Forward Planning

It was to be expected that the past week would be a bit of an anti-climax after FOQ along with the feeling of dread as the new school term approached. Before I had even unpacked I went straight into town to buy new uniforms and school supplies to get it over and done with. I then proceeded to label, laminate or iron everything I could find to put off the tedious task of writing lessons and schemes of work for my temporary teaching post. 

The entire week was spent making lists, emailing and “researching” important information on the internet. One useful search involved shortlisting USA quilt shows that I may like to enter or visit as a member of the teaching faculty. I had woken up in a slight panic when I realised that Odin’s Trilogy had not returned from its tour with IQA following its success at Houston. They replied to my email immediately, explaining that I had said that I would collect it in person after the Houston show on my original entry form then I forgot to amend those instructions after it won a prize. I decided that since it was already in the USA it might as well be entered into MQX West and possibly one or two other American shows next year. 

It was probably not as essential to look up acoustic guitar pickups, Bernina sewing machines or the best pyrex casserole dishes for Fergus to take to his Home Economics lessons when he joins Banchory Academy. He was not at all impressed with the striped apron with funky skulls pocket that I ran up and he made it clear that he no longer wishesd to use the indestructible PE kit bag that I made when I started school at the age of 5. 

I caught up with Mo who was dog-sitting a cute, snorty Pug and we decided to have a last Friday of the Holidays Yurt Night which involved drinking lots of Cava and Gin, and discussing  what we want to do when we grow up ;) I made my annual 4 tiered Victoria sponge for a friend’s birthday which was outrageously good and she has already requested that she should have an 8 layer masterpiece when she next celebrates her next decade. 

In the end I made myself knuckle down and do the teacher stuff so I could relax a bit on the final day of the summer holidays and prioritise what quilt projects I plan to work on over the next couple of months. These seem to fall into 3 main categories - Possibles, Maybes and Definites. I started by dyeing some bamboo-silk to make a strippy back for BzB which got sidelined earlier this year. The strippy back will actually be the front for the first part of the quilting process as it will be easier to trace the very traditional wholecloth design that I drew on baking-paper rather a long time ago. The Plan, which will inevitably be subject to multiple changes, is to stitch the wholecloth design onto the back of the quilt first then turn it over to work on some elaborate background quilting. I can’t decide whether The Other Project will be to work on 3 autumnal totems, work on a new leather/spandex idea or even do something useful with a set of wonky house blocks...