Monday, June 18, 2007

It Just Takes Some Time, Little Girl, You're in the Middle of the Ride, Everything (Everything) Will be Just Fine

Day eight of 19.

I've finally found my groove, I think, except for the incident at the Lawrence pool yesterday when Griffin didn't see me and thought I left him and he was trying to catch me in the van.

I was still in the damn pool.

And I asked him if he thought I'd actually ever leave him and he replied, "No Mommy, you'd never leave me. But in the moment, I freaked out."

Damn, I wonder where he gets his freaking-out capabilities.

Oh, right. Never mind.

When Aaron is out of town I have a small obsession with cleaning out the house. Since he is such a pack rat, I can't throw anything out, including expired food (side note: over a year and half when I was diagnosed with being allergic to wheat, I cleared out all wheat-containing products out of our home to donate to a food pantry. Aaron went though the bags and "rescued" two bags of stuff to take into work and share with co-workers. Two weeks ago I had to go into his cave to get something and guess what I found. THAT'S RIGHT: FOOD. Nearly two-year old all-expired food sitting in his cave. Argh!).

So, when he's gone I clear shit out.

Due to our food allergies, I keep close ties on all our food, so the pantry didn't need to be cleaned. So I've been focusing on the bathrooms and basement refrigerator (with five year old pop, I swear).

I've also been going through my fabric stash. It's such a mess. I can't tell what's been washed and ironed and what hasn't. So I've been slowly going through and washing and ironing everything.


And I set aside some fabric to make a pillow. Considering the fact that my last pillow was made in January, yeah, hi, I'm way over due for new pillows. Fucking slacker.

And hey! I have a question for you all -- should I quilt the new pillow or no? I have the batting. And if I do quilt it, what should I use on the back of the quilting part? Muslin? Just plain fabric? And do I need to make the back quilted too? Or is it cool just make it a single layer?

Hi, my name is Laura. I'm so damn indecisive I'm letting the internet vote for how I should make a fucking pillow.

25 comments:

Oil Cloth Junkie said...

Hey I was impressed with how calmly you went to find Griffin. Normally, I'm freaking out screaming for Maisy and she'll be right behind me.

uh, I have no clue about quilting but I'm sure it would look pretty if you did. Love all the fabrics, they're so pretty.

Anonymous said...

I have no opinion on the quilting, but I dig the fabrics. Will we get to choose the fabrics too?

Amy said...

Hi! I, too, am a mom with a traveling husband right now. I found your blog through another crafty blog and laughed out loud at your 'voice.' Right on, girl. And I love that you can be productive when your hubby is gone. Me? I tend to veg out.

Unknown said...

Poor kid. I'm feeling all weird inside just reading about it!!

I'm no help making a decision on anything. I can never make up my mind.

Erin M said...

well im not the one to get sewing advice from but the pillows are lovely, i have needle arts envy

Anonymous said...

Preeeetttty faaaabric. My vote: Quilt the front. Use what you have on the back of the quilted part. Make the back single layer (envelope?).
Eliot got all disoriented under the mushroom waterfall at the pool on Saturday night. It is an easy pool for a little guy to get lost in.

lera said...

Hi. I'm Lera. I'm equally indecisive as you. Don't ask me for pillow advice. I'm still not sure if I like the pillows I made while Joe was away.

And, had to die laughing at Aaron's "cave."

Anonymous said...

you could always 'cheat' and just sew seams on the front that look like quilting lines. That way it looks machine quilted but it stays one-layer soft.

Does it make sense?

(hey you're almost half way!!)

amy h said...

Yes, my clean-out pile often gets diluted around here if Chris goes through it... We have lots of old VCRs and radios.

That is a fun stash o' fabric! When I made a Christmas patchwork pillow, I quilted it onto a canvas backing, but skipped the batting. I don't know if that is the best way, but it worked for me! It made it a little easier to do the quilting and to sew the front and back together (not so thick).

LLA said...

travels all the damn time...
is a crazy packrat...

You know - it just occurred to me that I've never seen a picture with both Bubba *and* Aaron in it together. I'm starting to get a sinking feeling that perhaps we've married the exact same man - and he's set up two separate households. You in one, me in the other. And to keep from getting tripped up, he picked US because we have the same name.

