Relaxation

I really need to relax tonight.  My mother needs me and I am not that well yet.  Since I am head of the Sunshine group at Guild, I thought I would relax with these blocks that Guild members have made.  I can see that I am not the only one who has relaxation on the mind....

Tonight I put my own lattice on the group blocks. 

 First I think that my Milito is in the way..and then I realize that he is just keeping me company on my quest for peace...a fellow traveler so to speak...

My friends are picking me up for the Charlotte Quilters'Guild meeting tomorrow night.  I pray that I will be able to go.  I will see my mother for a few in the morning and then rest, rest, rest...till Guild.

One road leads to another better one..

I have spent too much time on the computer and cannot concentrate on these squares...so now they become another group of orphan blocks for another time.

 From that path came the hidden treasures of my Australian fabrics.  They are so happy that I found them.  So I ironed them tonight and folded them and loved them.  I might try my curved ruler using them at another time.

 Even the names of the fabrics are great....saving these selvedges for sure..

International flair for the wonky

There is nothing like putting a piece on the blog to see where things could be adjusted.  I just love blogging.

 Shopping my stash, I found a stack of Australian fabric fat quarters from when Marie and I went to the Statesville show a number of years ago.  They are really beautiful.  I thought I might add a bit of international flair somewhere in this wonky piece of mine.  And then I might not want to use my  beautiful fabrics on such a piddling piece...and then I did promise self to use my collection and not just admire it and touch it and love it...and then....sigh...

Today's behavior analysis....This is the end of week 4 as in concussion recovery...4 to 6 weeks.  I decided that I was way done with this and I was going to go to Hobby Lobby to look for a magazine I had been wanting..I was looking at 45 min max..15 min there, 15 min each way...I felt that I needed to walk thru the fire to get to the other side...to be brave and not wimpy and to be done with all this concussion stuff.  Off I went, flying high..windows open listening to young folks music...the great pretender.  As I approached the store, my eyes started to feel pokey and my head started hurting and my dizziness...But brave me went inside anyway.  Tough I am...They did not have the magazine.  Back in the car...that humility thing again...this return trip had air conditioning on high and me praying that the light would hurry up and change.  My husband asked how it went.  I told him to talk to me from my bed.

Yellow invites her cousins to play

Messing around with fabric...

• Tonight, before bed, I am reminded of my favorite version of Wind in the Willows..(Kenneth Grahame, 1987)...When Toad, reclusive Badger, and sensible Rat...were so happy just..."messing around in boats"!!
  So, with that song singing in my head, I took these 9 orphan blocks and started cutting into them.
  
   I did some yellow slashing...and 
  
  
  
  I had the best time, messing around with fabric!
  
  

Disappearing nine patch comfort top done

This quilt did not need to be this big.  But, the clutter needed a break, so it got two borders instead of one.  Always great shopping from stash.

Evidently "turning the corner" does not mean crossing the finish line.

"Humility, like the darkness, reveals the heavenly lights",  Thoreau

One upper...one downer..

The upper is that today is just as good as yesterday for me!  I even used the design wall.  With a million naps and rests...I am happy.  The downer is that my husband just got back from his Mohrs skin cancer surgery.  I of course was supposed to have driven him, but couldn't...so he drove himself.  He came home with a big bandage on top of his head, mucho stitches, Hydrocodone and instructions to do nothing....hmmmmm.  This should be an interesting weekend!!!  How adorable...we will be "doing nothing" together.....

This is not sewn together..In my excitement to do a quilt for a bigger child, I put so many kid's prints in that it   is turning out just the way I feel...mumble jumble.  And, I see that the white squares are not forceful enough...Oh, well...it is for a child! And, a quilt is not done until it is bound!  Once again...note the cute big blue plaid from the shirt from GW!

Comfort quilts ...retake

The last time our bee met, Carol told us that she had a middle school student in the hospital with stage four cancer.  When I looked through my comfort quilts for one for this child, I was upset that all of them were for younger children.  This was the only quilt even a little large enough.  And, I thought that since I had used antique blocks in this quilt, that it was "old lady" for this child.  Carol said that she would make it work by having the girl's teachers write with fabric pen greetings in the green lattice.  A great idea Carol.

