Yee Haw!

Getting settled into the new studio. I've been busy quilting and you can go on over to www.wendybquilts.blogspot.com to see those quilts. I'm still thinking about decorating the place but that may have to wait until after the holidays. You know what? I'm feeling lots better. In most areas. One quilt was giving me the blues, so I took off Saturday afternoon and Sunday to not do anything quilt related. I refused to think about quilts. I watched a series from Australia on Netflix, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, worked on my mitten, and read. I went back into the studio yesterday and finished the unruly quilt. It turned out quite well. But... but, I did something else that I hadn't done in years. I did some sketching on some new zombie Christmas ornaments. It didn't stop there. I made a pattern, got fabric, cut out and sewed five of the little buggers. I stuffed them when I got back to the apartment and will attach heads today.

I can't believe I created something else in the studio that wasn't quilt related. It felt really good to go from sketch to actually putting something together. Usually I just sketch and put them away. Into a sketch purgatory. I should rescue them. So I'm still here. Got a busy day today. Lots of running around. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Today- No Pic Post

Another post I wrote this morning before the sun came up.

How do I feel today? Okay. Just thinking about today and what needs to be done. Still working on finding my happy again. That will take time. Still battling with not hating. My mitten class last night went well. There were only two students. We laughed. that was a good thing to do. The other two students will join us next week. I'm not far ahead on my mitten but as soon as I get a little more done, I will show some pics. I now know that I can't have years in between knitting projects. My fingers and shoulder are killing me. Now, I really have to finish my jacket. I've been given a reprieve in the temps. It warmed up again but I know more cold is coming.

One good thing today. I get paid for longarming a quilt I finished yesterday. I'm not going to wonder or worry if I'll ever get to a point where I don't have to wonder or worry about paying bills. It is what it is. Also today, I will start my second business venture. I don't know if it will work. But hey, you only live once. Might as well give it a shot.
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My NANO piece is coming along or I should say pieces. The last time I succeeded at NANO, I started off with three different stories. If I got stuck on one, I could work on another. I need 50,000 words to make the goal of writing a rough draft of a novel in a month. One story eventually took over and I reached my goal. Surprisingly, that story was supposed to be a short story. Go figure. This time I have two novel ideas (adult), one short story (adult), and one mid-grade kid story. So we'll see which one wins.

One the docket today:
- put borders on Bargello quilt
- put together my next Tula Pink block
- put the collar on my jacket

I only got to the first one today. Will be working on some new stuff this evening. Toodles!

Something New

As if I don't have enough to do. Or maybe not. I bought some alpaca yarn a few years back to make some fingerless gloves with mitten flaps. I waited those years before someone decided to hold a class and I signed up. The instructor is using the Magic Loop method of knitting. I hadn't done that but how difficult could it be? I've been knitting off and on since I was about eight years old. So I taught myself. You Tube is amazing. Watched several different people do it, picked a person, one I could tolerate their voice, and did it.

I made a nice swatch.

Yesterday

I wrote this post yesterday. Got busy once I got to the apartment and wasn't able to post. So here it is today.

Okay, what's going on? I never thought that I would be a longarmer. Seriously. I do like doing it once I get started. Kind of like writing. But life really likes to keep you on your toes. Just when you think you can breathe, some huge troll body slams you, then you get hit by a wagon and tromped on by a stampede of baby goats. You wonder where the heck did that come from? What had I done or hadn't done? Why is there no break? I guess I should stop asking that question because there doesn't seem to be an answer. Or if there is one, I keep missing it. So what is one to do? I've tried many things and it all comes back to me being body slammed by life.

I'm sitting in Hoots Beer Company after a day in the studio. I'm working very hard not to burst into tears. I really couldn't afford this wonderful fall Mild Session Ale but I survived this past week, dug into my purse and truck for funds and I'm having one. I wonder how much longer I'll have to struggle? But that's not the point. You're supposed to enjoy the moment, where you are, each day. So I enjoyed working on the longarm today. Trying to keep my thoughts on the quilt before me. It's a beautiful quilt and the person who put it together is a wonderful person. She makes me laugh and she likes my work and appreciates me quilting for her. She is a cheerful person. I... am not. I'm a brooder, a worrier. I hide it well. I have many masks. I'm always asking why? Maybe I should change that because I won't get any answers. I guess that's what makes this planet go round. The different people and their different tempers. I don't mean anger but their tempers of being. I thought I had a handle on being me. Basically minding my own business. Helping those who want it when I can. But then things happen and even though you're on your guard, you get side swiped. On a regular basis. You feel stupid for falling for it. Again. A different wolf in sheep's clothing. You begin to doubt who you are and what you're doing on this rock.

