A Month of Thankfulness - November 27

 Yesterday on the family Zoom call, we drew names for the gift exchange on Christmas Eve. The name drawn for me was Mike.  This presents a slight problem.  Mike usually buys anything he wants for himself, and he usually goes with the Top of the Line items.  I can't afford to do that.  Yes, I know that there is a $50 limit on the gifts, but usually the older adults don't abide by that ceiling.  Usually we just do what we want for the person drawn, and if the cost goes over $50, then it does.

It was just a hard day yesterday anyway, then add to it the 'need to think of an appropriate gift' just didn't work for me.

I was tired when we went to bed.  Still I lay there and tossed a bit, thinking about what to do for Mike.  I am ordering many gifts online, but I couldn't even think of where to begin with him.  The last few years I had made quilts for my person---a Christmas quilt for Karen, a rag quilt for Sandy, a fleece throw for Angie, a baby quilt for Elijah.  Those required a lot of time and I know the cost was over the $50, but I wanted to do that for the recipients.  

But Mike?  A quilt....and then the light bulb clicked on!  Very bright too!

When I was making the quilts for Lindsey's baby -- the Green Bay Packers quilts she requested for the twins- I had sent pictures of them to Mike.  When they lived outside of Madison, he became a big Packers fan.  He still is. He told me that if Lindsey didn't want the quilts for the babies, those quilts could find a home in Wichita!  

Well, there you go!  All of the extra fabric from those two quilts were in a zipper bag in the Hilary's old chest of drawers in the sewing room.  All I needed was some help.

This morning I sent a text to Betty, my quilting lady, and asked her if I could bring my bag of leftover fabric to the shop for some advice on what to do, then fill in what I needed with fabric from her shop.  I also asked if she had time to quilt it for me or if I needed to make a rag quilt instead.  Her answer was 'Yes and yes.'  Yes on the 'help me decide what to do and supplement the fabric needs' but I wasn't sure what option the second yes went with....quilting or rag quilt?

This morning I left around 9 for Burnettsville.  I was a little nervous since I hadn't driven for over three weeks and I was going alone on the back roads.  But the trip was fine, and I met very few cars on the drive there and back.  Actually it felt good to be 'out and about' again.  And it was a beautiful morning, so that made the drive even better.

The shop wasn't crowded, so Betty had time to look at what I had and asked questions about what I needed to make.  She suggested using the Green Bay Packers fabric that was left for 7.5" squares, then use the two yellow fabrics and the two green fabrics for strips, which would be sewn into  a log cabin pattern for a block.  There was enough fabric for 13 GB squares and plenty of fabric for strips.  I could make 12 blocks, three across and four down, then add a thin white border and a wider green border and voila!  A lap quilt for Mike.  If I can finish the quilt top by the middle of next week, then she can have it ready for me to add the binding.  

After I left the shop, I felt so good that I drove to Rossville and picked up donuts at Flour Mill for tomorrow's breakfast.  When I came home, Megan and Matt and the kids were here.  Cooper even came in the house because he and Lynnlee were hungry and Megan let him give me a quick hug!  I stood at the window of the van and talked to Lynnlee also.  

Then I started on the squares.  I told Gary that I always seem to start slow.  I need to be sure that I am measuring correctly and cutting everything as it should be, especially since my fabric is limited.  After cutting the  13 squares, I started cutting the strips, keeping track of the lengths of each one of the 8 strips needed.  After I started to sew, everything moved more quickly.

My goal was to  finish six squares, but I finally stopped at five.  When I start to tire, then I also begin to make mistakes.  It had been a busy day, a busier day than any I had had since November 6.  So I stopped. 

Long story to reach the point today.  I am thankful for Betty.  She has always been so helpful with any and all of my quilting dilemmas.  She never makes me feel like I am stupid or that I should know something that I don't.  She treats me like a friend, like an equal.  Her memory is excellent because she knows what I have made and what fabrics I have used and who I have made quilts for in the past.  That is commendable because she works with MANY people.  

When we moved to our new house, I was so excited about being closer to Rossville Quilts. Since I had taken a class there before we found the new house, I became acquainted with several of the employees and the owner.  But I don't feel the same camaraderie or the friendliness that I feel at Betty's.  I truly appreciate her expertise and her helpfulness any time I have a question or need advice.

I am thankful today for Betty. She's the best!