This situation got me thinking about comfort quilts.  The Charlotte Quilters' Guild has an outreach  program for the hospitals which includes sick newborns, children with cancer and women with cancer.  My thoughts are that from now on, I will be thinking about the older child.  IMHO, the easiest quilt for this is the "tossed" nine patch.  Tonight I got out my box of 5 inch squares again and found some children's prints.  12 blocks of  5 inch nine patches, with borders make a nice size.  This is my start:

Today was the best day I have had in three plus weeks.  I am grateful and encouraged and trying not to do too much.  Of course the HUGE Costco bag of M and M's that my friend Melissa dropped off on her way home from The Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild will ensure continued improvement.  Melissa was going to drive me to the meeting, but I was not strong enough so she came by for a minute to cheer me up with.....eeeekkkk chocolate....Lucky me....

Saved by the UFO

  So Joanie thinks that I am productive despite my concussion stuff.  I think that that is because I have so many UFO's...These are no-think projects that are around and I do not have to start anything...eg..using orphan blocks or these snowballs from a several quilts my daughter and I made years ago..I am not able to use the design board or start anything new or read my new quilt books..but these will be easy.

Then too...I get one good hour up followed by 30 min resting in a recliner or bed.  So I make good use of that hour..and sneak in a tiny bit of computer...Now that I have caffeine free Diet Coke maybe I will not be so productive!!!  Gotta love quilting and its saving Grace..

The Dolly quilt

last night I found 4 16 patch orphan blocks...with a bit of lattice and border, I have a dolly quilt.  Small things....

 It was really a no brainer...good thing!!!  huh??  But I had to think twice.  Once in fussy cutting this baby doll for the center....

 Next, to place the yellow in the checkered binding in just the right place...

Because I had to spend most of the afternoon in bed, I am really trying not to read blogs now...I am trying to get better...hugs to my friends out there that give me so much support.

Self-care

BREAKFAST

Oilcloth Book cover

I just made this cover for my book with a little pouch on the front for a marking pen.  Oilcloth is so easy to work with..no seams, etc. Now I am going to bed.  There is some crabbiness going on in this house in Charlotte, North Carolina..!!  Even the dog is staying clear!!!!!

The beloved enablers in my life

First up in enabler town is dear friend, Andy.  She called me from IKEA saying that they had the new sewing machines in and she was buying one and she knew I couldn't get out, yet desperately wanted one...so, She got me one!!!  My husband doesn't understand why anyone needs three sewing machine...sigh.  Thank you sooo much Andy!!

Next up is Jennifer.  She posted all the yummy sales on  Fabricworm.  Of course I could not pass up on some of it...after all I need to get joy back in my life...soooooo I bought this:

and this...

None of which is my fault..I am just a fallen woman trying to find balance:)

So now, my husband watched a thing on TED on concussions.  This lady said that there should be NO TV and NO computer....so why didn't the ER doc and my PCP tell me that.  I have been all over fabric sites for hours trying to cheer myself up.  When the doc said do NOTHING, I thought he meant housework, cooking, laundry......

Right now, O'Quilts is doing computer work with her SUNGLASSES on...much better, thank u.

Cannot keep a good woman down.

The pinwheel cure

Thirty five pinwheels....Done....14 potholders...Done

Guess it is not the cure I was hoping for...progress is very slow around here.

HST and the restful Pinwheel

This has to be easy for me to be able for it.  I know that it has bias edges, but I figure that if I butt it against straight of grain and am careful, I will be ok.  It is really the fastest, easiest, most accurate Pinwheels I have made.  Again, my energy demands easy.

I am able to do this quickly because I have a box here chock full of 5" squares cut over the years from leftover projects.

It was the same with the potholders.  I have a basket of food fabric and a bin of pre-cut batting and Insul-brite...all cut for a rainy day.  Guess this is rainy season here.

Remember that there is a budget upstairs and not so much downstairs...These came yesterday...Both lovely. The Shape Workshop book is very very, no-think handy..

This post is brought to you from the downstairs office. 

