Leah Day's Explore Walking Foot Quilting: My "Rainbow Log Cabin" Part 17

Second corner - Done!

 +  = 139 minutes

Once I decided to get going this went very well....  I was more aware of the center area so think I worked it out so the lines might be centered there once the second side is complete.

I noted it took almost 12 minutes (of the 67 total) to mark the section. This is a stress free way to mark. Except for a break after the marking, all the sewing and burying of thread was done in one sitting. First I did the left side.

Then the right side

The second corner of the quilt is done!

 I was more mindful of the center slot so it is even and lines up with the piecing.

Of course the bobbin ran out the last 4 inches of the last line to be stitched.  I had to remove it and do two times before the stitches caught. But following Leah's directions, bet you can't see the place where this happened! (She has several videos on this. I believe this is the one that really helped me as it shows when she pulls the thread up it doesn't come up the same hole!)

Time to wind some more bobbins!

I'm behind in Leah's walking foot quilt along, but have been learning so much.  She will keep the videos up on her site so it's easy to follow along later.  Getting her book is a thank you to her for giving away the videos and a way to get extra information too.

Two more corners to go!

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Not Quilting 

I've been getting photos from a friend of her travels in Europe.  What fun to get to share and chat while she is in Brittany, or see photos from Paris and London.  She is a dedicated artist and also worked on some handwork in preparation for a class she will be teaching.  Wow! We are members of an online group that used to be so much fun, but now is either dark or filled with more people who are writing about how they don't understand the group.  So it's not as much fun as it was. But I met her thru the group as it was before so I'm very happy!  

I had a pleasant lunch out yesterday with a friend I made in person after following her online for a while... She happens to quilt too, that was the initial reason we met.  I so enjoy seeing what she is working on, and getting to know her.  Last time we visited, she showed me how to tie a knot for actual hand quilting, but I haven't practiced that yet.  

I have met six women online and then in person.  They have enriched my life. I wish we lived nearer.

• Audrey in MA
• Carolyn in Jamacia
• Shasta in OH
• Mary from Panama in CA
• Sujata from PA and CA in MD and CA
• Claire in CA

I feel such a need to finish up the various projects I started so many years ago.  I showed my luncheon friend the photo of the first corner completed of my current project and said how I had at least seven hours more quilting on the project, and she just said "Well, it takes time to make a quilt."  It's good to hear that perhaps I am not too slow at doing the quilting!  

Perhaps we are all working hours and hours at our cutting table and sewing machine.  Fiddling with color and placement. I can't figure out though how some people have so many new posts on new projects.  How do they do it?  It's more than time management, it's knowing some secret that I missed.  Ann Holmes shares sometimes on her YouTubes that she has an assistant who does various parts of her projects.  Hmm.  And now that I think of it, I remember Eleanor Burns sister sharing how in some of tapings she used to be the one precutting the pieces and picking up the fabric Eleanor threw over her shoulder.  Now Eleanor has at least one assistant all the time.  

When my husband and I were both working we used to joke about how we needed another wife to get everything done.... I guess some marriages are able split the chores so things get done promptly and well.  I sometimes think though that I didn't sign up to do something all the time, so instead of embracing it an enjoying it, I resist doing it, or put it off. But hey, if it's something that needs to be done, might as well enjoy doing it! Or at least try to enjoy it... But how are people able to do so many things and blog about it in detail too?  There is some secret life lesson that eludes me.

So here are the life lessons I am now aware of every day.

1. It will take longer for self-care as we age. I'm starting to have my nails done, hair cut, etc. on a more frequent basis - not on a regular basis. As long as I allow extra time for getting ready then I'm okay.
2. We need to actually do what ever we are going to do.  Reading and looking isn't as good as actually doing.  I can't believe what an enjoyable time suck it is to click around and read different posts and articles. But to really learn need to do.  Need to cut back on web surfing (and TV) and spend more time doing.
3. To develop a style need to start with a fresh ___ without clutter and excess.  Once the extra stuff is away, then there is space to have fun and decide what to add! I have many spartan areas in the house, as I'm still waiting for inspiration on what to have fun with and add... And I still have much paperwork to process (scan and shred). In quilting I think the clutter is learning the mechanics that interfere with the style, so I'm working on that.
4. It takes time to ______.  And I'm working on enjoying the process and time spent doing the process.  I heard a discussion on NPR how it takes 100 hours of interaction to make a friend, so it's not just things that take time, people do too! I'm devoting time to friendships too.
5. Keeping a written log to refer back to will help one see growth and changes.  I have enough history now in My Fitness Pal, Healthmate and Health now (1155 days and counting!) that I can look back and see what I was eating or doing and compare if I want to where I am now.  It would be even better if I could tag comments on days to pull up when I did something with someone, but since that isn't possible I stopped writing those notes in my account. Perhaps I should start up again in case their becomes a way to download that information...

Our son ate some bad food and was ever so ill this past week.  It is such a rare occurrence for this to happen.  It was scary. I thought for a while about taking him to the ER, but then remembered the last time I did that and how uncomfortable he was there.  One of my friends happened to call and she reminded me of BRAT - banana, rice, applesauce and toast.  What a life saver!  I added jello, saltines and clear soup and that really helped him on his way back.  Last night we added chicken and this morning he woke and was making a plate of food for himself of crackers and meat.  We had our weekly lunch together - although this time we got carry out and ate together at the table at home instead of eating out.  Things are almost back to normal for him. In the middle of his misery, I felt guilty that it felt good to get to be a mom. It's good to be needed and appreciated. And loved.