"All I want to do is make really big quilts from really small pieces".
Me too! That is a great life, don't you think?!?
Well, it would be if you're retired and didn't have to work. But if you do have to work and take care of your kids, your parents, and a home, and fit in some community, church or volunteer work, there's not a lot of time leftover for making lots of big quilts. We all do the best we can with the time we have.
I'm making my version of En Provence smaller than Bonnie's version, but I'm very happy with how it is looking. My layout will use 9 blocks instead of 16 blocks in the original pattern. The pattern will be removed from the Quiltville website tomorrow, so I'd really like to have it done by then. Only one more block to piece and then I can sew the whole quilt top together.
In the middle of En Provence is my purple circle of squares block for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. It will come off the wall as soon as the last block is finished. You can see the pieces for it pinned to the right side on the bottom of the design wall.
To see more design wall posts, hop over to Patchwork Times.
Retirees, also, do not have unlimited amounts of time to devote to their hobbies for all the reasons you mentioned. :-)
ReplyDeleteLOL Kathy: I don't work outside the home and have always been a stay at home Mom with a few odd paid jobs in between and continued that life after my kids left. I do get time to sew here and there, but all my friends that are retired wondered how they found time to work ROFLOL! I'm amazed at how much sewing you get in while working full time!! Love that circle of squares right in that En Provence...maybe you should sew it right in there for a "wonder why she did that?" quilt :-). Happy Monday!
ReplyDeleteI love the progress you are making on this quilt. I'm not as far ahead as you. But I'm working on it.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Jill and Jacqui! But admire you for squeezing in time for yourself with all that going on. I have been there done what you are doing, but my career, night school to obtain my degree, taking care of parents in nursing home for 10 years kept me from doing anything but work. I always thought that retirement would be great - going to the store with no crowds, doing whatever..... Obviously one thing that happens is that when we get older we tire our easier - Darn they did not warn me about this one! You doing some great work - keep on trucking!!
ReplyDeleteWell, guess I have the control of the English language on the last sentence! You are doing some great work - keep on trucking! I like Bonnie's quilts, but too scrappy for this ole' lady!
ReplyDeleteit is hard to have time to quilt and to work - been there and done that and I was lucky to make one large quilt a year - now -- all the time in the world and make too many at once now
ReplyDeleteYour colours for En Provence are wonderful. You do indeed seem to get a lot done.
ReplyDeleteHelen
I have always viewed sewing as therapy, it kept me from going nuts when I was working. Bonnie's quilts always go too fast for me, weekly is too much to keep up with. I download the instructions, but I never get back to them later.
ReplyDeletethe feeling a finished quilt gives you is wonderful, so that means sometimes you need to do something simple. I do a lot of Bonnie's patterns but even doing a baby panel with no piecing is a great feeling of accomplishment. do what makes you happy
ReplyDeleteYou can do it!!!!
ReplyDeleteI admire that you do any part of Bonnie's quilts. I just want to make really small quilts from tiny pieces. LOL
ReplyDeleteWay to go! I hope to have all my units done, but I certainly won't have a quilt top! Well done.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about quilting is that when you break down the parts of any project, they can be squeezed into whatever time can be made available. It may take a little longer but a finished quilt always makes it worth it. Great work on your En Provence, I can't wait to get as far as you have!
ReplyDeleteTime...a fleeting element at all stages of life.
ReplyDeleteYou've made good progress on En Provence, in spite of all the other demands in life. Sometimes you've just got to sew.
ReplyDeleteI'm a retiree and agree with all you've listed that takes time. My En Provence is only one block - and I still haven't had time to finish it. Needs the four patch border. Great job on yours.
ReplyDelete