Doodling or noodling...

It's a slow quilting/sewing week for me. Already Wednesday and not a thing to show for it. So... I thought I'd just show you one of my doodles. I have a large doodle sheet. It is about a queen size peice of muslin- which I cut into squares and then sewed back together. Threw in some batting. Whenever I want to try a new design, I just pin it to the machine and then I doodle away. (It takes a while to pin the thing on- I think that most people don't realize the time involved in just getting ready to quilt. It takes me anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and 30 minutes to get a quilt on the frame- depends on the size. It is one of my least favorite parts of the whole process, but not a bad "I'm too tired to do much else" kinda job. Rather like the dishes or the laundry. Jobs that needs be done. I like to get my quilts on the machine at night- then I can come in, all fresh in the morning, and get straight to work.) Doodling is one of my favorite things to do- just go where the needle takes me. Do you ever do that on the margins of your papers? You know, draw little curlyques and squiggles? That's so much fun. Now try it without lifting your pencil. That's continuous line and bit more of a challenge, but you'll get the hang of it. I find that doodling with the machine is actually easier than doodling with a pencil. Can't say why. Maybe it is that loud droning in my ears. It is quite loud. I remember when we first got the machine- I would just about jump out of my skin when that thing would kick in- so loud. It was intimidating. A common response, as I can rarely get anyone to play around with the thing. They refuse to make eye contact and back away slowly. I am kinda that way with anything loud. I love my food processor, and my KitchenAid mixer- but I sometimes avoid using them because they are so loud. Kinda spoils the whole theraputic process of making a pot of soup! When I am finished doodling, I just remove the doodle sheet and get back to work... but you know me, right? It will be a whole cloth quilt when I have used up all the spaces on it! No point in using up fabric, even muslin, with no useful purpose other than doodling!

Favorite things... I know you can barely see it in this tiny picture... But I love this bangle. It belonged to my DH's grandmother. Everybody called her Baba, and she lived to be almost 93. She was a cool and practical lady, and she loved her jewely. This bangle is made from 2 stainless steel wires that are twisted together and then pounded flat- no easy feat with stainless steel. The thing is unbendable- I've tried. Yet is so smooth and "soft" feeling at the same time. And the scalloped edge is pretty. My favorite quote of Baba's... OK, I have 2 favorite quotes..."The Devil has made life hard for me... Not that I hold that against him. That's his job." and "Fish and company stink after 3 days."