I was so chuffed with myself. This month’s Fabric-by-Fabric One Yard Wonders sew along was the Eight-bottle Wine Tote.

Perfect Christmas gift, filled with eight bottles of wine, I thought. I’d whip it up in no time! Even better, I found this fun dotty home-dec fabric in the clearance pile at JoAnns. Festive but not overtly Christmassy. I was in and out of there for under ten bucks!

Then I got home and realized that the fabric I bought was not wide enough. No problemo! I had some coordinating brown sheeting that would work well for the second, inside layer. Then I read on to realize that I needed a yard of cotton batting to sandwich between the two layers of fabric. Duh! It does pay to read the instructions before going shopping.

Still determined to forge ahead, I found something in my fabric stash that would pass for batting and began. I sandwiched the layers together and pinned. I meticulously marked out my 2 x 2 inch quilting lines with tailor’s chalk, and started sewing.

And after three rows of careful stitching, holding the layers steady, I remembered why I don’t do projects that require quilting. Ever. Because I suck at quilting!

The brown side didn’t look too bad. See?

But oy! The dotty side! It was nasty and skew, with pinches and gathers in the wrong places, despite all of my careful sewing.

And this is where the wisdom of middle age kicks in. I took my shears and cut away what fabric I could from the mess, and saved it to use another day. And then I tossed the rest in the trash!

Life is too short for bad sewing projects.

Not that the project is bad mind you. Take a look at this pretty version of the eight-bottle tote! My lack of preparation and execution — and perhaps I do need that walking foot for my sewing machine after all — is absolutely to blame!

Weekend before last, I flew to Colorado to spend a weekend with my friend Kelli.

For years we’ve read each other’s blogs, shared joys and sadnesses, recipes and sewing patterns. And I feel in our correspondence a clean connection and a kindredness of spirit. We click. Really well.

I flew into Denver and we immediately picked up Kelli’s friend Sheila and drove up to the mountains. “Ladies, you two really are so similar. I know you are going to get on REALLY WELL … no pressure!”

What a way to see the beauty and scale of Colorado first hand. Dodgy photo taken through the car window:

We were headed to Glenwood Hot Springs for some serious R ‘n R. And did we ever R ‘n R! Soaking in the springs is just so relaxing! Until Kelli suggests that the only way to improve on this experience would be for them to fill the pools with those tiny little fish that nibble the dead skin off your feet. Sheila and I were equally grossed out, and fits of giggles ensued.

Back at Kelli’s home in Golden, CO, we spent the rest of the weekend hanging out at her very comfy home, catching up, and realizing once again just why we get on so dang well. Stories about kids and dogs, friends and family, likes and dislikes, loves and losses.

The moment that I realized that the Internet doesn’t lie about what’s in a person’s soul? When we realized, while idly chatting, that the one possession we’d both wanted from our grandmother’s homes, were the biscuit colored mixing bowls they used all their lives for baking.

Kell, almost identical to your stand-in. See?

Sunday night, a bunch of friends came over for pizza and board games to celebrate Kelli’s birthday. The kind of group I’ve seen time and time again on her blog, eating a  meal together or celebrating a holiday.

Kelli and her roomie BJ:

It was a fun get together, one where we laughed so hard playing games my belly still ached when I went to bed.

Speaking of beds, the biggest treat of the weekend was the peace and quiet of a room of my own. No little feet or voices waking me, comfy cotton linens, and one of Kelli’s Mom’s intricate quilts at the foot of my bed.

Kelli, you know how to open your home and heart to guests so well. Thank you for a wonderful time!

Hmn … where have I seen Tupperware Yarmulke Baby before?

Oh right! Same kitchen, different baby!

Click through for all the pictures on Flickr!

I could not wait to get my hands on this pretty fabric! Dicy photos taken with my phone — sorry!

And yes, my obsession with perfectly applied 1/4″ binding! Or as Kelli calls it “death by bias tape.”

And thank goodness, Baby obliged and modeled the finished product!

Tau’s school is part of the No Excuses University Network, an organization that promotes college awareness and readiness at elementary, middle and high schools across the US.

Each class  at his school adopts a different college — usually the alma mater of the teacher — and they learn all about their school and its sports teams throughout the year. Every Monday the kids wear their college spirit tees.

Well, Tau’s UCLA Bruins shirt from last year was getting a bit snug, so I suggested he make a pillow out of it.  It’s been a while since we worked on anything from the Sewing School book, but this project was a hit!

I can see us making a Save-My-T-Shirt pillow each year!