Oh - we married a sneaky bastard, didn't we????

I think Bubba/Aaron has some serious 'splaining to do....

hmph.

Anonymous said...

Was he running out to the parking lot to get you?! Awwwww....

I don't know about the pillow. All my crafting ideas seem to have gone *poof*!

Anonymous said...

Almost halfway there! I think you need to just whip out that pillow and quit with all the fussing. Although I really have no room to speak as I sit here with my own indecisions. Oh, and my son is like Griffin, he has it in the back of his mind that I will up and leave him if he isn't on his toes at all times.

Anonymous said...

Love the fabrics!! And peeing myself laughing about Aaron's cave (sorry, Aaron) (maybe don't tell him, huh?)

Anonymous said...

oh! i am SO jealous of that gnome fabric! i missed out on that one. and i'm not reading all the other comments, so you've probably been given great advice already, but here's my 2cents: quilting is good. i made some quilted pillow covers last summer. i used fabric that i didn't care about for the back of the front, quilted it, and then added the back (not quilted - i think i prefer it that way). okay, for my webpage on this comment i'm linking to my pillowcover post, in case you care.

Berber said...

Such lovely fabrics... and all washed and ironed!
I really like quilted cushion, but I think there's nothing wrong with a plain back. Have fun sewing!

Ali said...

I vote quilt the front and do the back in a single layer.

And I could turf out at least 50% of hubby's rubbish and I'm sure he'd never notice. Now there's an idea...

Soo said...

My husband is going away in a couple of weeks and I'm planning on clearing out the cupboards too!

I'd just quilt the front and leave the back single....pretty fabrics!

PamKittyMorning said...

I usually quilt the front with a muslin back (or any old fabric you don't like anymore) and then leave the back plain.

Lovely collection. I'm too lazy to prewash. Knock on wood I've had no trouble either.

And in answer to your question on my blog.. samples belong to the person who makes them! So its my quilt, I'm letting them borrow it.

paper. string. cloth said...

You ask the internet for advice, and then realise that the internet is just as indecisive as you are?

I say quilt the fucker. use something random for the back cause you wont see it anyway, quilt through all three layers with the sewing machine, then use someting pretty for the back of the cushion, or if the kids are locked in the basement with the gluten free bread you threw down there last week, maybe do some quilting on the back too....I like patterned cushions with plain quilted backs....yum.
Now hurry up and make it or else I'm flying to fucking Kansas to steal your fabric stash.......!!!!

Kristy said...

I have inside info from the quilt queen Manda! When I visited her studio I had a good nosey at those cushions she just made.The front were quilted with batting and a layer of cotton then the backs were plain.Did you see how she put binding on the edges just like a quilt?So nice!

Angelina said...

Obviously the vote is in and I'm going to agree with almost everyone here: quilt the front, don't quilt the back. (I know you were totally waiting to hear from me about this.)

Be careful with your hoarder man, hoarders can have heart attacks when they find out you've thrown some of their stuff away. My FIL is a very advanced hoarder. He saves lint from his dryer and I can guarantee you it isn't to use for making paper.

Marshamlow said...

At my house, my husband's stuff bugs me and my stuff bugs him. He is famous for picking up all my things, but leaving his laying around. I am currently working up the nerve to start my first quilt. My grandma sent me some embroidered panels that I am supposed to make into a quilt??? Wish me luck.

Anonymous said...

Well, I think you need to put a solid backing on the pillow just because I think that making a quilted pillow, in and of itself, is not nearly enough work for you.

Chickenbells said...

Oh, when I was married, I had to be super careful about dusting after I'd cleaned out my hubby's drawers..."...you can't dust with my lucky underwear!" You're right, I can't dude...they're too full of holes and when I hold them up, I can see you through them...I mean, why would he need lucky underwear anymore after he married ME?! idiot.

Chara Michele said...

I am pretty indecisive too, so I am probably not going to be much help! :) In fact right now I have been staring at my sewing machine all morning trying to figure out what I want to make a sewing machine cover out of. (It is currently sitting with a piece of fabric draped over it so that my cats can't get to it.)

Maybe quilt just the front? That sounds nice to me... And as I know nothing about quilting really, I would just use something cheap like muslin or some other fabric you have laying around.

Good luck with all the cleaning while Aaron is gone!