More racing

I'm really enjoying this pattern. 

I've already pieced another one...well mostly pieced.  It's a little narrow and I'm going to add "something" to make it wider.  I think 48x72 is a good size and this one is only 38 inches wide.  But, I haven't decided what to do with it yet and I am out of 1.5" strips (whoohoooo!)  Wider strips?  Or just add a wide border down two sides?

I like the idea of this scrap buster so much that I've started another one.

This one is made from 2" strips that will finish at 1.5.  I'm going to piece the whole drawer full of scraps together and then make as many quilt tops as I can from it (like maybe 1 and a half).  If there are enough strips left, I might use them to add the extra width to the one from above.  That's what actually got me to open the 2" drawer in the first place and once I was started, I just went hog wild  making one long strip. 

But, the 1.5" drawer is empty!  And, the 2" drawer will be...soon-ish. 

I've been reading about more and more people that are taking drastic action with their scraps.  This is mine.  Turn them into the easiest quilt tops possible and give them away!

I have other bins of assorted size scraps.  I'm thinking about just cutting them into squares and piecing them.  Maybe make square in a square blocks from squares and strips.  Easy, easy, easy scrap quilting.  That's what I'm wanting. 

I wonder how long this mood will last before I'm working on something complex, with 3/8" finished pieces or something like that. 

I know my attitudes about quilting have changed recently.  The motto when I was young was something like "try it, you might like it."  And, I've tried a bunch of stuff lately.  And, I liked...some of it.  And, some of it I really didn't care for so much.  And, some of it, I experienced and am done with the need for that experience.  Life has entered another phase.  And, I am focused on different experiences and the desire to try even more things.  And, to accommodate that, I'm really interested in simple, easy, fulfilling play time.  My star is rising at work.  At least I think it is.  And, I need easy relaxation.  And, that does not always come from sewing the tiniest pieces of fabric together.  Sometimes it does.  But, not at THIS time. 

Syd passed another milestone yesterday.  First bank accounts.  Checking and savings.  She went to my bank, so I was able to watch the officer demonstrate a lot of the cool features available from the bank now.  Things I'll be taking advantage of.  She's excited.  Last night, she asked how opening a bank account can be exciting.  But, it is.  It's just another step along the path to adulthood.  But, while opening the account is exciting, now comes the very mature and adult task of maintaining it. 

OMG, what have I done????

She's always been good with money.  She's tight fisted as all get out.  I'm pretty sure she'd hate to have to give any of her money to the bank, so she'll be really careful about avoiding any types of fees.  Hopefully, much more careful than I was with my first account.  (I've focused on explaining what she should do...not telling her what I have done.)

Everybody have a great Thursday!  Work has become the most crazy place on earth lately.  The excitement level is high and I'm accomplishing more than even I thought I could.  Most people seem very happy about it.  Some of my peers got extra responsibilities in the last reorganization.  They asked to give up projects they've grown tired of and I was asked to take some of them on.  They seem a little less happy when I turn their boring project into something exciting that draws national attention. 

Oh, well.  I don't do well at boring work.  So, I find a way to make things exciting.  I did have to tell my boss yesterday that I am maxed out.  For now.  He was so appreciative of my honesty.  To me, it was self-protection.  To him, it was one less thing to worry about as a manager. 

We also had our first experience of me telling him he was making a mistake.  I didn't stop him.  But, again, he seemed to appreciate the honesty and my willingness to help, even though I don't think it's the right thing to do. 

He and I are very different.  But, I think we're going to work well together.  Especially after he sees I was right about that mistake.

Lane