Burning the Midnight Oil–Block of the Month!

A post from Kelli–

Usually when I write my blog posts, I save them as a draft or I’ll write it and schedule it to post when I need to.  This time, I’m writing to you and plan to post it right away.  So when you see a post at 1:37 AM, you can bet I’m still up writing it!

A while back, Mom and I decided–mostly Mom–to tackle our Civil War Tribute Block of the Month quilts.  We had started with gusto that gradually dwindled to putting them in the back of the closet for a while.  I couldn’t remember when we started them, but I saw on the pattern that it was published in 2009….so it’s been a while.

Over the past months, we’ve been splitting up the blocks and taking turns sharing our progress with you on the first Saturday of the month.  Quilt some time back, Mom gave me month 11.  I didn’t really look at it until she informed me–probably a month in advance–that it was my turn to do the block and write the post.  I of course put it off until the day before and then just got started cutting and wrote my post about being busy and that’s all I was able to get done.

So the next month that was my turn rolled around and mom told me it was my turn to write the post and finish my block–again I’m sure a month in advance.  Flash forward to the end of the month and you guessed it–I didn’t get it done!

So about a month ago, we were discussing it….and I volunteered to finish my Block 11 for the big center of the quilt.  And, in following with my previous pattern, I waited until the last minute to finish it, but I did finish it….at 1:30 on the morning of the first Saturday.  Atleast I’m consistent right?!?!?  Once I ran out of the midnight oil, I decided to burn the candle on the third end, which didn’t turn out too well, but I was almost done, so I made it work!

And I even finished them both.  I didn’t do the thing I have done previously when I just finished one set and said I did it.  I actually finished them both!

At first things were a bit slow going because I hadn’t really sewn lately, so I had to get everything set up.  I’ve also continued to be under the weather and was on call at work Wednesday overnight, but had to work last night on the overnight shift.  After I was done with work, I had to recertify for my BLS (Basic Life Support) for work–just confirming I can bag an airway and do compressions and of course I had issues with the mannequin working….so that took longer than I was hoping.  By the time I got home, it was almost noon, so by the time I got up at 5, I was already behind the ball.  I felt like crap when I woke up so I tried going back to sleep and waking up a bit later without a positive result so I figured I’d try a shower….but you guessed it, didn’t work.  By the time I got a bit of food choked down and took my puke pills, it was almost 9 and I hadn’t started yet.  But I promised mom I’d do it…..so I pulled up my boot straps and got to work.

And then I realized a bit too late that I needed to check the pattern corrections page…and it was of course after I was already short a few pieces….So I ended up just making more rather than seam ripping.

But before I knew it, I was to this point–The last stitch!

And such a glorious place it was to be!  I decided to celebrate with ice cream–Rocky Road of course!

Mom’s been working on the border parts…and of course she sent me her picture of her completed triangles a few days ago–

I’m gonna bet the next time I go home, we’ll probably get them put together and then we can get this beast crossed off our list!  Wahooo!!!

The best part though–I got my sewing stuff set up again.  And I don’t have anything that I have to do tomorrow because my house is clean and my laundry is folded.  I’m gonna make some chili and Carver might be coming to hang with me tomorrow night, but I think I’m gonna have me a good ole fashioned sewing day tomorrow!  Double Wahoo for that!