~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
{pretty}
I call this her “snow bunny” look, even though we don't have any snow here. In fact, any given 10-day forecast around here has been likely to include temperatures in the teens as well as some in the 70s. Crazy, I know.
{happy}
I love it when my kids hang out with me in the kitchen while I work, helping me and “helping” me. They're both in very independent zones right now, and want to be included in everything. Pippo is actually getting pretty legitimately useful — he's recently started making his own scrambled eggs in the morning (with supervision, and often with help on the trickier parts, but he's done it entirely on his own at least once now). Molly mostly tries to grab things and play in the sink. (Goodness, does she love playing in the sink!)
Of course, they're just as likely to drive me crazy when they're there — especially when they bring that second stool into my little kitchen: it just doesn't leave very much room for me! I snuck in to make some muffins the other day while they were playing nicely in the other room, and was astounded at how quickly I mixed them up and got them in the oven on my own.
{funny}
Last Monday I woke up and realized that it was going to be one of those crazy 70-degree January days, and that it was also a free admission day at the zoo. I figured that meant we pretty much had to go, so we packed up some sandwiches and hit the road. (The zoo is over an hour away; I am not usually Spontaneous Far-Away Fun Mom. But I was trying.)
This is how they would've gone through the whole zoo if I'd let them. Molly pushing the stroller using the axle as a handle (can you even think of a less comfortable thing to do??), Pippo perched on the front, inspecting the map to see where we should go next.
I'm just glad that they both were able to enjoy the views of all the animals.
{real}
Speaking of needing a textile-hoarding intervention…
Actually, I'm trying to be good. I have my fabric stash confined to a limited area, and have already recognized that I have a problem. I haven't bought any new fabric in ages (make that a very whiny aaaages), and have been working exclusively out of my stash now for months. But I recently walked through the fabric store and realized that there's so much cute fabric out there, and I need to do some serious stash-busting so that I can move on to more projects!
So, one naptime, I pulled out fabric until I found two that looked really cute together, quickly and vaguely planned out a simple, bright, adorable baby quilt, cut out the pieces, and sewed together my squares. All in an hour! I was so pleased with myself. And then I laid it all out on the floor, and it looked…
Bad. So lame. Like a barnyard-themed wallpaper border in quilt form.
Ok, I thought. I can fix this. I'll just add these other cute fabrics to it to brighten it up. And they did! So much better. But then I spread them out on the floor again, and just couldn't figure out how to arrange my 20 squares without ending up with a line of incomplete pinwheels or crosses in the last row. (Of course, the sole point of this quilt is to use up my fabric, so I have none left to make more blocks. I could make a square quilt, I guess… but it's too late for that now.) I did find one configuration that looked like it might be acceptably cute and complete, so snapped a photo with my phone before rearranging again. When I looked back at the picture, I realized that in that arrangement, the red pieces in the blocks were forming… swastikas. Nevermind.
Ok, new plan. I decide that I can cut the blocks in half on the diagonal, sew them together the other way, and then they will go together perfectly. Simple dimple. (Never mind that this has already taken approximately 4 more naptimes than I had originally planned.) I just have to pay careful attention to cut them this way, not that way, or it won't work.
Of course, as you've already anticipated, on block 16, I pay only 74% attention and cut it the wrong way. I spend a few short minutes cursing the heavens, and then quickly decide that the thing to do is to cut all the blocks into narrow diagonal strips and sew them together, end-to-end. (Obviously. Why don't you just cut your project up into little bits, crazy pregnant lady??!) Then I'll either piece the strips together and end up with a scrappy-looking quilt or leave them, and have a million miles of pieced bias binding that may or may not coordinate with any other project.
Or I could shove the whole thing into a bag in the back of the closet (or the trash) and move on with my life.
Should I keep plugging along? I'm fairly confident at this point that I will end up with something relatively attractive, but then again, I am also the one who made all the other decisions along the way that got me to this point. I realize that this entire process has been minimally rational. Save me from myself!
