Distractions

In the middle of the chaos of moving, I pulled out my sewing machine and attempted to finish the remaining two quilts for my brothers. With half-packed boxes and detritus strewn about my bedroom, I set to work. I ignored everything for a whole day to sew. Fortunately the kiddos were engaged in their own crafty pursuits. I was able to piece both remaining quilts. They came together fairly quickly once I started and had a plan.

Once pieced, I wanted to do a little free motion quilting on my oldest youngest brother's quilt. I put it aside to grab my manual and attachments only to realize they had been packed. Hmm...With a few more hours left in the day, I decided to quilt the other one. I searched youtube a bit for an idea of how to quilt dresden plate quilt blocks. With the knowledge gleaned from that resource, I set to work outlining each flower petal individually. It took a long time to do all nine flowers despite the small size of the quilt (approx 60" square). I loved the finished result. I sewed the binding on one side and set it aside to hand sewn it completely onto the quilt.

My nails were destroyed using chemical cleaners in the bathrooms. We use vinegar and baking soda exclusively but wanted something a bit tougher for move-out

The quilt sat for the rest of our stay in our home. I finally decided to finish it while we stayed at my parents' home. With a sick little boy curled beside me, I sewed on the binding. It went quickly. I folded the finished quilt and texted my brother and Dave to tell them that we could now leave. The quilt was done.

I am not sure what I would be able to accomplish if it weren't for stress and a huge list of to-do items. When faced with an overwhelming life, I need a bit of distraction. Fortunately this was such a welcome one. I almost don't want to give it away.