VACATION'S OVER -- sigh

On the other hand, it's good to get back home. After three months I have a great deal to catch up on, really important things like housecleaning, dealing with missing mail and critters bouncing around our attic. These necessities tended to, I will resume posting.

Bear Wallhanging

bear wallhanging, originally uploaded by Fiberdabbler.

My first finished quilted project. I started it probably 5 or more years ago -- before I learned the lesson of precision seaming. I made this from a kit from a design by McKenna Ryan at Pine Needles. It required minimal quilting which still intimidated me and caused me procrastinate. Fortunately the beautiful batik and tone on tone fabrics hide many of my boo-boos. Last year I did the machine squiggle behind the bear. Just the other day I stitched in the ditch and applied the binding. I purchased decorative bear rod ornaments when I got the kit and, providing I can find them, will hang this piece in my dad's cabin in the High Sierras. With its myriad imperfections it will serve to remind me of lessons learned. Didn't the Amish purposely include a humility block?

Did Someone Say OPTIONS!!!

I am incorrigible. I went to the thread store to get needlework yarn for a CQ project plus a couple of skeins of Caron that were backordered for the Options in Hardanger class. As you can see below I gave myself even more options and more decisions than I need to fret over. What was I thinking? I'll tell you -- and you'll note how fast, how easy, how adept I am at justifying each stash purchase. I bought my Lugana on sale, a fat quarter for $4.95, so I'll have enough fabric for several projects. Any leftover thread from that will find its way into my CQ or scrumbling.
I could avoid option angst by sticking to traditional white on white, but I'd be sacrificing the exhilerating rush I get when I see a profusion of threads (or yarns or fabrics or beads or...) in
seemingly endless combos of color. The thrill even extends to the at home experience of admiring my purchases. I'm proud of my indulgences. Let's see, if I'm grateful to be able to
indulge, does that soften the sins I've confessed to today?