THIS I LEARNED: part #3, 2021 - I can say NO

I've learned many hard lessons in my life. One of them was that I can say "NO". I can give myself permission to tell someone or a project....."NO, I'm not doing that" or "NO, I can't do that right now" or "NO, I'm done with that." It took me a long time to learn to just say 'NO'. I've come to believe that my "YES" has become more powerful instead.

Last February I travelled to North Carolina to take part in Instructor Certification with Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design products. Loved my time there and met some wonderful people from all over the States.

Periodically we get asked to be part of pattern testing for the Studio 180 Design team or for other instructors. I really want to say "YES" but have learned that often I really need to say "NO". I said "YES" last year and even bought fabric, but realized that I wouldn't have the time to work on the project so, had to bow out of that project and say "NO, NOT RIGHT NOW".

Well, this last time I said "YES, I'LL TEST YOUR QUEEN SIZE QUILT PATTERN" and bought the fabric and started working on it. Now, understand that we are in the middle of a large kitchen and main floor renovation and I thought that I'd have plenty of time stuck down in the studio while the work was going on upstairs.

Did you see the last post on snow dyeing? Did you see the picture of Lady? She is not very affectionate, but she is very protective! She has barked mostly non-stop during this whole process as these masked men have come in and out of my house. The only time she has been quiet was when we took her for a car ride, a trip to the dog park or on a long walk. I think she's also worn herself out a few times with all the barking and just plum sprawled on the studio floor!

So, with these distractions, I started on this latest quilt. It's called ARGYLE. And it will be a beautiful quilt, when I do finish it.

I used the wrong Studio 180 Tool to start and like a good 'doobie' I did some cutting, but I used the wrong tool and had to go buy more fabric! Thank goodness the store still had some left.

I pieced my first block wrong! Not saying which of the following blocks is wrong, but as I was following the pattern, I had to re-do a bunch of partially completed blocks to get them right.

I got overwhelmed! I realized that I couldn't keep to the time line asked of the testers. So I jumped through the pattern and started working on the setting triangles and the borders. I got overwhelmed with the noise of the dog barking, the hammering and sawing and the stress of the renovation. I just had to say "NO". The reply from the pattern designer was very gracious and I felt a whole lot of stress leave my shoulders.

THIS I LEARNED: it's ok to occasionally say "NO". For my mental and physical well being.

Lady and I have taken more trips to the dog park and more walks and let the guys upstairs work their magic on my house! That may be a blog post later as I hang quilts on my new walls!!!!

Happy Quilting and Renovating!!!!