minkie massacre

yesterday started out to be such a nice day. kristen and lauren were coming over to work on a little sewing project, so i brought down some fun toys from upstairs to entertain lauren and then i started on a little baby blanket i had committed for a silent auction for the young woman while i was waiting for them to get here. i have ups and downs when i attempt to use a sewing machine, but a couple of days ago i had been very successful in hemming a couple pair of shorts for jon, so i began this project with my confidence high. while sewing the nine squares together things seemed to be going well, seams matching up and so on. then kristen arrived, i put my blanket away and we started on her project. two sewing machines and a lot of frustration later my confidence was about shot. we were able to finish kristen's little project and all turned out well, but i wasn't quite ready to face my blanket. so after dinner, i decided to go to jon's institute class, (you know, be supportive because he was convinced no one would show up) and then face it when i got home. his class ended up being full, great kids, and i really enjoyed the topic. what i got from it basically, was that i need to seek first the kingdom of God (keep my main focus on God, my priorities in perspective) and also that i've been commanded to seek learning. i need to learn things of God, but also things of the earth, things of a secular nature (biology, chemistry, etc...), mind you i have been commanded to learn these things. we talked a little about how we use our time and he enjoyed teasing me about watching 24 and reading people magazines and other trash (really, only while sitting on the beach!). anyway, class got over, i came home, megan and hailey went to bed, jon and tod went out to the usa game, and i was home alone, so to speak. i got out my nine squares and measured the sides and then i got out my minkie that i was using for the bottom and tried to cut it. i was feeling so patient again, i just knew this was going to be the best baby blanket i had ever made. so i started spreading the bottom and top together, trying to get out the wrinkles and make it lay all beautiful and flat, you know like grandma does, and i turned it over and over several times trying to get it just so, when i realized my top was not square and there was no way my top and bottom were going to fit together. FRUSTRATION automatically back to high. i sewed my minkie back together and didn't cut it this time, figuring i could just cut it after i made it fit better. things just got worse from there. but did i stop? NOOOOO! i finished the ugly, stretched out, misshapen thing, and vowed to myself was never using my sewing machine again, and i was giving away all the stupid minkie i owned!!!! then i came in to read some blogs to cheer myself up. it worked a little, jen's stories of ellie and her feelings about gratitude and blessings did me a lot of good. i was starting to calm considerably. then i read that she was feeling all creative and had all these cute ideas, and i couldn't even finish, i decided to go to bed. when jon got home he came in to the bedroom and i was reading and he asked how i was doing. poor guy! he got a, "i suck at sewing, so i decided to come in here and read about vampires!" what?
anyway, this morning i got up to minkie fuzz everywhere, two sewing machines on my table, 4 boxes of material on the counter, pins, scraps, you name it strewn across the kitchen and family room. but what a difference a good night sleep can make, and some sun shining. by the time i finished cleaning up, i decided to keep my minkie, and give it one more try. i have two neighbors; keri and linda, that are experts in sewing on minkie. it is time for a serious lesson. i am only giving it one more try though. if i fail again, my material will go to the first person who comes to my door that will take it away with them! good luck to me!