Taking on New Challenges

  So, it has been a whirlwind of a month!  We had 10 days of the annual NIFS Shop Hop in April, and I tried to keep up with quilting for customers in the middle of it.  I took a class at the beginning of the month from Jean Nolte, the editor of Fons and Porter's magazine.  She was doing a class on a quilt she designed for the magazine a few years ago called "Amish Buggy Wheels."  I consider myself a tolerably good quilter, but one thing that I have avoided all these years is curved piecing (dun, dun, dun!). 
  In my younger days as a 4-H member, and then later as a young mother, I did some clothing construction.  So, I had done "curved piecing" on sleeves and armholes.  That was enough to tell me that it wasn't much fun!  However, in the spirit of trying new things, taking on new challenges, etc. I decided to take the class.  I am so glad that I did!  It wasn't that hard!  Now, my first block did have a MAJOR hump in the middle.  I decided to take the easy way out and just iron in a nice big fold, which I planned to stitch down later.  Well, three days later,( and much obsessing about my imperfect block), I simply had to take the whole thing apart and try again.  This time, the hump was gone, but the circle didn't perfectly match up around the edge.  Dang it!  Three tries later (my official limit or retries) it is what it is.  I do have the advantage of doing my own quilting, and by the time I am done quilting it, no one will ever notice it.  Luckily, the second block looked much better.  I am guessing that by the time I finish all 12 blocks, I will be quite comfy with curves!
  The month ended with very exciting news about a humorous essay that I wrote and submitted to American Quilter magazine, published by The American Quilters Society.  The editor contacted me and they plan to publish it in the next issue.  I have always wanted to be a published author, and now I will be able to say that I am!  Hurray for taking on new challenges!  I can't wait to see what is next!