Weekend fun!

This weekend I packed up the kids, dog, and the Juki and headed to visit my old college roommate and soul sista, Amie. We have been friends for many many years and just so happy to both really love fabric and sewing. Having a best friend as a full grown woman is an absolute blessing. To share a hobby is just the cherry on top. I regret not being able to sew while my mother was still alive, so I definitely do not take this joy for granted!



Upon my arrival I was greeted with a couple of Happy Camper charm packs she had picked up from her LQS, Tomorrow's Quilts. She also gave me all the scraps from HER Happy Camper quilt. Woo-hoo! Thanks girl!



We sat on the floor for a long time and tried to figure out a solution to my current quilt dilemma. I started with about 30 fat eighths of an old Sandy Klop line and unfortunately I severely misjudged how much fabric I would need. I have 29 blocks but wanted 48. Not gonna happen. She did give me some matching scraps she had so I can hopefully scrape out a few more blocks. I'm still not sure exactly what to do. I have some math to do first...

Of course we had to take a ride to the LQS and I picked up some more Happy Campers (Hey, I learned my lesson from the current dilemma...too much fabric is not a bad thing!).



I also got some cute vintage inspired fruit fabric. I am thinking of recovering my ironing board in the cherries and maybe sprucing up some plain dish towels with the strawberries.



Amie also taught me how to do a pocket for my bindings in person. I am the type of person who needs someone to SHOW me how to do something in person. I have learned a lot from tutorials online but some things are trickier than others. She also taught my oldest son how to float on his back. I got a little carried away and had him practice his swimming a lot because he was making so much progress so quickly. I didn't realize we were in the saltwater pool for 2 or 3 hours so the poor boy got dehydrated pretty badly. He threw up the saltwater and was very sluggish. When I checked on him at midnight he felt clammy so I woke him up and annoyed him until he drank more water and went to the bathroom. He was even a little sluggish until the next day but the nurse on the emergency hotline for our insurance assured me he'd be ok as long as he was going to the bathroom regularly. You live you learn! There is a reason swim lessons are only 30 minutes I guess!

I also broke my Pfaff right before leaving. I was sewing a weighted blanket for a friend's son and I sewed right through a safety pin and knocked off my timing. GRRR. I am not used to sewing with pins but there were so many layers to add the weight that it was a necessity. Weighted blankets have a calming effect people with things from autism to insomnia. I was fascinated reading about them. I'm not sure if my version will do the trick, but if it does I will let you know and maybe write up a tutorial if there is interest. See...all kinds of ways to use your sewing ability to help others!

I will take the Pfaff to Alvin Sewing and Vacuum. He charges me $60 for servicing whereas the other 2 places I called told me it was $90 and $140. I really need to learn how to time my own machines. If anyone knows how, give me a comment or an email!