Heartache Generates Some Creativity

I'm feeling a lot better now about the tournament result. My son is taking it a lot better than my husband. Instead of grieving about it like a little baby, I had to steer my feelings into another direction.

All of the boys' families usually purchase shirts (basketball themed with school's name) to wear at the games. I had an idea a few months ago to make a jacket with the owl (school's mascot) on the back of it. I came up with this drawing.

I never got it on the back of a jacket and I soon just ran out of time. But I could make a wall hanging out of it! I thought it would be the perfect outlet to get my feelings out on!

I initially had drawn it on an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper, so I had to enlarge it.

And keeping the basketball theme, I thought I'd add a basketball in the background. I'm wanting to make it subtle. I'd like to make the background white with a beige or cream ball.

It kind of gives you an idea of what it will look like. I had thought of making another one to donate to the school. It could have the coaches and players names on it and perhaps they could sign their names on it. But that's two that I will make to make! And I'd have to make it before the end of the school year!

Not sure exactly when I'll actually get the fabric for it. Will I really make it? I may not, but I really enjoyed drawing it up.

Jane

Dream of Championship Shattered

I apologize for this unquilt related post. I admit that I am the furthest example of a sports fanatic, but I had to put in my opinion...
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We (specifically my son) had our school's basketball tournament. Our boys and their families and friends were walking in with the taste of victory already in our mouths.

Our team had won our first game and we were looking forward to playing the winning team from the prior game. Our boys and coaches were on confident since we have an undefeated record this year (12-0).

During this last game, which was going to determine the Champion and Second place winners, it was looking good at half time. We were up 9-19. We knew that we were playing against a pretty good team because we had never had such a low score at half time. But we were still holding on strong.

Then it was, as is, a switch was flipped in the fourth quarter. All the phenomenal baskets that were made earlier just wasn't happening anymore. I felt our defense was strong but that doesn't matter if the ball can't seem to go through the basket. With 3 minutes left, we were up 22-27. At 36 seconds, 26-27. We were finally defeated at the very end at 28-27.

This is how I feel about this:

I agree with competitiveness, teamwork, and sportsmanship when it comes to our children. Every team who plays has an opportunity to win or to lose. But the team we played against in the championship was from another school district and county. We never had played them during our season. And now they are taking the Championship trophy with them to who knows where. I would have felt better if one of our schools (district or county) had taken the trophy, but I'm having a hard time knowing this team came from ???.
We did acquire the second place trophy and I understand that my opinion is very biased. I am proud of our school and I love our boys. But perhaps I just don't understand how the teams are picked for tournament or just how the whole organization works. And it's more that just "if they weren't here, we would have won." At this competitive level, that Championship trophy should have stayed in our area and the boys who had cut down that basketball net after the win, should have been the boys who worked, practiced, and played at those same nets.

But that's how I feel about that!

I promise more quilty goodness to come!

Jane

BOM Revisited

After I had printed out the first month's instructions for Henietta Whiskers BOM quilt (from Bunny Hill Designs), I hadn't realized that I had forgotten to finish printing out the last three months of her 2010's BOM quilt, Snowbound. And it sparked my interest again.

I had to find my instructions to see where I had left off and then I started to play with the fabric.... you know where I'm going with this don't you??!! I just had to work on some piecing on the non-applique blocks. I can still call it progress, right?

Rural Jardin from Moda fabrics

drawing out the sewing and cutting lines

pinning the strips prior to sewing

layout for the block

center nine-patch block

progressing along

almost done

1,2,3..... 13 finished blocks!

I'm not sure when I'll start on the applique blocks. Perhaps I'll try machine-applique since I've very used it on a full size quilt. And perhaps it may go along quicker than hand-appliqueing it.

Jane

More Snow

We've just had another snow storm blow through yesterday. Just when the snow from the last storm had finally melted away, we were blanketed with a new coat. The schools are closed for today and tomorrow, and there is another chance of snow early next week. The last day of school has already been pushed back two days into Summer Break!

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My older son is scheduled to have his basketball tournament this weekend and there is a chance of a postponement because of the snow.

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I'm so proud of my son and his team. They have done so well this year! They are undefeated after playing the surrounding schools and this tournament will proclaim the Champion! Our boys are very proud of their own achievements and confident of our next tournament game. And we're looking forward to watching an exciting game!

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GOOD LUCK my buddy!

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Jane

Another Snow Day

We were stuck at home today. The boys were home from school, again, due to the wintry weather. And I was determined to get something accomplished.

We had a movie day. They seemed to be content and occupied watching their DVD's. And it was perfect for me to do some mindless quilt marking.

Although my Round the Block quilt is coming along well, I still need to add more rows to it. During the movie, I could sit with my boys, watch/listen to the movie, and mark-out the quilt pieces for the blocks. Once they are marked, I'll cut them out, pin them together, and get them to the sewing machine sometime in the near future.


It's pretty simple work. I'm using my handy dandy plastic margarine lid templates, again! I just marked the fabric with square grids for the templates to be marked in. Both parts of the block are marked in each square. It was the best layout, with the least waste, that that I could think of.

Even though winter has pretty much just started, I am already sick of it. I'm ready for the approaching warm weather... I can look forward to that in about three more months. Three months of wishful thinking! Oh, boo who. I'm just so pitiful!

Jane

No More Snow Days!!

Here in southern Indiana, we've had another snow storm. Nothing tremendous, but enough to slip and slide along the roads and the kids had to stay home from school.

I had just a little time to myself today. With both of them home, I've had to make sure they were busy with something, otherwise they will find each other and start pestering one another. I just don't know if it's the age difference (the older thinks the younger is a big baby, the younger thinks the older is bossy- both are right!) or if that's the way brothers are.

But wouldn't you know, it was announced that we have another school cancellation for tomorrow. I think we will do something productive, such as cleaning their room, sweeping the floor, so I can feel like I'm actually getting something done tomorrow!

I'm really going to try to fit in some quilt-work for tomorrow, one way or another. Just breathe, just breathe!

Jane

Love My Followers

I enjoy visiting other blogs. To see what they are working on, the photos of their projects... I have a long list of my favorites and I feel as if they were my close quilty friends.

And so I'm very flattered to see that I actually followers that actually visit my blog. To think that someone is enjoying seeing what I am up to.

Recently, I had noticed that I had a new person added to my followers list. WOW!! YAY!!! I had noticed that she was a crocheter. Now, I've have been doing a little bit of crocheting lately- I repeat "a little bit." I was feeling a little stressed. I was going to be a big disappointment to this new follower- I'm a quilter!

After all the worrying, I found out that the new follower was just my sister! She is on the process of starting her own blog and I'll be visiting hers also. I'll be her biggest fan!!

Jane