Wednesday, May 12, 2010

I Just Don't Know What to Say

I said that with a sigh. I don't seem to be able to focus on a single post, so I'm going to embrace randomness here today.

I finished knitting the bicycle basket. If I never knit anything with jute again, it will be way too soon. I wasn't sure exactly what kind of jute I was supposed to buy and I didn't take a gauge, so my basket turned out bigger than the pattern called for. I can't imagine using it as a basket because it would sag just enough to run into my front wheel. Luckily I have a rack installed over my back tire. I currently have one pannier, so I'm going to line the basket and attach it the unused side of the rack. I bought some laminated cotton to line it with at this fabulous new local fabric store. I'll definitely take some pictures when it's all ready to go.

I'm in the midst of the Austin Commuter Challenge. I even made a button for it for my blog. My husband just rolled his eyes. He doesn't get the point of the button. I told him I didn't understand how the folks who coordinate the challenge could forget to make a button to promote the event. So, I made my own. It's linked to the home page for the challenge if you're curious.
Each participant in the challenge is supposed to log the number of trips they take over the course of the month. Part of recording those trips is to title them in some way. For instance, when I ride to the grocery store I call that trip,"home to grocery." Well, the other day, I rode my bike to a bris. A friend of mine just had a baby boy and I was happy to get a chance to wish him and his wife Mazel Tov and deliver a gift for the wee one.



I'd made the super-sized block for my tutorial at Sew, Mama, Sew back in early April. I added a little border and some corner accents to increase the size of the final quilt to 37" x 37".




I backed the quilt with some gray linen and quilted it with some repeating squiggles.

When I got home I logged my ride as "home to bris and bris to home." I could have logged it some other way, but I got some strange satisfaction from the idea that I was probably the only one participating in the challenge that would have this kind of trip recorded.
There's still the rest of May to go in the challenge and our team is currently 4th out of 55 teams.I've got lots more trips to make and even a baby shower towards the end of the month. There's more riding in my future and at least one more baby quilt.

11 comments:

Rita Vermeersch said...

I like your style of quilting, and the lovely colorcombinations you put in your works.
Regards from the canary Islands
Rita

h said...

There's an interesting post about commuting on scienceblogs.com. The key quote?

"According to the calculations of Frey and Stutzer, a person with a one-hour commute has to earn 40 percent more money to be as satisfied with life as someone who walks to the office."

Random commuting information for you :)

KarenB said...

I like your bike button. :-)

Mary Lou said...

Goodness...You are very industrious...I knitted a necklace out of wire but I think jute would be worse..
Love the quilting.

Cheryl Arkison said...

That cracks me up. What other fun places will you be able to take your bike to?

K said...

I don't know why the idea of riding your bike to a Bris should strike me so funny. But yes, I am willing to bet you are the only one who will record such a trip in such a way. Another reason why I find you so charming. Which is not to be taken as some stalker comment, but as one literary type to another.

Remembrances said...

I know exactly what you mean - I once crocheted a very large hammock out of jute. What was I thinking??? My family all lives in Austin and my youngest brother worked at a bike shop there while he was a student at UT. Oddly enough, I think we have more bike paths here in the Valley of the Sun than there are in Austin! Good luck on your commute challenge!

Serendipity Collections said...

Just stopping by to say I loved reading your randomness. Liked your quilt and laughed about the jute and your home to Bris and Bris to home (I am sure there is no other title like it)!

Jana

KarenC said...

Great quilt! I love the color combination and dynamic feel of the interior print. The line it's displayed on- how did you make that? I'd love something like that for photographing my quilts.

Lasso the Moon said...

I really like your quilting style. Not one signature pattern, but you seem to be very aware of the whole of the piece while you quilt. I'm inspired by it. Thanks!
Anna

thursday said...

I love that squiggly/zigzaggy quilting! Very inspiring! I really need to spend an afternoon quilting sometime very soon!