>>>>

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Stuck in Irmo!

We were going to go up to Winston Salem to check out the area and go house hunting but we decided that the holiday weekend was no time to do that.

Dave starts his job there mid-December, so time is getting closer. We'll go in the next week or two.

Left-over pie is the best part of the holidays! I didn't have much on thanksgiving , too full...but a nice big piece of pumpkin last night while watching DVDs and cutting up plaid shirts was great therapy. I'm kind of glad we didn't go anywhere this weekend.

It is my tradition NOT to venture out on Black Friday at all! And we did quite well...only had to go pick up some prescriptions and did that at 6pm when most of the shopping crowd had petered out and departed home to eat their leftover dinners.

I've taken the dogs to the forest the past two days for a good 5 mile hike. They love it, and I love it this time of the year when the leaves are all covering the paths and the smell of the pines is so fragrant! My thighs and buns can sure feel it! Heaven knows, I need to take some time out each day to get THEM (the dogs...not my thighs and buns!!Okay..those do need it too!!)some exercise as well as myself. So I'm going to try to do this at least 3 times a week. I sometimes feel guilty because it cuts into quilting time, but at the same time...I NEED IT.

I'm down to the wire on the last few customer quilts I have for the year. Massage slows down this time of year when people get too busy (and strapped financially?) to think about getting a massage. It works out. When massage is slow, quilting is high...it just works. I'm not sure what I'll do with the massage therapy when I get to Winston-Salem. The thought of starting a new practice all over again is daunting, and I don't want to work for anyone else when they charge 50% to 60% commission. Where I am now I rent my own space, and have built up enough clientele that it is so much more worth it than working on commission. So.....we will see when I get there what happens. I'll keep my license current.....and give it time.



Here's some of the blocks I've been working on! It's helped me to use up some of the plaids as well as getting them cut down into strips for various other projects. While cutting the pieces for each block out of one light and one dark shirt, I set aside the shirt back as if it were a FQ, just in case I need bigger pieces down the road, and cut up the fronts and sleeves and yokes into 2", 2.5" and 3.5" strips. Any small pieces left over are getting cut into squares of the same sizes. After cutting two shirts, I allow myself the pleasure of piecing a block, how kind of me to myself, huh?? *LOL* The drawers are filling with strips, the piles of shirts are going down, and I'm getting a quilt top in the process!

You can see in the trashcan how it is filled with the front buttonhole bands (can't get anything out of that!) and seams, and pieces that had really thick fusible interfacing on them for body. Everything else is useable! I've got a big zipper bag that a comforter came in that holds all the small weird stuff for string/crumb piecing. I can grab it and just start sewing!

Life is Good!

8 comments:

Donna said...

sounds like you've got a great system for staying focused and working through those shirts!

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

Life is Good indeed! There will be plenty of homes to choose from when you begin your search... and, don't worry about the future; everything will fall into place. I firmly believe that. Just remember who's in charge and you can relax. That works for me. I love your system, man do I seriously need some sewing therapy right about now!

Elaine Adair said...

With you moving, it seems I should be saying "goodbye" ... LOL, I am sure you will be up and running in no time again, probably within days, with your energy! "Hate to see you go" is a silly thing to utter, with this wonderful computerese and blogland.

I wish you ansmooth transition, and you KNOW how much I enjoy your blog. Hope you get your massage therapy business back quickly - adventures are always just around the corner, aren't they?

Oh, one more thing, my living room floor is covered, once again, with one of your quilt patterns .. the one with pinwheels, and 16 patches. Scrappy of course. Thanks again, for continually inspiring me to make the next quilt.

julieQ said...

Love those shirts!! Mine are still in a pile, aging appropriately. I hope you land safely and find a dream home in your new town.

JulieQ

atet said...

Those blocks are wonderful! And what a great use for the shirts. Here's a wish that your house hunting goes well, you find your dream home quickly, and you have a smooth move and transition!

Tazzie said...

You amaze me Bonnie, I'll never look at a man's shirt in the same way again. The blocks are just wonderful. I'm enjoying seeing them come together.
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Liz in Calgary said...

OMG. you have a comforter? lol.

I know what fun it is to collect mens shirts. My favs are the silk ones.

Liz

Textildog said...

Hello,
I just found your blog, but have been looking at your wonderful scrap quilts on your site. When I get lots of odds and ends like buttonhole bands and seams, I crochet rugs. No cost really, washable and easy to make and if they get too messy or ripped - just throw them away.

Post a Comment

If you are commenting as "anonymous" please leave your name at the end of your comment.

Did you know that ad space on this blog provides for all of the free patterns and free mysteries and challenges at no cost to you? Without ads, this blog would not be possible.

Thank you for understanding the many hours that go into this blog 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. :)