Thursday, November 29th, 2012

November 29, 2012

Thursday

5:48am

            I just got up maybe 15 minutes ago, just long enough for the coffee pot to finish making. I grabbed a bottle of water, and have been sitting here, in la la land ever since. I just woke up Brian, and made him a cup of coffee. Hopefully, he’ll be out of the bed here in just a minute.

            I don’t think I’m going to walk this morning, simply because I took a shower last night, and would have to shower again after my walk this morning, if I so choose to do that, because I have an appointment this morning at 9am, and then I go to Mrs. Clara’s home right after, for a little sewing, and will be meeting a few ladies for the first time.

            I’m thinking I’m going to have to bring a sewing table, my sewing machine, and fabrics to do some sewing today. I know I’m going to bring the baby blanket for Leslie, and the back and batting, and probably the fabric I’m going to use for the binding, to finish it today, and get it quilted at Mrs. Clara’s home. And that reminds me, I’m going to have to stop at Walmart and pick up some green and blue thread today, before I go over. I might also need to bring my sewing machine, and my small portable table, just in case. I have one more quilt top done, and I’ll probably bring it as well, just in case I’m able to start on it today, so I’m going to need to pick up some pink thread as well, and decide what color to put on the multicolored back, probably purple or pink, I’m going to have to look at it.

            Granny’s coming today, so I’ve got to take her some balsamic vinegar, and print her out that recipe first thing this morning at Mama’s, and print a colored copy of that pattern I’m doing for Grandma, so I can give Granny her book back.

8:31pm

            Oh, what a day! I got everything done I planned to do, and then left at 8:45 to meet with Mrs. Cynthia at the Louisiana Workforce Commission, to see about getting a grant to start my own business in cattle farming. She was very nice, and I was there for about an hour, filling out paperwork, and discussing the business. I left there and stopped by Walmart for thread, ran by Mama & Daddy’s to see Brian and tell him about the meeting, and then was off to Mrs. Clara’s.

            I finally got to meet Mrs. Clara in person, and gave her a hug, and she brought me into her absolutely awesome sewing building, full of everything quilting. I met Mrs. Harriet first, and she was glad to meet me and full of smiles. Mrs. Nancy waved from behind the quilting machine, but couldn’t stop, as she was in the middle of a run.

            Mrs. Clara showed me a book of pictures of the quilts she has made, and I looked on, interested, and amazed at how pretty they were.  Mrs. Clara asked if I brought my sewing machine, and thank goodness, I had, and ran got it out of the car, along with some of the squares I had already cut, scissors, pins, and thread.

            Mrs. Harriet showed brought out  a quilt made many, many years ago, that she had quilted for a friend, and put a binding on, and it was beautiful. All the material was really old, though it still held it’s color as if it had been bought yesterday. I was interested in how neatly the binding was done, and asked her to show me how, and she began explaining some of the process, but promised to show me more later.

            I began by showing Mrs. Clara my blocks, and she jumped right in, and started teaching me about pressing the seams at every step.  Since Mrs. Harriet had the iron, she showed me the technique, and I soon realized…..I have a lot to learn.  Both Mrs. Clara and Mrs. Harriet also suggested I start doing everything in strips, and though my Granny had told me this before, I didn’t really understand the importance, and how much time it saves until today, and will continue this quilt doing my cutting and sewing that way, and hopefully save a lot of time.

            I sat down to sew, and Mrs. Clara offered me coffee, and I was very glad for that, as coffee and sewing are both right up my alley. I sewed a little while, and then Mrs. Stella came in, and I met her. I continued sewing until a little while later, and felt the need to see Brian, so I decided it was time to go.

            Before I left, I showed the ladies both the baby blankets, and pink/orange girly quilt I made. They said I did a pretty good job, and explained another way to do the binding, but I think they liked them. Mrs. Clara showed me how to square up my quilt, and pinned the middle of the top and bottom, to get it ready for quilting. We packed everything up, and Mrs. Harriet gave me a few clear plastic zippered bags to put my stuff in, and helped me get everything out to the car. I hugged both Mrs. Harriet and Mrs. Clara, and got an invite to come back this Tuesday, for more sewing and instruction. J

            I made it back to work just in time to catch Granny, who was pleased that I had learned so much today. I kissed Brian, and they were all eating breakfast of bacon and eggs, so Mama put on another couple eggs and bacon for me, and I was soon full and fed.

            It was time for a nap, so I slept til about 2:30, and when I woke, Daddy was gone to pick up a trailer, Mama was at the doctors office, and Brian was watching a tv show on the computer. I made a cup of coffee and checked facebook. Prayers for Sophie and Rhonda today, as Sophie is in need of healing, and Rhonda is going through a period of grief.

            Granny called, and said she had figured out how to do her quilt,  instructed an easier way to put together my squares, by sewing in a long line, instead of cutting the thread each time I sew. I was glad for Granny, and promised to try technique today, as I was planning on sewing some more this afternoon.

            Sure enough, Granny’s technique worked, and I got 12 sections done in no time at all. I was running out of fabric, so I decided to go ahead and go to Hancock’s this afternoon, and buy the rest of it. It was 4 oclock, but Brian said I could go ahead and go, even though I would be picking him up late from work! I wanted to go today, because I might not be dressed tomorrow to go anywhere, so I decided to go ahead and go.

            I made it Hancock’s, bought my fabric, and even found some on sale for a dollar a yard. I picked up Brian and we headed home, and had egg rolls and taquitos again tonight for dinner. Bacon (80) eggs (200) toast (160) fig perserves (100) egg rolls (420) sweet & sour sauce (120) crackers (140) laughing cow cheese ( 120) coffee (300)=1640. And I didn’t walk today, and I’m really, really missing it, and could really use the stress relief. But it’s almost 10pm, and I’m just not going to do it now.