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Diane says
I’ve been working on stash busting for years. The “no new fabric” rule has been firmly in place, but that didn’t include “no cute new *kits*”. Therefore, I’ve made a lot of quilts, but the stash has only gone down 50% (and a good portion of that was due to donating fabrics that were no longer my taste to Project Linus).
My vote is to piece what you have and call it a scrap quilt. By the way, the “swastika” was a legitimate quilt pattern before the Nazis co-opted it and made it evil. I looked up the history once, here: http://quiltbabe8.blogspot.com/search?q=swastika
Rosie says
I think I did know that about the swastika, and can see why it would be a quilt pattern – it certainly does pop up naturally!
Margo, Thrift at Home says
love the story of your quilt journey – you make me laugh! I think you have to ask yourself if you WANT to spend more time with this fabric or if you are heartily sick of it already. Around here, we have a fabulous shop called a creative reuse shop that takes all kinds of sewing room disasters and scraps, like a thrift store for crafters. That’s what I do with my crazy projects that went awry that I can’t bear to spend more time on.
I think I’ve been sewing out of my stash for years, but in fact, I keep buying “Necessary fabric” which means stuff for kids’ clothes or pajamas. . . .needless to say, my stash grows never smaller, even confined to its closet space as it is.
Rosie says
That shop is a fabulous idea. I wish we had something like that here!
Tamara says
That store sounds fabulous!
Mary says
Laughing with you at your quilt frustration. Why do those small pieces of fabric control us so much?
Your kids are so cute. The kitchen helping time is worth it though. I didn’t spend time in the kitchen when I was little (except my chore was cleaning) so it took years to get comfortable in my own kitchen. I let my kids get comfortable young and now many help take over cooking for me. It pays off later. 🙂
Julie says
Ha! I do that with my painting, just add a little more here, something to balance it out on the other side, a little extra here, and then all of the sudden it’s too busy. Now I have to re-do the background entirely, now refinish those dots. Always over thinking it and thinking of making something just a teensy bit better. Takes me oh, so, long, and by then I am over it, and I want to chuck it out the window.
Betsy M says
That is very funny about the quilt. It sounds just like a situation I would get myself into! If it were me I would finish it up and try not to analyse the finished product too much. I keep telling myself that only God is perfect and therefor all of my mistakes, or the imperfections that are showing up all over in my life, just help to keep me humble.
Mary says
Ooh…I vote finish if it’s not a temptation to stress. If you just reorient it to a ‘pregnancy project’ rather than a ‘must destash now’ project, it may redeem itself? And then it could be a gift for the baby?
Denise T. says
Your daughter in that fur hood just made me laugh out loud. What a cutie! And the stroller sure brought back memories. A stroller is the best carry all in the world. When we finally didn’t need to use one anymore, we were lost at the farmer’s market…..no place to put all our bags. Thank you for bringing back some very nice memories.
Rosie says
It’s so true. I knew they wouldn’t spend much time actually *in* the stroller, but couldn’t possibly not bring it. How would I carry the water bottles??
Tamara says
So wise! 🙂 Really I don’t think it is ever a good idea to be without some sort of baby carrying contraption- be it a stroller or Ergo or whatever. I have never regretted having one with me but I have definitely regretted NOT having one.
Mary Lou says
Oh my goodness … Like Mother, like daughter sense of humor … such a good thing! You are all saving us with your good cheer ! Love you to pieces 🙂
Kirsten says
OY! The kids in the kitchen. I know they should be there helping but golly it really makes me work on the virtue of patience. While they are all in their helping I try to think of the memories they are making and how they will always remember helping mom in the kitchen. My own mom(God bless her) made me watch her from the other side of our pass through to the dining room. I remember how I wish I could have used the mixer or crack the eggs. So that is what I think of when I think of how much faster it would be if I could just do it myself. You’re doing a great job!!
