
No coyotes out there this time. Well, that we could see.
Sometimes you just need to get out into nature. I need more of that.
I remembered to take a picture of the two backing fabrics. Told you they were obnoxious together. The fish one is at least 22 years old.
I bought three different fish fabrics to make baby bedding before my son was born. This was one that didn’t get chosen…and he’s 22 years old plus. Graduating this weekend. So it makes sense to use it now. Probably not gonna make a baby quilt out of it now.
More outlining…this is still Saturday…
I finished outlining around 8 PM…
Then out to dinner and this cat. Well, he was really close to my face. He didn’t want me to finish my book (I did anyway).
I was too tired at that point to keep quilting. So I read and then went to bed.
Sunday morning (still hard to wake up)…the background quilting was pretty basic. I just followed the board lines in the floor.
And did a big stipple thing on the wall. It took almost no time at all to be finished.
I trimmed it easily…
Went to the quilt store, bought binding, a fabric I think I’ve used somewhere else in a binding, but can’t remember where (it was the right shade of dark brown)…sewed the binding on after dinner, and then started the hand-sewing.
It’s going to the photographer on Thursday. So I need to finish sewing and do the ink stuff in the next night or two. And then get going on the next deadline. No problem! Seriously, I’m feeling kind of amazing at the moment. As long as I don’t think about school.
I did grade some on Sunday as well, but noticed a huge issue with what I need to grade…not sure how to solve it. Only panicking slightly. OK, a little more than slightly. Sleep was not my friend last night. This week will be a challenge…I think I’ve been saying that since February. No but this time I mean it! Laughing hysterically (maybe a little TOO hysterically) over here.
I think the quilting took about 5 1/2 hours and I’ve got 2 hours into the binding so far. So things didn’t take as long as I thought they would. I tried to pick a similarly sized/complicated piece to figure the time…but this one was apparently simpler and faster. That’s a good thing. I’m deliberately trying not to think about the other quilt in terms of time. Because grades will be due in the middle of all that. Plus 4 days lost to travel. It’s OK…I’m looking forward to seeing the boychild graduate from college. Seems like a fair trade-off. The other quilt will either get done in time or it won’t. Like all things in life.
*Lou Reed, Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Kathy Nida 