Monday, September 8, 2014

NOT VERY HAPPY WITH MY LATEST QUILT!

Well another week-end has come and gone and I spent a good deal of it at the sewing machine which believe it or is pretty unusual for me.  I generally never sew when hubby is home, and honestly most week-ends we are out somewhere enjoying life.  This Sat. was actually pretty typical though I guess. We started the day slowly and then left to run some errands.  We lunched at our favorite spot (haven't been there in a while) and then hubby agreed to drive me out to the quilt shop so I could see about getting the fabric for my Christmas fairy quilt.  My sister Diane met me there, and between she and I and the gal in the shop we managed to come up with some beautiful fabric that went really well with the embroidery.  Oh, I forgot to mention that before we left I went ahead and did up the center of the quilt which was the embroidery Joy To the World.  I really liked the way it turned out.  Anyway, after spending way more time then I intended to in the shop, we stopped and grocery shopped and headed home.

I guess I forgot to mention that on Friday it was discovered that our hot water heater was starting to go.  Our new neighbor next door is a contractor and promised to help my hubby install a new one after church on Sun.  Well, for us that meant there would be no time again to travel all the way down to San Diego and back, so we again listened to our old pastor on-line.  It is soo nice that his messages are live and we always have access to them rather or not we leave our house.  But now (having missed the last TWO weeks) I am really missing those San Diego grandkids.  I am too used to seeing them at least once a week I guess. Anyway, after listening to the message, hubby went out (in the blazing heat I might mention) to help with the water heater, and I sat down at the sewing machine to begin putting the quilt together.  This is the same pattern I used to make the quilt for my niece Tabi, and a super simple one.  It went MUCH quicker then I thought it might and a couple of hours later I had the 9 blocks put together and attached leaving only the borders for today.  This morning I whipped those on, and now all I have to do is put the backing together and get it to the quilters tomorrow.  Now here is the bad part....I don't know if I like it.  A little late now as you well know. Sometimes things have to grow on me, and this went together so fast maybe it just hasn't had time to grow much, lol.  I guess I feel like the white squares with the embroidery on them don't belong in the quilt or something.  They are too big and too light.  I don't know.  It might be good.  It's hard to say.  I guess it is the old it is what it is.  I spent too much money on it not to use it, and my intention is to hang it on the wall as a display at Christmas time.  Might be a little too big to fit in the area I had in mind as well, but we will see.  There is always live and learn.  I guess I know that I can do whatever I want to a quilt, but if I were going to do this again, I'd do it differently I think.  My only hope is that in the quilting of this quilt, it will somehow be redeemed.  Here it is...

EVEN WITH THE GOOD CAMERA YOU CAN'T SEE THE EMBROIDERY VERY WELL...SIGH

THE CENTER OF THE QUILT...THIS DESIGN WAS DARK ENOUGH TO BE SEEN

A LITTLE CLOSER LOOK
I am trying not to let this depress me.  At the end of the day, it is just a quilt.  I guess it is because of the money involved I am feeling a little guilty that it didn't come out better.  I had high hopes for this, lol.  And to finish off the day, the inspector was by to inspect the new hot water heater and charged 196 dollars!!  Yes, that's right, almost two hundred dollars!  Apparently there is a new law in California that if you put in a new hot water heater you must have both a permit and an inspection. And that is what it costs!  I personally think this is ridiculous.  I believe in safety.  I believe in doing things right.  But hubby has put in a few water heaters in his life, and there was never any problem. And it never cost us anything but the price of the water heater, which was another 500 dollars btw! So all in all it was a whopping 700 dollars out of the blue.  Last month we had to get all new brakes and rotors on my car, and that was 700 dollars too.  So 1400 dollars altogether!  It is just scary what things cost anymore.  But ever the PollyAnna, I have decided to think of the "good" things about all of this.  Let's see...Well, thank God that our neighbor is a generous, kind, helping Christian man who helped hubby out for FREE!!  Honestly couldn't have done it without him or his young helper, and then it would have been another 400 dollars!  And thank God the brakes on my car were discovered and fixed BEFORE anything really bad happened.  Oh, and I forgot the crown on my tooth last month, that was another 500 dollars out of pocket too.  And the good thing there is for dental insurance or it would have been double, and the tooth didn't need a root canal (another 500!) and there was little to no pain.  So I am back to the quilt...Let's see, thank God that I am learning, and that hubby supports this expensive new hobby of mine, and that this is the first (and hopefully the last!) quilt that I have ended up not liking.   Sorry, it's the best I can do.  lol

I do need to make Sam's jammie bottoms next.  And decide and get started on my Christmas sewing. (is it wrong to be a little concerned now about all I have in mind?  Can't afford any more mistakes!) Hope you all have a good week.  Thank you for the prayers for my BIL.  He is doing better and responding well to the medication.  He should be out of the hospital in a couple of days.  Though he will go home on an IV and will have surgery near the end of Oct. so not out of the woods yet.

Blessings and joy to you all!  Debbie






6 comments:

  1. Ouch, you need an inspection for your water heater in California. Things have gotten real expensive haven't they, I tend to look for the good as well but I also think of the folks with families and how they are making ends meet. I like the quilt, I think it will grow on you. Hope you have a wonderful week.

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  2. Oh, I know all too much about all the insane inspections and codes and rules and such. I can't tell you how many inspections we have had to have during the construction of our new house. Hubby has almost had a fit. It is ridiculous!

    I bet the quilt will grow on you between now and Christmas.

    Have a great week!

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  3. Well, I actually do like the quilt. I love the "Joy to the World" part and think the colors will be really pretty at Christmas. Bet you'll like it better when it's quilted. I am, however, my own worst critic so I can understand all too well that YOU might not like it as much. You are probably like me and had something different in your Debbie Head expectations.

    As to the CA law and inspection? That kind of stuff just ticks me off. It's ridiculous how they can figure out new ways to take money away from citizens. Good grief. What did we all do without Uncle Sam controlling our every move?

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  4. $200 for an inspection and permit? For "just" a water heater? That's crazy!!

    I like that quilt! I can understand that you're disappointed that it may not fit the space you had in mind (in my world, that's an excuse to make another quilt - ha!), but I think it turned out spectacularly. Praying that it will grow on you (especially once it's been quilted).

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  5. Yes anything replaced requires permits...I don't like it but I'm sure its a safety thing as well as protect future owner perhaps?
    I love the quilt...we are sometimes too hard on ourselves :-)


    Hugs!

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  6. Hi Debbie, I know that as women,we are often very critical of ourselves-be it our projects or our figure or whatever. I think it is beautiful; I've had quilts that grown on me-so give it some time.
    Sending you big hugs today!
    Noreen

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!