Because I Need Another Hobby

Sometimes I get these random ideas that are just barely inside or outside my scope of ability and become really fixated on them. You know, like going to Italy, running half marathons, skydiving, climbing Half Dome twice, getting a new puppy the day I decided I wanted one, and trapezing. I just do things.

Well, it's happened again, but this time with something, dare I say, crafty. Augh. I hate the word. Crafty. Unless you're using it to describe me in a mischievous manner, I really would prefer the label not being attached to me whatsoever. Not that there's anything wrong with it- some people can do wonders with hot glue guns, colored paper, and that little machine that cuts out shapes. Personally, cruising the Michael's aisles and contemplating the differences between [insert crafty items I know nothing about here] is just not something I have the patience for. 

Exception:

I've decided in the last two or so weeks that I want to start making quilts. Why? After some careful psychoanalysis I think that it's a combination of wanting to produce something useful, a desire for something kind of monotonous yet attention grabbing, and the nostalgic connection to my youth when I started (but never finished) many blankets.  

So, naturally, I bought a book:

You can learn how to do anything if you read about it, right? Unfortunately, the machine itself came with a pretty crappy instruction book so I had to call my master-sewer mom several times for help setting it up (it got down to me texting her pictures of the huge mess that resulted in my first attempt at threading the machine failing). Anyway, the book, Your First Quilt Book, by Carol Doak, has gotten rave reviews, so I bought it used from someone far more knowledgeable than me who no longer needed it. I know how to do the basics, believe it or not, I just really need some help on the finishing, especially when I decide tying off the squares or the ever-popular "stitch in the ditch" techniques are too easy (so in like three years). My progress right now is limited- I cut out the squares and sewed together two rows. Aaaand then I quit to go swimming. So in approximately three months when I finish the first quilt I'll be sure to let you know. And you can bet your damn ass I'm trying to come up with some sort of ambitious, over-my-head, book quilt (although this Scrabble one is pretty kick ass).

Next up: cycling the 72-miles around Lake Tahoe (I haven't ridden a bike in over ten years and have exactly 4 slightly irrational fears preventing me from buying one)