New Skill!

I’m taking an online quilting class at Quilt University: Hawaiian Quilting 101. Today was the first class.

After another rough night last night, the girls have taken a very long nap this afternoon, so I’ve managed to do all of this week’s assignment. Here’s my block, basted and ready for lesson 2 (next week):

Hawaii Basted

It’s a pattern of a breadfruit, or Ulu. Hawaiian quilt lore says that those who make Ulu their first quilt will always have abundance. I like that idea. ๐Ÿ™‚

Next week we’ll learn how to do needleturn applique to sew the pieces down permanently, a skill I’ve never learned. I’m looking forward to that — a lot of people LOVE applique, and maybe I will. I like the look of Hawaiian quilts, anyway. Not a big fan of the Baltimore Album quilts or frou-frou applique, but the symmetry of Hawaiian quilts appeals to me (oh, shut UP, Jerry). After we applique it down, we’ll learn how to hand-quilt — another skill I have never learned. I’m crippled by technology, I am. Ha!

This is the store that the teacher of my class owns: Pacific Rim Quilt Company. So if I decide that I like this process, I’ll probably get another pattern there. I have a large square of tie-dyed orange fabric that would look spectacular as a Hawaiian quilt center… So we’ll see.

And don’t worry; I’ll keep you apprised of my progress. I know you’re on the edge of your seat.

Eyeballs

Alice got a LOT of Play-Doh for Christmas, and this has been a popular activity after dinner every night for the girls. Much to Jerry’s chagrin, the girls are mixing the colors together. He doesn’t like this. Poor, poor Jerry.

Anyway. Last night, the girls were pounding and rolling and stacking and having a wonderful time, and Helen took a few of the “Zoo Kit” pieces and made a few critters with noses, ears, feet, and eyes. Then, as I quietly read a magazine and pretended to be invisible, she started ripping the eyeballs out of the critters and saying, “My eyeballs! Aaagh! My eyeballs! What are you doing with my eyeballs?!”

I burst out laughing, which of course cause the self-conscious giggle and then all-out guffaw that is common for four-and-a-half. She and I cackled for a full minute, which of course got Alice started, and the three of us had a good laugh, bonding over the Play-Doh.

๐Ÿ™‚

My eyeballs! Aaaagh!

Nativitears

Today, I put away Christmas. This included the Nativity Set that had been incredibly fascinating for the girls for the entire holiday season.

Alice cried, and clutched one of the three kings to her chest, not wanting to give him up. Finally Helen and I were able to convince her to kiss him goodbye and put him in the box.

Now all that remains is the ceremonial Herculean efforts to get the gigantic tree up into the attic. I bought big Sterilite boxes for it this year, and the jury is still out on whether or not those boxes will fit up the attic stairs. God, I hope so. I don’t want to keep the tree in contractor bags again.