Squid Quilt Top… Finished!

I was so excited last night to bring my finished quilt top to the PMQG meeting… and a little nervous.  I had so much I wanted to say about it and I kinda froze in front of the group, but I’m good at hiding it.  Not a big deal though. I’m just happy to be able to be in front of any group without throwing up! Not only that, but everyone was really supportive and hearing their reactions made it all worth it!

What I wanted to say was how much I enjoyed the paper-piecing, hand stitching of it all. It’s so relaxing, addictive, and fun.  Plus I’m loving the new community that seems to be blossoming at PMQG. It’s very inspiring, and motivating for me and sharing accomplishments feels great.  I started the squid in July, shortly after our meeting about hexagons where I first learned how to make them.  I’ve been addicted since then.  There are about 1400 3/4″ hexies used in the quilt top.  I made them all first, then sewed them into rows, then sewed the rows together.  Altogether I have logged approximately 245 hrs. to get it this far.  The question asked the most:  “Why a squid?”… well, my answer to that is:  “Why not?”  Really, I’m just a weird girl and you just never know what’s going to break out of my head!

There will be another “unveiling” of my squid for my birthday this Sunday.   I can’t believe I’ll be 42 already… time just flies.  I’m always amazed when I make it to another birthday.  Honestly, when I was younger, I never imagined I would live past 25 with the way I was living.

I haven’t really written much about my past, but as you may have noticed my web address is xstreetgirl.blogspot and there’s a reason for that.   After being disowned by my family when I was 17 because of religious differences,  I spent many years as a homeless or squatting gutter-punk.  Long story short, I was somewhat depressed as a young adult and I made it my mission to move onto something other than this life.  Soooo… I spent years drinking VERY heavily and doing every drug that came my way.  One day I found myself pregnant, and sleeping in an unused MUNI station in San Francisco, so I became even more depressed and wanted an abortion.  Fortunately for me, I just couldn’t go through with it (even tho I’m pro-choice) and so I had to clean up my act while pregnant.  I fell back into old habits after my daughter was born, and I was an on again/off again homeless-single-mama for about 6 years until I stopped drinking, smoking cigarettes, and using meth in 1997.

I don’t mind sharing this information with anyone… I’m a pretty open person and I’m in a different place now ~ but I still have no real regrets.  I’m happy to have had all my experiences… and still be alive with a beautiful daughter.  That all said, it’s been an uphill battle with my health.  I’m not complaining, mind you…. just stating fact.  I can’t complain about things I did to myself!  In particular, my liver needs a LOT of love right now… but I’m so much more healthy than I’ve ever been before.  Most of all… I’m happy and content.  YAY!

I guess the reason I bring this all up is to show how much my sewing means to me.  It is my new addiction… and it will not hurt my health (except for maybe my finger joints) and I’m so happy that I am here and that I can be creative… and that I can share it all.   So when some people think: “You must have a boring life with how much time you spend sewing”  I  come back with: “I have the best life ever!”