Julie says
I may or not have a few of those quilting projects laying around, too!
Juanita says
I don’t usually laugh out loud when reading but your quilt episode… Perhaps it sounded to familiar.
Jenn says
Love the shot of your daughter. Such a cutie!
And the zoo! Thanks for the laugh this morning. 🙂
Emily says
Oh Rosie, I laughed SO hard at your “real”! Real, indeed! I have so often started projects that seemed “quick and easy!” Only to have everything go wrong and they then take days and days and days… 🙂 How is your prenancy going, btw, are you feeling good? I just said a prayer for you this morning. 🙂
Rosie says
Thank you so much, Emily! I am feeling… large, uncomfortable, exhausted… great! (Nearly 32 weeks now!)
Kate says
You are in Project Failure Denial! Put all the pieces in a bag and donate it to a thrift store. I guarantee some very clever, elderly quilting queen will snatch it up and make something of it. At this point the project represents “frustrating and wasted time” to you, so start fresh with a project that doesn’t require too many brain cells (after all, you are making a human being). I have totally been there.
Krista says
“I figured that meant we pretty much had to go, so we packed up some sandwiches and hit the road. (The zoo is over an hour away; I am not usually Spontaneous Far-Away Fun Mom. But I was trying.)”
Respect! Or, as some of my children and I would say: #Respect. I can only gape in wonderment at SFAF Moms.
Maurisa says
What a sweet little face she has. Love the photo of the two hanging over the sink. Mine love to do that too!
Joy in Alabama says
The picture of Molly is CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!!! I love seeing all the children in the family!! Thank you for posting.
And your quilt story has me laughing so hard. I would put it in the back of the closet until a year or two from now when I would throw it away. The holding place in the closet is like leftovers in the refrigerator – a holding place until I can throw it away without too much guilt. ha
Melanie says
Tulsa Zoo?? We live in Arkansas, that is our closest zoo…I recognize that crazy weather pattern!:)
Rosie says
Oklahoma City… Tulsa is probably 4 hours from us. I’m not that spontaneous! 🙂
Cammie says
I vote for you to keep going on the quilt too! Sometimes I think that my favorite sewing and quilting projects are the ones where something has gone horrible wrong and I keep going and just make up what I’m doing along the way. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.
Emilee says
I have a lovely lady at church who sometimes fixes my sewing problems for me. So, perhaps letting someone IRL look at it might be a step. But, really, I think you should put it away for a week. Do a small project you know you will be successful at in the mean time. Napkins, a tea towel, maybe a simple pillow cover. Then look at the quilt, and if you are still angry with it, get rid of it. You probably will still be angry with it when it’s complete.
Lauren says
Oh you made my day! I was laughing so much! This happens to me all the time. (Umm…like right now…I am trying to make three sets of pajamas for my little boys…you know…that I was going to give them for Christmas!) My last quilt sounds exactly like this one. It is nice to know that I am not the only one!
Suzette says
I’m not gonna lie, I have thrown away my fair share of sewing projects, well, a very generous share as I’m still very much amateur, and I don’t think I’ve ever regretted it. It would be a very straight-away method for purging that bit of that stash! But, if onward you go, best of luck!!
Julie says
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you for making me laugh so much with the quilt project narration. Been there, done almost exactly that. 😀 And I am just about to go do some promised baking with my older son (3.5). I love to have them do things with me in the kitchen, but it also gives me so much anxiety, sometimes I avoid it. The photo of your littles and their stools captures the sweetness of it so well, it’s inspiring to me, to take a deep breath and keep trying to say yes and involve them rather than listening to my ‘no!’ of nameless fears. 🙂
Woman of the House says
Sweet little snow bunny! You are a blessed mama with your two little ones. 🙂 Maybe put the quilt away for a bit and try again later? Sometimes I do that if I get stuck, and when I come back to it, I see it with fresh eyes and all works out.