WIP Wednesday 6/6/2012

Railroad Crossing

Well, I didn't do any quilting this past week. I have no pressing quilt deadlines, so I've spent the week catching up on bookkeeping and getting ready for a trip to San Diego to visit my daughter Lisa, who moved back there from another state on Christmas Day. As I was trying to figure out when to go see her, I thought I should go for her birthday. Then I remembered it was her 30th birthday. Even better! So on Friday I'll take the train for the all-day trip. Once in San Diego, I'll catch a short bus ride to the airport and rent a car. I often use public transportation when I visit big cities, and I've done it many times in San Diego. Lisa has a motorcycle and a very unreliable car. I don't mind riding the motorcycle for short distances, but to to make things easier for us to go places together, I'm renting a car. Have Smartphone with GPS, will travel.

Lisa will be working a few of the days, and to help pass the time, I'll work on a quilt. I'll bring my little sewing machine, tools and fabric - just as I do for my quilting retreats in Pacifica. The motel where Lisa and I will stay has an iron and ironing board that I can borrow, so I won't have to pack an iron. Even so, you'd be amazed at what I can fit into a suitcase.

I've been trying to figure out which project I should work on during the trip. It dawned on me today to tackle a WHIMM (Work Hidden in my Mind) that is at least 9 years old. It is called Railroad Crossing, and uses blocks by the same name. (Please see the photo at the top of this post.)

Above: San Diego Trolley

Photos were taken during a 2008 San Diego vacation with daughter Lisa, who was living in another state at the time.

On several trips to San Diego I stayed in one particular motel that was right next to a trolley stop. While Lisa was at work, I'd spend most of the day in my room working on a quilt. The trolleys come every 14 minutes, at least they did at the time. But they travel in both directions, so on average, a trolley arrives every seven minutes. And every seven minutes (or so) the warning bells at the railroad crossing go off. The trolleys run just a few hours short of 24 hours per day. I heard a LOT of bells.

And so was born the idea to make a Railroad Crossing quilt. I'd like to try to use the relative dimensions of the trolley cars for the strips in the quilt, which probably won't be the dimensions of the traditional block, but it's my quilt and I can do whatever I like. Yes, I'm a rebel.

I haven't figured out exactly what the color scheme will be, but tonight I picked up a dark red solid for background - referring to the red trolley cars - and I'll go through my scraps to see which ones want to be in the quilt.

I'll leave for San Diego on Friday, arriving at dinner time. My daughter, myself, San Diego friend Patty L. and "a small army" of Lisa's friends will go out for lunch on Saturday, Lisa's actual birthday. Then the plan is to see Snow White at the theater. Other items on the agenda for the five-day visit: Rosie's Calico Cottage, Quilter's Choice, Visions Art Museum, Valley View Casino to take a look at a 35-foot long aquarium as seen on Animal Planet's Tanked, Imperial Beach to try to find the place where my parents were living when I was born (address is on my birth certificate), Hodad's Burgers as well as a spicy food restaurant - both seen on Food Network, and Panera to spend my birthday gift card. Of course, we must go to the beach every day. Who knows what other trouble we might get into?

I know I'll have a great time with Lisa. She and I laugh a lot when we get together. I'm looking forward to five wonderful days with her.

Debbie