My Cure

I always get a case of the homesickness blues after being around my family.  I knew they were bound to hit after my sisters left and I needed a cure quickly.  Seeing how Dan was heading off to Mexico for his annual golf trip I knew I would have plenty of alone time, and I needed to make it good.

Something that reminds me of home is fabric.  It calls to me, it always has.  I spent days looking online at every different color, texture, and craft having to do with fabric.  I knew I needed to make a quilt as soon as I saw this bayou quilt online.

I grabbed my kids, made a quick trip to the fabric store(that was an accomplishment in and of itself) and I was ready for 3 days of nothing but quilting.

This was my very first attempt at machine quilting an entire blanket.  Let me just tell you it is mind numbing, and way more difficult to make straight lines then I ever imagined.  But the end product is priceless to me.  My lines are more wavy than straight, my binding has seen better days, but this was just what the doctor ordered. 

3 days during naps and after my boys were in bed.  187 safety pins, 2 spools of thread, very sore shoulders(I really need to get a lower table when I sew), too much math and measuring, and one bright and cheerful quilt!

I was so proud when I finished last night I had to show it off to Dan right away.  Of course the first thing he said was, "some of those lines are crooked", and threw it over his legs to enjoy it's imperfections. 

I have had it out all day today and can't stop smiling.  I have been the recipient of many handmade quilts, and I'm positive you can never fully appreciate the love that is put into one until you have done it yourself.