Sewing and Soccer

I have a new gig, Soccer Mom.  It's fun.  Selim has had three practices and three games since Wednesday, May 4.  The home field complex has a great walking trail that borders along the whole place and I've been using it during part of the practices.  The practice time is 6:00-7:30pm.  That's a little tough for me.  We get home and he is hungry and needs a shower.  I'm trying to finish up last minute things and still be in bed before 9:00.  The 3:45 alarm comes really fast when I get to bed later than 9:00.

Mom came to Wednesday's practice.

Yay, Mom!

His games this weekend were home and away.  Yesterday it was in the mid-70's with a slight breeze,  The boys on the other team seemed huge compared to our squad.  But the game itself was close and they lost by 1. In the evening, I realized that my arms and cheeks were sunburned.  Contrast today's weather -- windy, windy, windy, and temps in the low 50's.  Parents were wearing ski hats and jackets.  I had on three layers.  This game was in Candia and the final score was 3-3.  Selim doesn't start, but he has gotten subbed in every game, both halves.  He is happy with his playing time and so am I.  Today he almost scored.

Today's game.

More of today's game.

Getting winded.  Go white!

Parents all bundled up

In my free time, while I am not at a soccer venue, I am sewing.  One project I can't share yet, but it is coming along nicely.  During in between times, I continue to work on my Splendid Sampler blocks.  This morning I was six blocks behind.  Now I am only four.  I had trouble sleeping last night.  I closed the windows anticipating the rain along the cold front pushing through.  At 10:30, Selim called out that he couldn't sleep because he was sweating.  I was too.  I opened up the windows again and figured that if the rain was fierce, I would hear it and I could get back up and close them again.

Around midnight I thought I heard rain.  At 3:00 I wondered if I should get up in an hour and go in to the office for overtime.  At 5:00 Nedim got up.  At 5:45 I couldn't face going into work, but I wasn't sleeping.  I went downstairs into my sewing room and cleaned it up a bit. I organized some projects.  I've printed out some patterns thinking I would get to them -- I haven't. So I put them away.  I re-shelved books.  I tidied up my scraps.  At 7:00 I figured I wouldn't wake the guys up if I used my machine.

I began another paper piecing block called Goose on the Loose designed by Amy Smart.  I love this block.  In her intro, she talked about her kids running in every direction while she tried to keep up.  I don't have four kids, but I feel like I wear four hats that compete for my attention and time.  I am wife/mother/immediate & extended family member.  I am a Civil Servant and I love my job.  It is energizing and draining at the same time.  I've got a lot of projects with tight deadlines that I am trying to finish.  I am a quilter.  If I didn't play with color, pattern, and texture -- I would be a very unhappy woman.  And lastly, I'm part of a community on the same spiritual discipline.  I wish I devoted more time to that practice.  And I hope I am a friend, colleague, supporter of those in my circle.

So this block spoke to me on many levels.  And I have discovered that there is a mind clearing aspect to paper piecing.  It is very precise and once you get the first two pieces sewed down, the process is almost magical.  The pattern develops before your eyes and at the same time, it isn't stressful.  

Four separate sub-units.

Sewing the four blocks together

Back side, all sewed together.

Goose on the Loose.

Love the block!

After making chocolate chip pancakes for my soccer boy, I went back downstairs to work on Block #23 by Kari Carr called Hand in Hand.  This block was about her mother and at the heart was a red square representing her mother's heart.  Last month, while Heather was at the Ashram, we went through a few boxes of Mom's fabric and clothes that had been boxed in the attic.  I took some fabric and parts of shirts that Mom loved and had not been able to part with.  At the heart of my block is fabric from Mom's blouse.  The blue fabric I cut from the front of a blouse that she got in India.  So this block for me mirrored the designer's inspiration.

Hand in hand.

Lastly, Selim brought home his patchwork pillow on Friday that he made in  Life Skills class.  He did a great job and he is so proud.  The ninja fabric we got together with Heather in NYC last April vacation.  It only took a year to get used.  Oh well.  I'm sure there are more sewing projects in his future!

Selim's bed and his pillow, center stage.

Selim and his pillow.