Well, it would appear that I missed posting yesterday. But I have a good excuse. Honest.
I spent some more time yesterday researching patchwork patterns for WomanChild’s birthday quilt. Then, after work, I had a date night with Spousal Unit. Our exciting date consisted of shopping for a new phone (for him) and dinner at PF Chang’s.
Dinner was fine. I’d never eaten there before, and I found the meal to be quite tasty (although it was a very late meal). I’m not used to eating much past 7:00 p.m., and we didn’t eat until after 9:00. But that was because we spent a lot of time (and some money) at the phone store.
Spousal Unit really wanted a basic phone, but they weren’t offering any free ones last night. So, he ended up with a Motorola Droid Razr M. It’s smaller than my phone, but is newer. And it was free. It took quite a bit of talking to get him to agree to take it, but he did in the end. It’s charging now, so if you try to call him, he might not get the message for a while. He also got a hands-free unit for the car, which is kind of a cool thing. I might want one for myself.
Today, I spent several hours finishing the blocks for ManChild’s quilt, then I put them together. I’ll try to get a decent photo of it in the near future, but it might have to wait until after I give it to him. Tomorrow, I’ll have to sew on the borders, then go shopping for the quilt batting. or maybe I’ll go shopping first. While I’m out, I’ll get the batting and seam binding, and maybe some thread, that I’ll be needing for the next few months. I can hear my bank account groaning already.
Mind, I’m not complaining. I’m happy to create and give quilts and other stitched items to my family and friends. But it isn’t a cheap hobby. So when I see a high-quality handmade king-size quilt for $500 (or more), I understand what went into making it, and I know it is worth the price, and then some.
For example, a twin-size quilt takes about 5 yards of 42-inch-wide fabric for the front and about 6.5 yards for the back, plus batting and thread. And that doesn’t even take into account the quilter’s time and experience, or any replacement equipment, such as needles and rotary cutter blades, or patterns (which may or may not be available for free). And let’s not forget the cost of a sewing machine and regular maintenance. Or electricity. Or shipping.
So, this is really a labor of love. I love designing and making quilts. I love giving them to special people in my life. And I love showing them off to my family and friends here on the blog. Hope you enjoy reading about them!
