It Was Just One Of Those Days...

 

This will be the exterior of my next finished wallet. I've called this one "Flea Market". I decided to work on it while waiting for the hardware to arrive for one of the other "mostly finished" ones. I was really happy with the way it's looking until...

I realized that I had installed the credit card pockets without sewing in the divider line. I'll either take out one side of stitching and add the dividing stitching, or I'll keep it intact and hand stitch it. I haven't decided yet.

Rather than sit down and "unstitch", I decided to go on to the next wallet. I have all the fabric prepared, so it's just a matter of sewing and assembling.

I pulled one of the Kaffe colorways and started sewing. I got this far when I had to set everything aside to help deal with another issue...

When I went to feed Tag yesterday morning, I stepped into the garage (where I keep his food storage container) and stepped onto a soaking wet rug. I immediately knew what that meant. There was a leak.

I looked at the water heater and found water under it. I went in the house and told Handsome. He called the plumber and they arrived within the hour. Our water heater was under warranty, so it was replaced quickly and the water was turned back on.

There was only one problem. As soon as the water was turned back on, there was water under the water heater again. Uh, oh.

Our plumber determined that there was a leak in the supply line (by cutting out a section of garage wall)...and fearing that the problem was underground (it's where they put pipes in Florida homes), recommended we proceed by calling in a company that can use technology to locate the source of the problem. Our plumber set up the appointment for us and the company quickly sent someone over.

We were fortunate. The leak is in the wall between the water heater and our kitchen pantry. I had to empty part of the pantry so the wall could be opened, and our kitchen is a mess until I can put everything away again. The good thing is that they were able to pinpoint the source of the leak through a small opening in the pantry wall - even though they'll have to open the wall directly behind it in the garage to actually effect the repair.

The water was turned off overnight and now the plumber has to come back to do the work. Once he's finished, we'll get someone in to fix the walls...and then I can clean everything up again.

We're so glad it wasn't worse. If the leak hadn't been in the wall, there would have been jackhammers and cement dust and excavating. Why Florida requires/allows under slab/foundation plumbing installation is beyond me, but that's where everything is. For now, there is an easier fix, and I'll be fixing that wallet while I wait.

Nearly Tossed Away...

Our monthly guild meeting was last night. I'm the guild recording secretary (for the next eleven months), so I could be found sitting up front with my laptop, taking minutes.

One of the ladies came up with a bundle in her hands and said that a friend of hers (who is in a nursing home) had this "cutter" quilt she wanted to sell for $30.

I didn't even need to inspect it. I figured if it was really in terrible shape, I could use it for pincushions or stuffed animals, or other smaller projects. I immediately said I'd buy it and it was tossed onto the table in front of me. Mine. All mine.

When I got home, I inspected it to see what I'd actually purchased. I was really surprised. I wouldn't call this quilt a "cutter" (meant to be cut up, rather than restored) by any stretch of the imagination. When I looked a little closer at the quilt,  that row of squares above the green line of squares was missing!

See? Apparently, someone really needed those darker brown pieces for another project, because they cannibalized most of them from that entire row of the quilt. I'll be on the hunt for a fat quarter of a brown, patterned fabric to applique' into those voids.

I'm going to be watching for something appropriate to the era in which it was created. To my eye, it appears to be another quilt from the 1930s that has come my way. I can't believe my good fortune!

The zig zag border is more than a bit rough. It will need to be repaired and rebound. Most of it looks like this (or a bit worse). It will require quite a bit more work. I'm in no hurry, but I do want to repair it rather than cut it up. 

 

I want to restore this quilt to its original beauty. It quilt really deserves it, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Tuesday With Tag - Patrollin' Is Fun...

Hi, Everybody!

I've got another video for you today...

Remember how I help with garbage every week? Mom thought this time we should do a recordin' for you. I know. It's mostly me walkin'. Big deal. Try not to get too excited, okay?

Mom and Dad always let me carry somethin' out for recyclin'. I usually choose a water bottle. It's easy to hold, and looks real impressive. Don't you agree?

It's a long walk out to the curb, and I can do it really fast if I'm not bein' slowed down by "the humans". I don't mind too much, though. I kinda dawdle along while Mom and Dad try to catch up. I snuffle and sniff the air, makin' sure the coast is clear. A Corgi's job is never done.

My jobs:

1. Be a good boy
2. Eat breakfast and dinner
3. Do my business in the yard, which helps give Mom and Dad an excuse to stop what they're doin' to let me out
4. Be cute
5. Make 'em laugh
6. Get my beauty rest
7. Protect our yard from invaders (doesn't matter if it's animal, mineral or vegetable)
8. Be kind to children
9. Help Mom (and Dad) not miss the "old" dogs too much
10. Recycle plastic bottles and stuff
11. Roll around on dead stuff in the yard
12. Roll around on the carpet in the house
13. Be cute (I know I said that already, but I'm double cute!)
14. Write my blog post every week to visit with you

 Direct link: http://youtu.be/pOEzLddlCfg

Well, it's not much, but you get to see me in action. That's somethin', right? Mom wasn't sure about the song for this one, but I thought it was funny, so I said, "Hey, Run with it, Mom!" She likes to follow my lead once in a while. We hope it makes you smile. 

Time for me to go for this week. 

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then...

"Keep Your Nose To The Wind 
and The Sunshine On Your Tail."

PS. Mom asked me to leave a message for Miss Patty C. of Yumm Yumz by Patticakes...

Mom tried three times to answer your email, but it kept kickin' back. If you have a different email address (or your spam is kicking back Mom's emails), could you change your settings or let Mom know how to reach you? Thanks!