Checking In

When I made the decision last year to continue my blog, I set a goal of posting every week.  This is late because I had to get past the pity parties and stinky thinking first.  Things are going well...not according to MY plan...but just as they should.  The most effective weapon in my arsenal for this kind of sorry state of mind is gratitude.  Whenever I stop to concetrate on my blessings instead of my inconveniences, I do much better.

I ordered an EPP kit to work on while I recover.  It is a small-ish project with fabrics and templates included.  Unfortunately, I was later notified that part of it had to be backordered.  So, for the sake of my sanity, I tried to come up with an idea that involved tools and stash that I could reach from a wheelchair.  Standing at a design wall or cutting table or even sitting at a sewing machine is just not feasible right now.  I am forbidden to bend my injured leg.

Eventally I remembered this Apple Core template I had purchased eons ago but never used.  And then I remembered all those lovely batiks (many from Wanda) that were stored low enough for me to access.  I honestly don't know how far I will go with this, but I will keep it small.  It's a good project that will keep my hands and mind busy and give me a chance to learn how to handpiece.  However, learning to handpiece on curved seams and batik fabric is proving ambitious.

 

Luann Kessie has a tutorial on how to use this template that she posted in 2009.  I'm sure I purchased it sometime around then and it's time I put it to use.  YouTube has some helpful videos on handpiecing as well.  This is what I did last night.

Update:  I had my follow-up appointment with the ortho doctor this morning.  He is pleased that the fracture has not gotten any worse and is optimistic that surgery is not called for.  I still can't bend my leg, but I have graduated to a walker and am encouraged to start putting as much weight on my leg as I can tolerate.  Progress.

Just call me "Grace"

Last Tuesday I wasn't paying attention and tripped, falling with my full weight on my right knee.  My leg broke just below the knee.  It's not a bad break, as breaks go.  If I can avoid falling again or doing something else to make it worse before my next appointment on the 17th, I probably won't need surgery.  In the meantime, I'm learning a whole new set of skills, like moving from a wheelchair to anything else without bending or putting weight on my right leg.  No sewing has taken place since last Tuesday.

Members of our church family are kindly providing meals and hubby is also learning some new household skills.  It's just life...

Disruptions

Life certainly does not go on as usual when the interior of a house is getting painted!  Our painter is working very hard to make the process as painless as possible, but there seem to be continual questions to answer and decisions to make.  So, except for brief excursions for meals, we’ve tried to have one of us present all the time she is working.  My sewing room was the second room to be addressed and it is the most crowded room in the house. 

 

Here are some of the items that had to be moved out in order for her to work. 

 

The room finally became functional again Friday and I managed to add seven 16-patch blocks to the ones already completed.  I understand the new paint needs to age a little before using Command Strip hangers, so the design board is propped against the wall.  Otherwise, things are pretty much back to normal there.

 

Good thing, too.  My husband says sewing does for me what beer does for others, and I definitely am needing it through this process.

 

I'm not sure where last week went...

...but if anyone finds it, please do let me know.

My happy, messy work space.

More 16-patches on the design wall.

The baby wrens fledged last week.  Mamma wren was either so fast or so small she never activated the motion sensor camera we had aimed at the nest on our front porch.   This is the first time that has happened in several years, and never in a potted plant.

 

And another puzzle completed.

 

I don’t know how the next three weeks will play out.  After 19 years we have decided to paint our entire home interior, and possibly replace some of the carpeting.  There may not be much opportunity for stitching.

I almost forgot to mention that yesterday was the 15th anniversary for this blog.  About this time last year I was wrestling with a slump and seriously considered discontinuing it.  I'm glad I didn't.  I value the connections made through this blog.

Thrift Blocks and a Real Stinker

Last week I foundation pieced 21 Thrift Blocks and added three 16-patch blocks to the one I had already finished.  If my math is right and I don’t mess up any blocks while doing the final trim (both highly unlikely), I am within 31 blocks of reaching my goal.  We’ll see!

 

The only other news to report…

 

Somebody had a too close encounter with a skunk.

 

 

Side Tracked

Several of my quilty friends have been showing off these zippered bags.  Of course, nothing would do but that I made one too.

 

This was the result of my efforts.  I had been cautioned that the instructions for the zipper were counter-intuitive, but I lucked into a tutorial on YouTube that helped a lot.

 

One of the appealing features of this bag is that when it is open and the sides are turned down, you have easy access to the contents. It took a lot longer to finish than I expected.  My seam ripper and I bonded over the experience.  This week I hope to return to my regularly scheduled projects.

 

We spent Sunday in New Braunfels celebrating our grandson’s 22^nd birthday.  Such fun.  He heads back to Texas A&M this week for what may be his final two semesters.

 And…it begins again!  I'm pretty sure I'm addicted.

Happy to be Home Again

The quilt retreat last week was wonderful, and I am so happy to be home again!  The retreat center we used is in Mt Calm, Texas, and meals composed of comfort foods and desserts were provided.  Plus the snack table included lots of chocolate. It ended up being a 2-pound trip.  Now the sugar withdrawal and portion control work begins.  I believe I spent 17 days in July on the road.  That's highly unusual for me.

 

I completed 68 Thrift Blocks bringing my total to 328.  If my count is correct, I need 56 more.  I also decided to make my first 16-patch with the blocks.

 

The last day I was there I pulled out my Picnic Quilt pattern project using Kaffe fabrics and threw the completed blocks on the design wall.  When more blocks are made, I will be able to space out fabric repeats, and I expect some of the goodies gleaned from Wanda's Kaffe scraps will make an appearance.

 

One member of our group wears an apron when she sews and I liked the pattern so much I, of course, had to make one too.  So, my retail therapy there consisted of the pattern and two yards of fabric (on sale).

