Something new for me!

Today I started something I've never tried before. Ever.

I follow this Praiseworthy blog, which I just love. All the authors are so crafty and clever and inspiring. And Jenni, one of the gals who posts, was my very first visiting teaching companion when we moved into our married student ward at BYU-Idaho. I like to think that counts for something. Haha. But seriously, I remember being so amazed by her back then - the cute little treats she'd bring to share, the parties she threw (the invitations alone!), her genuine kindness - definitely a woman I truly wanted to (and still do) be like. I wish I had just a quarter of her talent and charity! ...and if the other gals who post are anything like her, which I think they are, I feel very validated in the time I spend reading what they write because I only walk away feeling that much more motivated to do something better that day.

...anyway... about trying something new. Today I decided to join in a Praiseworthy Quilt-Along. I've never sewed a quilt before in my life (well, except for the fish quilt my mom and I made in high school, but I think she ended up doing most of that), but I figured this is a great opportunity for me to start since I've thought about it a lot and never known how or where to begin. This is my first nine-patch square. It really isn't anything too pretty to behold, but I am excited to have a way to use up all these awful-looking extra pieces of fabric so I can eventually start collecting cuter fabrics that I actually like. This means my quilt will probably not be the best looking one in the end, but it will be useful, and it will be meaningful because it will be my first.

I figure I'll follow along with the squares as long as I have fabric for and then join again when it comes to the 'quilting' part if I can't go as long as the others for the squares. We do one nine-patch square a day. I am really excited. That makes it seem not too daunting and definitely something I can achieve. Plus, it gives me something to do this last month while I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of this little boy.