Because I needed another hobby like I needed another hole in my head.

I had a very nearly perfect weekend. Saturday there were hugs and cuddles with Chloe and then a whole afternoon and evening to MYSELF! Sewing! Cleaning! TV shows no one else likes!

I pulled out the Breath of Avignon charm pack that came last week and decided that the colors just made me too happy to put them back in a box. So I started cutting for one of the Baby Pinwheel quilts from the Bakeshop. They came together so fast! By Sunday night it was done with the binding ready to fold over and sew down. Should have it ready to go to it's new owner on Wednesday. Pictures to come!

At some point my bff showed up at we went shopping. Not girlie shopping, we're not that type. Home Depot shopping. I love how that place smells. We picked out some MDF and a nice thick dowel rod for Operation Make My Own Extension Table. While we were out we also test drove sewing machines for BFF. She and I have the same problem, we've done all our sewing on old (extremely reliable) mechanical machines. I think until I got my new machine in January neither of us had a machine younger than us.

I got to drive the Bernina 820 on the Inspira frame. BFF drove the Aurora 440QE. To be honest? We didn't like them. The BSR got in my way on the 820 and wouldn't let me move as fast as I wanted to, and the action on the Aurora wasn't as nice as BFF wanted. Plus? We currently are using our kidneys and can't sell them to pay for either of those machines.

Across the street from the Bernina dealer is a dealer who sells both Pfaff and Viking. There were test drives of the Sapphire 850 and the Grand Expression 4.0 QE. She walked out with the Pfaff. Well researched, well deliberated, and money well spent. She kept giggling as she tried out new stitches.

The one thing I didn't get done was the templates for my mariner's compass blocks. I had the absolute joy of taking a class on hand piecing that block from Jinny Beyer. What a lovely delightful woman. It was snowing like crazy during our class and she kept reassuring everyone that she had plenty of crash space. Plus, she had the most sympathetic look ever when she told me I'd sewn two of my pieces on upside down. Nothing warms your heart like hearing your idol say "I hate to tell you this, but they're upside down." :D

Anyway, I have plans for a quilt with hand pieced blocks and I keep not getting my templates cut out. Maybe tonight. The blocks I'm going to make are versions of the local Quilters Quest blocks from last year's quest. With 12 blocks to choose from and include the finished quilts are gorgeous. Here's the one hanging at Jinny's shop:



I love it so.

Ok, time for work so I can do binding at lunch. Pictures of pinwheels later!