Adventures in Aviation!

Yesterday I had a great day with Friend-Jen, showing her how to paper piece! This is her first block, one of many...for an airplane quilt for her son! See the sections? Yeah, she didn't choose the easiest, there are weird angles etc...but she is a trooper!

First, we took the pattern and labeled the sections. We also figured which size of strips the pieces would each come from.

And then we took another pattern and cut it apart, using some of the pieces as patterns to rough-cut so she wouldn't have to guess the placement on some of these weird angles, mostly in the background pieces. This also helps eliminate waste as well as helps placement!

And then we set to sewing!



This is the first block, DONE! As of an email I got this morning, she is up to 5...nearly a whole squadron! It's going to be so cute, what growing boy wouldn't like a quilt with these planes on it? They finish about 10" square...

I wish I was having as much fun with my flights today as we were with Jen's airplanes yesterday. :cP

You know, 3:45am comes AWFUL EARLY....and we were a bit late leaving Greensboro. I thought to myself...not a problem...plenty of layover...and I found my gate at Dulles with about 15 minutes til boarding. Just enough time to head to the powder room, get all in order.

We boarded the plane (And I got bumped up to first class...WHOOOOO!!) and all systems "SEEMED" go. Safety demos were presented, the pilot came over the loud speaker and told the flight attendants to take their seats and prepare for take off...we had taxied all the way out..and then...

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a sick passenger on board, we are returning to gate for medical help." WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Of course, we more than anything wanted well for this passenger, and if they needed medical attention, of course...

The thing is...I "saw" this lady when we were at the gate. She was wearing a blue medical mask. She was hacking and coughing and blowing her nose and looking miserable. In my opinion, should she even have thought to travel today? What was she thinking? Is that mask really going to keep her from polluting the rest of us with whatever she was suffering from? I moved to the other side of the gate before boarding. When they said over the loud speaker that a passenger was ill, I knew it was her. I just knew it. Why was she let on the plane?

So...we head back to the gate. we park on the tarmack for at least 30 minutes because no gate was available. When we finally get there, there is an ambulance waiting, there is paper work to be filled out, and all that goes with having to update our flight plan. 1.5 hours......auughh! We would have been 1/2 way to Houston by the time we could finally take off.

This means that a WHOLE AIRBUS 321 full of passengers MISSED THEIR CONNECTIONS...because one passenger thought they could fly while they were sick. AND..we have all now been coughed on and breathed this same air. Do I sound a bit paranoid? I hope not! I just hope that if I were "THAT" sick, that I would think twice before traveling. I don't know what the story is, or why she was traveling alone and so ill...but.....

At any rate, I hope she gets the help she needs.

So! We got underway, and the upside was:



BREAKFAST!!

OMGoodnes...I feel like I have never been SO HUNGRY in my life. I hadn't eaten anything since about 5:30pm last night. This morning I set my alarm for 3:45, and had time for a shower and a bit of packing of the toiletries before leaving the house at 4:15am! I honestly thought I'd get something in Dulles, but we were late, so no time..after I got the upgrade, I knew there would be munchies on the plane, but then the delay and return to gate, and waiting, and I didn't pack any munchies in my bag! I usually travel with a couple apples..but....forgot!

Needless to say, when the flight attendant asked if I wanted breakfast, my answer was, "How fast can you serve it!?" LOL!

You'll notice there are some hexagons on the left of my plate on the tray!Yes, there has been much hexagon sewing this morning too...and it will continue. Thank heavens for busy-bags! ((And busy hands...))

I did miss my flight to Harlingen, but I've found a comfy spot to plug in, catch up on mail, charge my phone, sew a bit...and of course, I can always power walk the terminals. There will be time for sleeping later!

And now for some exciting news!



Tonya's book is ALMOST OUT!! I am so excited I can hardly stand myself. It was Tonya who taught me these techniques back when we were in the same guild when she lived in Georgia and I in South Carolina. One weekend when both of our hubbies were out of town, she came and spent the weekend and changed my life forever with one simple tutorial..."Just piece your name" She said...yeah....sure....and a whole new world opened up to me! I'm so proud of her and getting this book underway...

And to top it off, I'm going to be selling Tonya's books on my site! WHOOOOO! I'll let you know as soon as I know when I can expect them to be in, and added to the Quiltville book store. My own book will be out in early Feb, so we will have more great things you will want to have.

I'm going to start pre-orders for Scraps & Shirttails II on Jan 1st, and hopefully I'll have more info on Word Play Quilts (maybe even have them in stock) So you can order them at the same time.

It's going to be a great new year full of Quilty Goodness!