Life After Home School

We were a K-12 home school family.  Two boys, start to finish. Our boys were always very active and we were involved parents. Our last four years were filled with Rowing/Crew, basketball and Forensics. We were the rowing team cooks and I was the co-leader of a speech and debate club. Add to that that hubby competed in cyclocross and we like to do charity rides together and you have a family that spent a lot of time on the road. Through our home school years I only dabbled here and there with crafty projects. 

Son #2 graduated in the spring of 2012 and the student activities halted. I found myself with a lot of extra time on my hands. I floundered for several months and then my in-laws came down for Thanks Giving. 

As I've mentioned before, my MIL and youngest SIL have been avid quilters for years. During the visit our conversation turned to quilting and she asked about the fabric I had purchased several years earlier. I dug it out and we started going over the pattern and she noticed that I did not have enough fabric. We headed down to Branum's and picked out the two needed FQ's. I think I broke a record for taking the longest time to choose half a yard of fabric. In fact, it had taken forever to pick out the original fabrics. 

Notice that the second fabric from the left is faded. I must have left it exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time.

My MIL took the bundle home and quickly whipped up this beautiful table runner. She cleverly placed the faded fabric to make it look like it was meant to be.

This whole process piqued my interest in trying my hand at quilting again and I began scouring the internet. I quickly came upon a number of websites for quilters who labeled themselves as modern. Wow, what an eye opener. I realized why I had so much trouble choosing fabrics for that runner. Though the fabrics were beautiful, I just did not "feel' them. I had never seen nor noticed fabrics that truly sparked my interest to create in any quilt shop like I was seeing on line. 

I decided to start small just in case I found I didn't want to invest in quilting again. I pulled out my old tools that had been used more for home school projects over the years than sewing.

I found a Wonky Log Cabin tutorial (I'd love to share a link but I can't find it) and I headed to the fabric shop with fresh eyes. 

The modern aesthetic was thin but I did find this lovely collection that coordinated with my home colors.

I set up shop in the guest room and away I went.

I discovered that wonky isn't as easy as it looks. Somehow my trimming kept getting it closer and closer to not-wonky!

I bound it scrappy and cheated on connecting the binding. I found an easy version on Youtube and unfortunately used it. In fact, I used it several times before I attempted to do it right.

I used my walking foot and quilted straight lines. This now hangs in my bedroom.

I was having so much fun that I went back to the fabric shop for more supplies before I even finished this piece. I had a new activity to fill in some of the home school void!

About the rest of the void...

Around this same time my hubby was experiencing a big change in his business. He and his partner of more than 20 years were splitting up. Even though it was an amicable event due to his partner wanting to try his hand at a different venture, it was still a big upheaval to our life. I became involved in the family business in a big way for the first time. Boy do I have a lot to learn and boy is it ever cutting into my quilting time! But I love working side by side with my Sweetie. I think he finds me a bit exasperating at times.

So, here you have my first finished project as someone who finally found her place in the quilting world.

Linking up with Pretty Bobbins "I Quilt"