Friday, March 09, 2007

Patience, Persistance and Damned Stubborness

Someone sent me a private e-mail the other day after seeing my post with all the quilt pictures in it. She told me that she would always have loved to make something like that, but that she was certain she didn't have the patience to do it.

Patience my ass. I have never utilized any patience. I have a huge STOCKPILE of patience, because I never use it! What I do have is persistance. The "push" to force myself to do a little bit of something until the darn something is done. Except as regards housework.

Persistance and Damned Stubborness together are what make all those quilts. You saw "Veggie1"? Well, the squares for that one are each made up out of 2 different fabrics, a "background" fabric that is tiny green flowers on white, and a foreground fabric that has veggies or fruits on it. Would you believe - I was getting near the end and discovered I was short about 1/2 yard of the "background" fabric?

The fabric had been featured at JoAnn Fabrics for several months, but when I went back to get more, it was gone. I went to every fabric store I knew of - nothing. Not even a stinking remnant. I was crushed. (The worst part was when the EXACT same pattern of the fabric was found.... in blue instead of green).

I never gave up. For years I searched, I never ever gave up. About 4 or 5 years later, I happened to walk into a JoAnn store that I'd not seen before, and my eye naturally scanned over the light green 100% cotton fabriOH MY GOD.... there it was. 2 huge bolts full. I grabbed one. I hugged it to my chest. I wouldn't let go of the death-grip until I got it to the cutting counter. I bought 8 yards. The hell if I was going to run out again!!!

Buying that much allowed me to have sufficient to make Veggie2. It also leaves a large pile still sitting in the "stash". There won't be a Veggie3, but that pretty little light-mint-green-on-white print is there when I need it now.

That, my friends... is damned stubborn.
*grin*

702 days

2 comments:

BBC said...

Hum

If I vacuum today I can say I did some housework. Or if I fold the clothes I washed on Wednesday.

But maybe I'll just wander around looking at the stuff I stubbornly hang on to in case I ever need some little part.

He, he, he.

Peacechick Mary said...

Your description of stubborn and persistence sounds so much like my daughter. I, on the other hand, tend to go with the flow of things, abandoning all sorts of good along the way. So, you and my daughter are more mature than I in this situation. I salute you.