Letting nature do it's job

It is hot out there, my word, scorching crazy heat!!!

I have tried to stay indoors as much as possible, but then again there is a lot of yard work and projects that require us being outside for long periods of time.

I was thinking earlier of how annoying it is to want to be out in the sun doing things but struggling with feeling like you're going to melt....and let's not even talk about the sweating.  The boob sweat is real!!!

There's sweat in places I did not even know existed, just so you get an idea of how hot it has been around these parts.  LOL

Uncharted Territory...of the crafty kind

I am a crafty girl.

I live, breathe, and love everything crafty.  There's just something about creating an item for my home that means so very much to me.

But there's one craft that I have never delved into.  It intimidated me so very much that anytime I thought of even trying, I talked myself out of it.

No time.  No experience. You don't know what you're doing.  You'll never be able to make something that intricate.  It's difficult, you won't understand it.

I tell you, the excuses I came with were just ridiculous.

But while at JoAnn's a few days ago, I found fabric that I HAD to have and I HAD to use for this.

And I realize I haven't even told you what the heck I'm talking about....well....Quilting of course.

So yesterday, after filling my tummy with Thanksgiving goodies, I sat in front of the TV and cut and cut and cut and cut, for hours it seemed. Though I didn't even realize it as I had the Hallmark Channel running with Christmas movies :)

By the time I was done, I had pretty much all my fabric cut for the top.

I'm not doing anything intricate as it is my very first quilt and I'm nowhere near comfortable with some of the hardest blocks out there.

But I'm kind of following this pattern by Flossie Teacakes.

I am having so much fun already and it makes me wonder why I ever made such a huge thing out this.

This morning, after housework and in between laundry loads, I sat back down and finished the cutting.

Sat at my desk watching my Portuguese TV, cutting and then sewing rectangle, after rectangle, after rectangle.

Hours I have spent on this quilt today, just quietly working through it and I have never felt so relaxed. I'm finding this whole process to be as therapeutic as crocheting or knitting.

Now comes the best part...arranging all these blocks into the pattern I want. Placement is everything and I can already tell that I'm going to take a while until I'm happy and ready to start sewing the blocks into rows.

I wish I could explain the feeling I have just seeing this......knowing that I am doing this myself, sewing every piece, touching every thread, putting my heart and love into this quilt.

And I want to hand sew it, I don't want to use the machine.

I know everyone has their own opinion on what works better, but I really want to....no...I NEED to do this by hand.

I want my very first quilt to reflect how important this is to me :)

So question for you all, do you quilt?  Any tips, advice for this first time quilter?