January 25: What I Accomplished Today

I was fairly certain that even though I am not good at taking naps I would have one today since I was out of bed about 4:00 AM.  I did not.  Instead I did everything on my list and a little more.

Once I went into my studio to quilt the QOV, I decided that the moon must be full or lack of sleep was making my brain fuzzy.  After 6 broken threads, I was really frustrated and working hard to remember that I really love quilting.  I took a short break and read a chapter in my carving book.  Back to the studio and a complete rework of the threading.  Another breaking thread, and then I realized I had not changed my needle for 3 small quilts, so.... Amazing what a difference it makes.   I trimmed and attached the binding.  That means I did all the things on my list for quilting today.

Just a thought:  Many times when I do a QOV I do loops and homework stars.  As a former teacher, I used stars to show good effort and willingness to go a little beyond "just doing it", and when I explained my thinking to my husband he thought the stars made sense as well.  I like the texture of the stars and loops after the quilt has been washed, as well. 

After lunch, I read a little more in my carving book and then spent the afternoon making shavings, so to speak.  I did a little work on the shamrock, but was focused on the idea of excavating unwanted wood from around objects with curved and pointed sides.  Suffice it to say that I altered my design repeatedly as I remove yet another point, etc.  Decided that I really needed more control so started using the mallet for better accuracy.  Seems to be working, but the design certainly has changed.

When my granddaughter Zoe was much younger, she did not know how to tell me she needed a break from playing and goofing.  I was not much help with just knowing, so she would simply tell me in a grouchy little voice, "Go outside!"  Being who I am, I would scoop her up and take her with me.  That is how we discovered the moon and stars.  Since I was running out of designs that would work with such a small amount of the original wood left, I decided to make Zoe a moon.  That might seem wrong to some of you, but she now has the cutest bedroom done in a day/night outdoors theme.  Seems like a good place to hang the moon.  It is not finished, but I have a good start.  Now that I have worked down one side of the moon, I am feeling confident that I can do the other side as well.  Then I will skim the sky surface and texture the moon.  May even add color, but that is yet to be determined.

Tonight I am going to watch a movie and work on the other QOV binding.  Hopefully, sleep will come at the regular hour and last the whole night.