Nice

WordPress sent me a congratulatory message for my one year blogiversary. How nice! This blog was a gift from my husband. He has watched me keep to myself, keep my head down, keep to the middles of the crowds all of my life. Maybe he was tired of being my sole audience for personal reflections and opinions, but whatever the reason, he wanted my voice heard “beyond”. I want to thank him, and also thank you. Thank you for listening to me, for commenting, and most of all, for being nice. I appreciate you very much.

The Bible Sampler quilt blocks skip all the way from the Song of Solomon to Isaiah 41, so please be patient with me as I read through Isaiah. While you’re waiting, I’ll share what I did earlier this week. I went on a quilt retreat!

I decided to go out of town with my husband, and while he was off doing what he needed to do, I sewed in the hotel room. First, I set up my space and sorted my blocks.

Now please don’t think me pathetic for spending hours sewing alone in a hotel room and calling it a “retreat”. I’ve read blogposts from traveling quilters who do this, and it was something I’ve wanted to treat myself to for a long time. I know myself well enough to know that I won’t go on a REAL quilt retreat. They sound amazing and fun and full of laughter, but they’re expensive. I also know that lots of amazing fun and laughter quickly wears me out. I have always been content to entertain myself, and it really was nice. We don’t watch much TV at home, so I just kept the Turner Classic Movie channel on, which was a treat, and I was in fine company.

I had put together these blocks at home months ago. I chose to bring this UFO because I knew I could make quick progress, which would feel retreat-ish. I also wouldn’t need rulers, rotary cutters, mats, all the things I didn’t want to pack. All I needed to do now was the layout and joining together. I played with arrangements, and texted photos to my friends for their input. After many changes (thanks friends!) assembly happened.

One last seam to go – right down the middle.

I even took an “over the rail” photo for the finish.

There was still time before dinner with my betterhalf; I’m glad I brought my economy blocks which also needed joining.

I’m joining four patches, which will then join up, and so on, until it’s a quilt top.

And the two hour drive to and from our hotel? I tore the paper off the completed Bible Sampler quilt blocks. I may have underestimated the scope of this particular step in the paper piecing process. Yowza! Four solid hours of picking didn’t seem to make a dent.

All in all, it was a productive retreat from start to finish.