Saturday, June 9, 2012

Progress...

How has everyone's summer been so far?

My summer so far?...Well, it's not quite turning out the way that I had so happily planned it a few weeks ago.

I had planned on getting a TON of sewing done.  After all, we'd all be home...my two youngest would be a little more occupied with the older kids home each day, and I'd take advantage of that fact for a couple of hours each day to get some sewing in.

I don't know what I was thinking!!!  I was kidding myself, that's for sure.

School has been out for two weeks and I haven't even hardly looked into my sewing room.  Or gotten anything else done, for that matter.  I did spend some time down there last week, hurriedly cutting my fabric for a swap I'm in.  That got sent two days later than the deadline, I'm ashamed to admit.  I didn't even get any laundry done the first week of summer break.

For those of you that have been following my blog for a while, or if you've looked at my About page, you know that I have six children.  My oldest is away at college, so I have 5 at home now.


My kids at home are aged 15, 13, 7, 5, and 2 1/2.  That age range makes it very hard to keep everyone entertained and happy all at the same time and with the same activities.  And very hard for everyone to look normal in a photo!

I do need to stop for a minute and let everyone know that I love being a mom, and I adore my kids!  I'm blessed in many ways in my life.  And I love having the privilege of staying home with them.  But, having such a large family does have its challenges...one being that I don't get to spend the amount of time that I'd like to on activities of my choice.  Like sewing.  And blogging.  And showering, for that matter.  (yes, there are days that I don't get a shower in...I've admitted it.  Don't judge me.  *sigh*)

Anyway...I had big plans this summer...like getting going on my Swoon quilt (which I've planned a monstrous 4X4 setting for our king-sized bed, and I've only finished 1 block of), and making a Granny Square quilt for my 5-year old daughter, and making a pink and orange string quilt for my 15-year old daughter.  And quilting up my four quilt tops that have been sitting around for longer than I'm willing to admit, and a dozen other projects that I've had swimming around in my head.

Most of those plans aren't going to happen this summer.  Between my older girls wanting to go go go and spend time with their friends, and my three little ones wanting to have play dates and obviously needing my attention, and some of the home projects that I have planned (like the garden I haven't planted yet),  I'm not going to have time for most of my grand plans to happen this summer.

But, that's okay...I've learned this year with my oldest leaving for college, that time goes by quickly, and before you know it, little ones are all grown up and going away.

Hopefully as we settle in to our summer routine I'll at least be able to find a few minutes here and there to sew.


My 3 older kids are away for a few days visiting family, so I thought I'd take a few minutes and get started on this quilt.


Sorry for the bad pics, they were taken on my phone, whose lens has been clouded up by sticky little hands.

I thought that some large pebbling would look good on this quilt.  I thought that mimicking the pebble-y fabric and the circle fabric above would be fun.  I almost stopped after I quilted the orange center section and picked it all out to do something different, but then I laid it out on the floor and took a step back to look at it, and decided I liked it.

Sometimes being right up in your work isn't the best way to judge if you're going to like it or not, you know?  It's better to take a step or two back and evaluate from a distance, or even walk away from it for a few minutes and then come back for a second look.

I have a long way to go on this little quilt, but I'm making some progress, at least.  Hopefully I'll be able to call it a finish by this Friday, June 15th.

Because I'm hosting TGIFF!, and I need to have a finish to post for it.  If not, I'll find something small to finish and show that.

So, how is your summer going?  The way you planned and envisioned?  Or not?


2 comments:

  1. I agree, stepping back is always better than up close and personal. I find either taking a photo and looking at it on the camera screen (good for block placement) or kind of crossing my eyes so you see it sort of out of focus is good too! Sounds weird but works for me! I like your pebbles, I haven't given them a go yet but I will one day!

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  2. I love your orange pebbly quilting.

    I know what you mean about getting stuff done. ;) Summertime is easier for me to get things done because I don't have to conduct homeschool. But the amount of things I lay out to do is plain'ole wishful thinking!

    Sigh!

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