The news is very exciting for me - I've decided to do something that has been a dream of mine for a long time and be a full-time volunteer for a year! Crazy, yes, but not quite as crazy as it sounds. I will be working for an awesome organization in Southern Texas that runs shelters for immigrants and refugees. While I won't have a salary, they will provide close to everything I'll need - room, board, health insurance, and lots of little things like toiletries, stamps, bus tokens, etc. etc. etc. For my part, I will perfect my Spanish, meet tons of interesting people, and have some time to think and reflect about where I'm going from here.
Part of committing to this means committing to a simpler lifestyle. Among other things, this means that my stash is not going with me....! I'm taking a few hand projects for starters, although I have a feeling it may be a couple weeks before I think about sewing again. I've got lots of notions packed in my suit case and will have my machine and some other stuff shipped to me when I'm ready. The shelter I'll be at has a clothing bank, so I'm hoping to continue my experimentation with recycled fabrics and utility quilts. Letting go of my stash has been one of the hardest things about this, but it's only for a year, and I think it will be very good for me in the end...
Here's a couple pictures to share before I go. First, the t-shirt quilt! Yes, I know it looks identical - because I did not add a border. I hope no one will think I'm contrary for that, because after all the majority of comments I received said yes to the border! But weighing out all the factors I decided to go no border, and I'm happy with the result, not the least because I actually got it done!! Super quick finish for me. It's not very closely quilted, which made it go even faster, but it's awfully sturdy, so I think it will last. That's the brother in question holding the quilt, so you can see how it came out size-wise. Maybe he's shorter than I thought??
This is for all intents and purposes a gratuitous cat picture!! I came home one night and found my kitty getting up close and personal with my hand quilting project - guess he wanted to help. This is the trip around the world quilt. I got the border 3/4 of the way quilted but no more! I don't want to take it to Texas just to finish the last tiny bit and then have to store it there, so I'm storing it here and I'll finish it at Christmas. Or something.
