Quilt Block Woes

*sigh*

So, I have this great idea for a quilt. 

I have made quilts before, but just little ones for babies. This one is gonna be a big quilt. King-sized.

I figured out how to do it with as little money as possible, considering the unemployment situation.

I planned out how to make it on quilt software to make sure it looked good and to make sure that I liked it, and to lessen the math I had to do.

I figured out how to print the piecing lists, so I have a total list of every block I'm making.

I prewashed my fabric, which I never do, just to be sure.

Picture and discussion about prewashing found on this blog.

I checked and rechecked all my final measurements, to make sure it will be what I want it to be.

 and finally I was ready to cut the fabric.

I used my rotary cutter for precision cuts, and measured very carefully.

Then it was time to sew. I pinned everything and sewed at a slow to medium pace.

 I checked all my seams, and they are all 1/4 inch.

And yet, and yet! Despite it all, my 1st block is 1/2 inch shorter on one side than it should be.

Nooooooooooooo!

What. the. what. Fabric is so frustrating sometimes.

But it is pretty, dontcha think?

I'm not going to fix it yet.. I'm going to wait for some of the other blocks to come out too short and then just add an extra book to make it work right.

Highs and Lows and Bacon Mac and Cheese

It's such an up-and-down existence.

I got a message about a job recently that I think sounds really great for me. I don't want to say much about it, so I don't jinx anything and I'm trying to keep my expectations for gainful employment low, but it got me feeling all hopeful and excited for the future. I was feeling really good on Tuesday.

Then today, I got an e-mail for a government job I applied for: "You were within the Best Qualified, Highly Qualified or Qualified Category, however your application was not reviewed or referred for employment consideration."

I mean, I'm happy that they actually sent an e-mail so that I have a clue, but... that's not exactly helpful. "You were totally qualified, but we just weren't that interested." Bah!!

But ok, this is a job that gives preference to vets, and (especially considering the perspective I have gained since dating a vet) I'm really glad that vets are getting jobs. So that's the perspective I'm adopting. A ton of vets who are highly qualified applied and there was only one job. But I need a job, too. And I mean, I know I'm not a war vet, but shouldn't there be a job where I can get preferential hiring as a widow? Do they give preferential treatment to widows of men killed in action? Cause they should. Even more than me, "war widows" should get preferential treatment. Ok, new perspective. A widow did get the government job. Just not *this* widow.

Also, I would like to share with you an important discovery I have made this week.

It looks like this:

Now before you get all judge-y on me, hear me out.

Normally the gross thing about frozen meals is the meat which can be a bit sketch. But this is Jimmy Dean. They are meat people. If the meat in their meal/bowl/thingie is gross they are shooting themselves in the foot, right?

That's what I figured when I bought it at the store, and then I was brave enough to try it, and you know what? I thought it was great. The noodles and the bacon and the cheese sauce have all been cooked separately and frozen and then added to the bowl because someone somewhere figured out the best way to freeze things and the right size to cut everything so that it all tastes like food on the other side of the microwave. It wasn't quite as good as Panera, but honestly? It was pretty darn close.

It's not great on the sodium and saturated fat levels, but when has mac and cheese ever been? And in total it's 440 calories-- again, not bad when Applebees is all excited because they have lunches under 600 calories.

So you know, on a day when you kinda want some comfort food because the government likes you enough to take your tax dollars, but not enough to give you a job, it's not a bad call.

(I promise, Mister Jimmy Dean did not pay me for this endorsement... but if he wants to hire me, I'll tell Jimmy, "Abso-flippin-lutely.")