A New Adventure

Last year in late October I lost my fabulous "Rocket Scientist" job of 29 years.  For most of those 29 years I scheduled the work flow for many successful launches.  I started out working for McDonnel Douglas which became Boeing, and then when Boeing and Lockheed Martin decided to combine forces, I continued to work for the new company, United Launch Alliance.  I started out launching Delta II's and then Delta IV's and for the last couple of years I also worked with the Atlas program.  I very fulfilling career, but when the opportunity came up to take a voluntary layoff, I decided to go for it.

My Last Official launch with the company Atlas OSIRIS-REx

Delta IV - WGS-9 Launched after I left, but I worked on it.

I was missing something in my life.  I have always had a creative side, I would sneak in projects on weekends and vacations, but it just wasn't enough.  I really needed to recognize and develop some of the creative thoughts and ideas that are constantly running through my head.  I am hoping that I can take this second half of my life and pursue this direction.  I do love the art quilts I have created mixing machine embroidery and quilting.  I feel that maybe doing more of these types of projects might be a good direction to start.

Trying to decide where to start this new creative full time direction, and figuring out what exactly it is that I want to do, can be difficult. For me the questions that needed to be answered were:  Do you need to make money?  Do you just want to create beautiful quilts for contests?  Do you want to just make things for your friends?  I answered yes to all of them. 

I recently had an opportunity arise that I decided to grab and take a chance with.  It might possibly help me with the number one item on my list, make money.  I own a beautiful Babylock Destiny embroidery machine that I bought from a shop near me, Quilts and Lace.  The shop just recently acquired a new owner, Beth.  She is full of energy and ideas and was looking for some help in teaching a machine embroidery class or two.  I feel that I am very qualified and signed up for the job.  Beth had purchased a package put together by Kimberbell Designs to make it easy for shop owners to teach classes.  They provide designs, instructions, and even supply lists.   Although teaching somebody else's projects and using their designs isn't exactly what I had in mind, I feel it's a very good start.  I can get comfortable teaching and I can see what kind of other projects my students might be interested in for future classes. 

My first Kimberbell class will be a simple but very cute mug rug all done in the embroidery hoop.  I will be teaching it on Saturday, April 15 starting at 10 AM at Quilts and Lace.

My second class is also bunny related.  I stitched my sample on a linen tea towel.  The bunny is appliqued on using the embroidery machine, and the decorative ribbon is then sewn on using the sewing machine.  I will be teaching it on Tuesday, April 18th.

 

Both are very cute projects as are the other projects I will be showing you soon.  I will be teaching three classes in May and two classes in June.  I will keep you up to date on how the classes turn out, and as I get the samples made for the future classes I will share pictures.  If you are local, come sign up and take the classes!