TALES OF AN OBSESSED QUILTER

All I have to do is walk into my sewing room and it’s like I’ve entered a time machine where big chunks of time go whizzing by while I’m lost in another world.  The same thing happens to me whenever I start designing a new quilt pattern on EQ8 on the computer, which happens to be sitting right next to my sewing machine.  Yes, entering that room definitely has an affect on me.

Ever since summer ended and there are no more pool and beach days to take up my free time I’ve noticed my pace has picked up in whatever I’m doing.  Seems the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are gone for another year and I’m trying to make up for some lost time.  At least that’s my theory for why I’ve been sewing and designing at a fever pitch recently.

Which brings me to the present time of writing something for my blog, which I realized I’ve sorely neglected in my designing/sewing frenzy of the past two months.

Now don’t get me wrong, I certainly don’t spend every waking moment at either my computer or sewing machine.  The gym is still top priority every morning.  An hour workout is what gives me the energy to do the things I love in life.  But my key to getting out the door in the morning is to NOT ENTER THE SEWING ROOM!!  Honestly, if i just walk in there to peek at something, it’s another hour before I leave for the gym. 

Then there are the things we all have to do such as shopping, errands, doctor/dental appointments, lunch dates, etc. etc.  Some weeks there’s not a lot of free time left, while other weeks there’s lots of free days.  And I’ve been making sure I get as much done as I can whenever I’m able.  So for the past two months I’ve managed to design and sew quite a few of my projects.  I’ve also quilted a few UFOs and shared them at my monthly quilt guild meetings recently. 

 

In fact, yesterday at our monthly meeting I shared another one of my projects.  That one sat has sat for almost a month waiting for the binding to be done, while I worked on more interesting things.  Then this past Friday I decided I really wanted to finish it so I could show it at the guild meeting.  All I had time for on Friday was to cut the binding, piece it together, iron it, and get it sewn on the front of the quilt.  Later that evening I folded it over to the other side and put clips on it, but that was as far as I could go.  My right eye was so bloodshot and sore from the 16% humidity that I had to stop any close up work.  So the next morning I was determined to get that quilt binding done!  

My husband and I always enjoy having breakfast together each morning.  Some mornings it’s more rushed because one of us has an appointment, so it wasn’t unusual that I was in a bit of a hurry yesterday morning.  I finished and went to shower and get ready for my meeting.  I had rushed enough that I had one half hour with which to get that binding sewn on.  With no time to hand sew it on I did what any quilter in my position would have done…….I sewed it on using my sewing machine.  I got it done in less than a half hour too!  When I walked downstairs I proudly announced to my husband, “I got my quilt done so I can bring it to show and tell at my meeting.”  He looked at me, smiled and jokingly said, “You really are obsessed!”

And I did show it at my meeting yesterday, even though it had threads hanging from it.  Seems I needed one half hour more to bury all my threads.  Yes, I admit it, I am obsessed with what I love to do!