This morning I got up and went downstairs and turned on the lamp under which I read and stitch while I watch tv. (Yes, I do read and watch tv at the same time.) The lightbulb promptly burned out. I immediately got resentful. In this house, changing lightbulbs is my husband's job just as if a button comes off his shirt, sewing it back on is my job. We can both easily change a bulb or sew on a button, but he is the "expert" in electricity, ladders, etc., and I am the "expert" in sewing, needles, etc. I quickly and easily changed the bulb myself but I was still resentful. Not that I had to do it, but because when living through a deployment, the "missing" and the "hardship" etc. settles down to an annoyance level. Like static on a radio station. Over time, you learn to put up with it. Big things happen, too, sometimes, like the car breaks down or someone gets hurt and it would be nice to have that partner to help out, to lean on. But I have learned to expect those big events, and they are usually so fraught with frustration and other strong feelings, that I am focused on problem solving. To me, the hard things are those little things, like a burnt out bulb or a centipede in the house (ok, maybe that isn't such a small thing) that make me resentful because it is like Life saying "ha ha ha ha ha, your husband is deployed!" Yep, life taunted me and I was resentful. Until I remembered that I'm no ordinary wife. I'm an Army wife! So I stuck out my tongue at Life and said, "Yea, well, up your nose with a rubber hose!" I feel better now.
Yesterday I worked on finishing machine quilting another quilt and hand sewing binding. Again. Still. I did so while watching "Waking the Dead." on Netflix. "Waking the Dead" is a British crime show sort of like combining Cold Case Files and CSI. I like watching British crime shows because they seem to have writers who do not copy other show's plots and are not always predictable. In otherwords, there is occasionally a plot twist that I didn't already figure out 10 minutes into the show. Waking the Dead episodes also seem to be in two parts, so two hours allow for more plot development. But since this is a mostly quilt-related blog, let's get on to the quilts:
Anyone out there read this book?
I did! It was out last summer, but it wasn't until fall that I discovered that the author, Jennifer Chiaverini, had designed a fabric line for Red Rooster based on the book. So a fabric line came out featuring Hawaiian quilts/quilting and no quilt shops in Hawaii carried it or knew about it? Hmm, and I was surprised when one local shop went out of business...
Red Rooster also has a free pattern for a quilt using this fabric. You can find it
here. I liked it and set about searching for the fabric, but had trouble finding all I needed online. I finally found a kit and a place to order some extra border and panel fabric (the panel features the stamped/stenciled looking hawaiian quilt patterns) so I got them. Then at Christmas time I was on the mainland and in a quilt shop in Shipshewana, I discovered more border and panel fabric. I passed it up at the time, but while over at the Blue Gate, eating chicken and noodles (is is an experience like none other--trust me) I decided that I could go back and get some more and use the opportunity to match other fabrics (not in the line, since the shop didn't have those) to the border and panel so I could make additional quilts other than the kit I got which makes one. I knew those quilts would be popular here. So after finishing my lunch, but skipping the pie (a huge mistake but I was way too full) I went back and using my smartphone, figured out what I needed and how much.
So early this year I started. I made 6 center medallions and then something interferred. Maybe a deployment?! And I put them away. I got them back out a month ago and finished. Here is how one looks:
But I didn't stop there. I made three more.
Two are completely finished (with hanging sleeve and everything!) while I still am stitching binding on the other two. So now I'm off to watch more British television and stitch under my bright new lightbulb!
Aloha,
JoAnne
I just finished that book! I really enjoyed it!
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