I can be adaptable too

First day of working towards goals was easy, 2nd day a curveball came my way but like Jeanne says "I can be adaptable". I did my study chapter and printed off the third one so I am ready for today. ( It is much easier for me to refer to NOT on the computer screen. Hard copy lets me highlight and mark down the answers to the test questions as I work too.)

I was working on the binding project as well and was up to about the half done mark. Then the phone rang--twice. First was the prez of the Home Extension group that I serve as treasurer with a question I could not immediately answer without some digging. Okay, that was taken care of rather quickly.

Second, Oren had Betsy's Christmas quilt 2 back from the long arm quilter and I had told him when he picked up the top that I would finish up the binding and labeling. No problem---I'll be home; come out when you are ready. The problem was that I could not find the binding I had cut and pressed but I did have plenty leftover yardage if I had to do it again. I had initially thought that perhaps I had sent it with him to the long armer but as soon as he dropped it off, I knew I better look again. Sure enough, buried in the basket in the area I thought it was but until I got it off the shelf, couldn't see it. That was a relief--the re-do will "kill ya". I got most of it on before I had to prepare supper. I knew this was coming but not knowing the long armer's back log, I didn't know when.

For those who do not know and are new to the ring, I was asked to complete this quilt for a member of our quilt group who had passed away. Betsy had made one already and given it to one son. The one I am showing was to go to the other son and his famly. She had roughly the top half of the quilt together and some loose blocks to add below. I pieced or appliqued a good bit of the lower half. This link will take you to a picture of her first one Betsy's Christmas quilt 1 . The link above will take you to a closer up shot of the quilt--sorry I should have edited this one first in Picassa.

The patterns came from Oxmoor House as a Block of the Month packet sort of deal--an appliqued block and a pieced block, two packets at a time as I recall. Yep, I had the book too and that made me the logical choice to finish up the job. I totally re-designed mine though to accomodate no spacers and set in seams the church looks more like a building than a store front, etc, etc. I only have the top row done on mine though.

The long armer did a nice all over meander and some outlining with a warm toned tan thread---that choice looks good everywhere but on the Santa redwork and the Santa face, in my opinion. The same one had quilted several of Betsy's quilts and had done some of the collaborative work for the publication's "Other quilts and projects" sections. Logical choice then. I would have just done something very, very basic with my limited abilities in that department.

SO it turned out that my working on something Christmas yesterday was NOT my own project. No biggie. It is more important to me that Russell, Janna and the kids have this in their home to enjoy this Christmas. Oren will be going out to visit them later in the month and can hand deliver it. This will be my binding project--and for more than the hour each day too.

I had to laugh last night---I had headed to my bedroom early last night to watch TV and decided to pick up my sweater left front to knit as I watched--just easy K 1, P1 ribbing at this point. DJ came in at 10 and said "What are you doing? You're a quilter, not a knitter! We are not on vacation!" Well of course, I am but I can wear more than one hat and do more than one craft. He DOES have a point. One trip back to IL I made him a set of golf club covers--last year most of a sweater back.

One other thing---a correction on my post yesterday or was it the day before. The pattern source of the balloons in my SIL's hot air balloon wallhanging shown HERE is from Electric Quilt, not the Sew Precise software. Both quilt software are made by the same company and there are some there. I misunderstood what she had told me.

And so it goes in my little corner of Alabama, USA