Have you ever felt like everything in the universe is aligned to keep you from an interrupted project? I have several quilts I need to get finished, and couple I need to start, and I haven't been able to quilt since I got back from vacation. I haven't been idle, far from it, I just haven't been quilting. First I had the bake sale, then I had scrubs to make, then jury duty, then I had lots of pants to cut down and hem into either capris (for me), or shorts, for both of my boys. I think I have cut and hemmed 15 pairs of pants since I came home. My latest project is finished and pictured below.
No, they are not fabric snakes ;c) They are Cool Ties, and I just finished 48 of them. I made some for family, and most to go on the mission trip to Ecuador with my husband. I started out just making them for family, then I decided to send one with Howard to keep him cool in the jungle, and after thinking about it, I wanted to make enough for the whole medical team. If you've never heard of them, they are a fabric tube, filled with polymer crystals that you hydrate when you need them. It takes an hour or so of sitting in some water to hydrate the crystals. You wear it around your neck, and it does an amazing job of keeping you cool. I first used them about 10 years ago at a fair that I was working at. The temperature was about 105, and I think I would have had heat stroke without one of these. If you are interested, the directions on how to make them, and info on buying the polymer crystals are here:
I've also started another non-quilty project. I am making cherry pit pads. They can be put in the microwave and should stay hot for about an hour. They can also be frozen. I have an herbal pad I use instead of a heating pad, but it only stays hot about 20 minutes. The cherry pits are supposed to work better. I bought a 40 pound bag from
I am making two different shaped pads, a rectangular pad, and a neck/shoulder pad. I'll put pics up when I finish the next set. I finished one set and gave it to my MIL for an early Mother's Day gift. She is leaving town, and I wanted to get it to her before she left. DD#2 uses my herbal pad all the time, and since she is moving out next month, I wanted to get her some of the cherry pit pads made before she goes. I cut out several sets, and will try to get them all done within the next couple of weeks. That will give me some ready made gifts.
Now, when I am griping about not quilting, why would I be making up all the cherry pits into pads now? It is my slow plan to clean up my sewing room. A 40 pound bag of cherry pits takes up a lot of room, and if I get them all made, well, no bag to worry about spilling or storing. I have space to store ready made gifts in another room. After I get the cherry pit bags sewed, I'll stuff them as I have time, while watching movies at night probably. I hand sew them shut, so once the initial sewing is done, my machine will be free to start piecing with again. If I get the several quilts I am in the middle of done, then that is cleaned up as well, voila- my plan of cleaning up the room! Then I can start new projects and mess it up again!
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