My mother and me

This morning my husband drove me to visit my mother.  We visited 20 minutes and then I had to go home.  After that adventure, my brain had to sleep for 2 hours...Beth made a comment on my blog that "elderly" is a state of mind...hmm..When I was younger I used to think that and then the joints ached and the colds took longer to get over.  In Miami, I remember a sports figure saying that he had wished that in his youth he had taken better care of his soul because as time went on, his body betrayed him, but his soul did not.  So, I decided to ask my mother.  At 10:15 this morning we found her alone in the far end of the dining room, in her Dr. Seuss bib I made her, eating her breakfast.  She had been there since 8am..The staff was setting up for lunch already.  My mother has Dysphagia, a swallowing disorder from her Parkinson's also problematic in other neurological disorders.  She was spending this morning her usual time eating one poached egg and drinking coffee...It takes her two hours to swallow one poached egg.  When she goes out to lunch with the lunch bunch..(.she loves to ride in her wheelchair in the bus with her friends), my 91 year old mother orders creme brulee for lunch.  Now is that a positive thing or what..It takes her one hour to eat half of it and she brings the rest home and considers the outing a success.


So, today I asked Mom if she thought that "elderly" was a state of mind.  She said yes.  If she says yes with all she struggles through and still can celebrate life...then it is indeed true.  My mother and I had a great chat...she was so clear minded.  Then she looked at me and said that she was wondering why Daddy did not come to visit...but she had figured it out...sigh.

Look at the pinwheels I just made from the $4 shirts I got at Goodwill!!!  How cool is this?  Now, back to shopping:)

 I have found a new site....I cannot believe that this lady can find such unusual fabric that make my heart sing...http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlijeOlifantje..Of course the singing does not continue in the pocketbook, so I did NOT bite!!  I am waiting for fabric.com to give me an empty cart 15% off coupon.  But, oh, no... I guess they have my number as they just gave me one last week...sigh..

You may think that I have nothing else to do but blog.  You would be right..almost.  I also have to rest and then I have to rest again...all while my dear husband cuts the grass, does the grocery shopping and the floor cleaning and buys me ice cream and in general continues to put up with me.  Hugs to my honey and hugs to my mother.

Day 18

My prognosis is 30 to 45 Days.  I of course am planning on 30 days.  Today is day 18.  My husband says that I should plan on 45 plus.  He says I am elderly.  I say, not yet.  Blah blah blah...  What if he is right...OR...what if  just maybe I  made too many POTHOLDERS!!!!  Fyi.. My potholder tutorial is on the sidebar of my blog..but my guess is that you do not need it...so very easy and restful.

Dear Picasso...my potholder period is now over...I am done..almost...

The restful potholder

So here are the latest four potholders...The Russian doll one for the doctor's nurse, the cat one for a Sunrise employee to say thanks...Of course the cupcake secretly mine, but will give away...and the salad one for Himself...but he will not be getting it!!  I made so many potholders that I ran out of white loops and I am too lazy to make them from cloth.  I only have three more to make and they are specific..no hurry..My doctor loves to go on cruises..so when I get to Mary Jo's I will get a little cruise ship fabric piece and there is a worker at Sunrise who needs one.  When I asked him what he likes to do, he said that he loves to go out to eat and to watch TV.  I looked everywhere for a TV block for the center, finally found it today on Fabric.com...not perfect but it will do.

 My sister found this awesome Russian doll fabric at JoAnn's.

 Lunch from my garden....

 And, poor me, the fallen woman...out of M&M's, ice cream and all...But, scrounging around during a good time, I found a bit of homemade chocolate frosting in the freezer that I had saved from Evan's birthday party. oooooo....soooo....good!

Picasso and me...

Picasso had his blue period and his rose period.  O'Quilts has her potholder period:)

I have had the same dentist and receptionist for 19 years.  Never gave them a thing.  Now, I have the first of my holiday presents done.  I used the same colorway which made it all go faster.  We would not want any fighting in the dentist office over choosing a potholder.  Since becoming elderly is sooner than I think, I will not wait till Christmas.  I will give them at my next cleaning...and say Merry Christmas in August...

A-pear-ently

Whew...this day was so much better than the past three...TBTG.  Slept, up, rested, saw one client, rested, did potholder, rested.  So, of course to celebrate...tonight I decided to run an errand.   Five minutes into it, I had to call my husband that I was coming home.  He said he would take me..oh, dear...riding lying down in the car was worse.  In three minutes, I was back home, resting.  But, the very best news of all...I feel better quicker...and it is a-pear-ently....a TWO potholder day!!!!!! Yes!

Braveheart or Chickenheart?

One potholder a day keeps....

All day in jammies doing nothing.  The evening motto:  one potholder a day keeps the doldrums away!

