Do It Yourself

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As usual, we had a glorious week in February, and we're back to what passes for winter around here. It's cold and rainy, and while we got some outdoor projects done on Saturday (picking up used rabbit bedding for the compost, trawling the garden centers, working on tomato trellises), we stayed close to home on Sunday.

Robb has been making more bee gear. Now that we actually own some bee hive boxes, he's able to use them as templates, and build some from scratch.

I started work on a quilt.

Years ago, someone very close to me asked me why I bother making quilts, when it's so much easier to go out and buy one. As you may imagine, I was flummoxed by this question. Both Robb and I derive a lot of pleasure out of making things for ourselves and for the people in our lives. We like to have the skills to do things for ourselves. We like making something of our own design. We like being part of a long continuum of people who know how to build the things we use.

And it's okay that not everyone understands that.

Comments

Megan W. said…
Have you had a chance to check out the De Young's current exhibit of Amish quilts? There's some spectacular examples of handiwork on display. Really stunning.
I've always had great appreciation for people who have the patience and training to make such things by hand, but that exhibit upped my awe by tenfold.
Mel said…
Making things is very satisfying. It's something I try to impart to my students.

I also might get to feed our bees this weekend if the timing works out... wicked Maryland winter, we've lost one hive that didn't have enough honey. I want to learn how to check on them and feed bees!
I am flummoxed by the quilt question too! Cute 9-patches, Lisa
Anonymous said…
When I was making quilts years ago-(living in frozen Michigan) the cats would ALWAYS get up and sit on whatever section of homemade quilt I had made and put out on the bed to look at. It didn't matter if it was the tiniest bits of cloth stitched together to practice, they would always get up from their warm spot and come over to lay down on it. I guess this means every quilt I made had a "paws of approval" award. I figure the shed cat hair on the new quilt just added to the warmth factor of each quilt as well!

Annalisa
Anonymous said…
PS- Is there one sort of wood that is preferred for beehives than another? Would Robb make me a bee hive if I asked him? How much does he charge? Could something "bee" made and mailed as something to assemble? I dont know if Pennsylvania bees need some different type of hive.

If I try to build one myself it's never going to get done- I just need to be honest with myself.

We had a neighbor in our area when I was a kid who had a hive-- he is long gone but his hives are still there in a field- long rotted and fallen apart- No bees, either. I was really sad and empty looking.

Annalisa
knitica said…
Pretty. What color are the missing squares?

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