And there are still no answers. I'm too goofy to give up. I still have time left. Maybe. So what do I do? To keep moving onward? I will have to come up with other income streams. I'm no good in retail, food service, or any type of corporate or government job. I am a creative person and I will work with my assets. My talents. My tenacity and stubborness.

The clouds are lifting. I can take one day at a time. That's all I can do. Don't plan too far into the future. That's a kill joy, especially when life just ants to play April Fool's jokes on you throughout the year. But that's okay. I've been knocked down before and I continue to get up. Getting knocked down will continue to happen because that is life. So I will search for the happy in each moment, during the day and keep treading.

Nice Day Today

I went to the Catawba Quilter's Guild Show today in Hickory, North Carolina. It was really nice. 278 quilts were judged and on display. I saw every quilt but only took a few pics. And went to most of the vendors. I got some fabrics for upcoming projects. Some felted wool fabric and some cottons.

From the quilt show, I went down the hall to the woodworking show (which was free, can't pass up a free event) put on by Klingspor's Woodworking Shop. Years ago, I used to do woodcarving. I really liked it and want to get back to it. I'll have to figure out how and I did find out there was a woodworking club right here in town. I met a lady who had a table there who just wanted to show people what she did which was making her own rubber stamps. I couldn't believe the detail she got in her pieces. She let me try and I made my first rubber stamp using my own drawing. So many ideas are crowding my head.

Is that cool or what?

#quiltshow #fabric #feltedwool #rubberstamp

Lists

Today is list day. Yes, I'm a lister. I make lists. There was a short period of time when I didn't make lists and I was so confused and got absolutely nothing done. Some people don't need to make lists. I'm not one of them. Even if I don't get to everything on the list, I have something to work from. I have these lists:

• things to buy for the apartment and studio which I keep in my purse for when I'm out and about
• one for business quilts
• one for non-business quilts and quilting projects
• stories to work on
• projects to start
• ideas to promote my longarm business
• posts to write

Some lists are detailed. Big projects are broken down into smaller steps so that I won't feel overwhelmed and not think that I can get things done. There's a list for the whole month and if I think about it, one for each week. Sometimes I get through them all, sometimes I don't. But when I do feel overwhelmed, I close my eyes and point to something on a list and that's what I work on. Even if it's for only ten minutes.

Fun!

Being in the studio on the regular can be exciting but it can also be lonely. No one to talk to. No one to bounce ideas around with. Most times I get tucked into a project and when I look up, it's time to go home. Other times it can get to be like watching paint dry. So part of today, I will be making lists of what needs to get done, projects that need to be started and worked on, and things I would like to try.

But yesterday I had fun. I can't remember the last time I actually went out and had fun. I was invited to a Bottling Party at Sutler's Spirits. A legal distillery, the only one in town. They distill run and gin. Well, we bottled 88 cases of gin. It was a blast. We got a brief history on distilling, how Sutler's distills, and how their equipment works. Then we got to work. It was so much fun!

These barrels are full of rum.

On the little stand were the botanicals (lavender, elderberry, and others) used to flavor and make the gin.

Scott, our leader, giving us the run down on how the stills work.

The large still in the front with the round section is for distilling the rum. The one behind it is for distilling the gin.

Me and two other ladies applying labels to the bottles.

Here are the 88 cases we bottled, labeled, and packaged.

And this is what I got for my efforts. The members of the party were nice. There was lots of laughter, good snacks; I had a good time.

Today

I wrote this this morning and just getting a chance to post it now.

It's Thursday and my second full day at the new studio. I am excited. Still meeting neighbors. There's so much I can do to decorate but I've got other projects to start, work on, and finish. No running around on errands today. Lots on the docket.

• stitch down binding on a lap quilt
• start cutting 2 1/2 inch squares of scrap fabric for some paper piecing which I've never done before
• design some doll clothes
• cut out a few more Halloween dolls
• start some mug rugs
• figure out some Halloween/Christmas ornaments
• start a Tula Pink square from her book 100 Modern Quilt Blocks
• prep for NANO, yes, I'm attempting it again. I seem to hit every other year and this is that year.
• work on Sashiko

I've crossed over what I got done so far today. There are still a few more hours before bed where I can work on some other things after dinner. But, I do not like moving. I can't find a project I've been working on and I know I packed it but can't find it. Looked all over and nothing. Very frustrated. Of course it's a small project too. Ugh! Oh well, I'm sure it will show up. I hope it shows up now that I've figured out what to do with it.

Two and a half inch squares to paper piecing.

Colors selection for Tula Pink pattern number 9.