So, fine...I am obsessed.  I checked out my newest favorite link...Michigan state concussion recovery guide.  It says...that recovery is awesome up to age 40.  It says that the elderly have a longer recuperation.  I went immediately to Wikipedia for the definition of elderly...ha ha...It says that in the Western World the generally accepted age defining the elderly is 65.  TBTG  I am only 64 and a half....sigh....so grateful for small things...very small things:)  Dodged that bullet:) ha

The Brain...again

The doctor told me to do nothing for a month..no work, no stress, no nothing.  He does, I know, live in a different world than I do.  Lucky for me, since I run my own business..no work..fine..No money, not so fine(:  I already got my fabric...lol.  No nothing??  The refrigerator broke and I did not want Himself to look for a new one without me.  Off we went.  He drove.  In the first store, I lasted 15 min tops before I had to go to the car and rest... dizzy..After that, any normal person would have said, take me home.  But, not an immortal superhero...no, not me.  We went to a second store.  Such a total mistake that I have not been able to function all weekend..sleeping, dizzy..and doing nothing...hmmmm....Guess there really is no Doctor O'Quilts!!

BTW, never order fabric when you have had a concussion...just FYI..Remember last week when once again   I was whining and feeling sorry for self???  Of course you do NOT.  Anyway, I ordered from here:
Fabric.com $3.95 blowout sale
Sew Me a Song Etsy shop
Equilter--50% off sale
Hancocks of Paducah--50% off sale.
Fabric.com and Sew Me a Song were awesome...I loved the fabric and it came in 48 hours.  Equilter and Hancocks took 6 days.  Equilter's color was off (to me)...and what in the world was I thinking at Paducah...oh, that is right..I had had a concussion...I think that they may have had one too, as they were out of the favorites I had ordered....Not complaining of course...fabric is still a delight.  Today...the bruised brain....is only being trusted with potholders and only now at 8 pm after doing nothing all day!!

 By the way Gunborg...if you are reading this...Did you make this??  I found it in one of the books I was glancing through as I was doing nothing.  It has your initials on it.  You must have sent it to Grandma for Christmas from Sweden when she was still alive.  Since she died 14 years ago at age 99...that must have been awhile...let me know....

The flange issue

The flange is the black metal side piece on the left quarter inch foot.  Since the feet for a Janome machine are relatively inexpensive, I bought a second foot and had the machine mechanic take the flange off of the foot. (I am sure you could do it yourself).

 Tonight I had the energy to try the two feet to see if there was a difference.

 I am Not a precision piecer.  I am a wonky, improvisational, fly by the seat of my pants quilter.  Because I sometimes work on a group quilt, I wanted to be sure that my blocks just might be the same as others...I will not hold my breathe.   So, I made these HSTs with the two different feet to see the difference.  If you are fussy, there may be 1/16th of an inch difference.  If you are not fussy, there is no discernible difference, IMHO.  The HSTs I made are below being auditioned for this medallion quilt. I made them  from this tutorial at Missouri Star

Progress is always a good thing

I finished this quilt this afternoon using my left foot on the peddle as the right one is still swollen.  I also went to the doctor.  The doctor said that I had bruised my brain and it would take 4 to 6 weeks to be myself...wow...He said I was lucky I did not break my neck..TBTG

That is progress....I was able to drive today...small miracles.  I visited my mother.  No, she had not been pining away for her eldest daughter.  In fact, she was preparing to leave on the bus for lunch bunch...Now that is surreal!...I like the way I quilted this..It is.right out of the dryer...channel quilting and then free-motion in the border...all in black...not that I was in a black mood or anything with my concussion thing going on.

The backing has Japanese cats and American dogs!!  Thank u Ruth and thank u Charmaine.

Lordy, is someone jealous or what???

I do not like to keep making the same kind of quilt  over and over...like to try something new.  But, under stress, I like easy..and so the same thing. (This past year there has been just a little bit of stress!!!)..I saw something similar on Red Pepper Quilts this morning.  I love it.  She did not use scraps, however and it is a different look.  Such an easy, easy scrap quilt.

Now I am having issues to share.  I have started hoarding my new Aurifil thread(:  I love it so much, I am trying to use up my old thread first.  Teetering on the edge of sanity...should I just throw the old stuff away...It takes twice the bobbin filling...sigh...I hear that you cannot take this stuff with you.  What a shame...