 

As I was packing up for the return trip, this guy decided to hitch a ride.  

The predicted cool down for the weekend has been a disappointment.  As I write this, the temperature is 98 degrees, and the showers missed us though we did hear a little thunder Saturday afternoon.

 

On the Go Again

This past week has allowed virtually no time for sewing.  It was spent unpacking, doing laundry, catching up on regular chores and then preparing for a quilt retreat which should be in progress when this posts.

I managed to finish 30 thrift blocks while we were in Wisconsin.  That brings my total to 260.  If I can complete a total of 384, I can make a quilt 48 x 64 inches before a border.  This will be one of the two projects going on retreat with me. 

 

My second project will be one using Kaffe Collective fabrics.  Those blocks finish at 12 inches.  That’s about as removed from 2-inch thrift blocks made of 1800s reproduction fabrics I can manage, and should provide some relief if I get tired of paper piecing. 

Usually, I take a handwork project as well.  I will be removing paper foundations in lieu of that.

Things are still green here as a result of the recent floods, but summer time has definitely arrived.  I believe the number of deaths from those floods stands at 135 with 37 of those being children.  The volunteer fire chief from our county remains as one of those unaccounted for. I am sorry for ending on such a sad note, but this last paragraph is mostly for my own records.

 

Home from Wisconsin, and a Visit with Wanda

 We arrived home yesterday following a 12-day trip to see family in Wisconsin.  The travel was arduous.  On the way there we were caught by a severe thunder storm in Oklahoma City that included hail.  A second severe storm surprised us while we were at dinner one night.  After we got back to the hotel, we learned that there had been tornados to the west of us.  And, on the way home we had to outrun another storm that was bearing down on our path.  It was a busy time with family celebrations and reconnecting with some we had not seen in many years.  There were bittersweet moments as well.

 

I finally found a quilt barn on a highway where we could pause for a picture.  These barns are very different from the ones I’m familiar with in our cattle ranching area.

 

I was ecstatic when on our return we were able to make a brief stopover in Sandwich to visit with Wanda.  We only had a couple of hours before we had to be on our way and Wanda and I made the most of it.  First, we explored her sewing spaces and I got to see some of her work in person.  Then some fabric negotiations took place…

 

My stash of green fabrics got a boost.

 

She let me have two pieces from her giveaway pile.  I was especially happy to get these examples of her crooked cornerstone series.  I’ve been tempted to try this technique and she talked me through her process.  Not shown are numerous cuts from her collection of solids.

 

Then we sat down at her work table and I got to play in her bin of Kaffe scraps.  Wanda knows a lot about the Kaffe Collective and its history. 

This visit was the fastest two hours of the entire trip, and I am so glad hubby was willing to make the pause in our travels.

 

During our first night home, this handsome fellow posed for me outside our fence. 

 

Our dogs were ecstatic to see us and I think our grandson was relieved that his house and dog watching duties were over.  It’s good to be home.

 

Hello...

...from lush, green Wisconsin where we are visiting family.  

Stitching as been on a catch as catch can basis since we settled into our hotel.  But, my sewing station is set up.

Progress is happening.

    

We quilters are EVERYWHERE!  This picture was taken at a tourist rest stop in Iowa.

I've also seen several lovely barn quilts, but it's hard to get a picture from a moving car.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Mesoscale Convective Complex, AKA Rain Bomb

"Texas is a land of perennial drought, broken by the occasional devastating flood." - State Meteorologist, National Weather Service, 1927

This post has nothing to do with quilting.  Instead, it is for personal cathartic and record keeping purposes. 

First, heartfelt thanks to my blog friends for checking to see if we are okay.  We were very fortunate.  It was scary, but we came through it largely unscathed.  Those a few miles from us in any direction were not nearly so fortunate, as reported in the national news.  

 A mesoscale convective complex, is a large, organized cluster of thunderstorms that form over a wide area and can last for many hours.  In 2007 we were at Ground Zero in such a rain event.  Water rose all the way to our house foundation, but not into our house.  On that occasion I believe we accumulated something like 19 inches of rain.  This time, our back yard gauge received about seven inches over a three-day period.  I can still remember, in 2007, walking by one of our community ponds after the water receded and seeing dead fish along the shore.  Perhaps the force of the downpour or the change in water temperature was too much for them.  

This time, Ground Zero was to our southwest in an area close to the Guadalupe River and populated by several church campgrounds.  The combination of rain and flash flooding did the unthinkable.  As I write this, the death count stands at 80 as the search continues for those still unaccounted.

 This is typical of the notifications we received every two hours Saturday.

We carefully monitored weather radar all day and could see we were on the fringe of the worst.  However, the chief of our local volunteer fire department was swept away while attempting an emergency rescue.  Even in our less impacted area low water crossings washed away, homes flooded, lives lost.

There is one blessing.  The lakes and aquifers that sustain our households were approaching dangerously low levels.  This should have a positive impact there.  I don’t feel like celebrating, though.

Earlier in the week I did some quilting and began preparations for our upcoming trip to Wisconsin.  One of Bob’s brothers is having serious health issues and his sister will be celebrating their 50^th anniversary.  Thankfully, our grandson has kindly agreed to house and dog sit while we are gone, so our house will be occupied and the mutts get to stay in familiar space.

I cannot end this post without at least one positive note.  Butterflies have discovered our Greg’s Mist Flowers.

 

 

 

New Project

A quilter cannot live by 2-inch Thrift Blocks alone, much as I enjoy making them.  So, I decided to start cutting for a project inspired by one Wanda completed early this year.  The pattern I selected is set on point and I am using mostly Kaffe Collective fabrics.

 

This should be a good project to take on retreat in late July.  My projects are usually so tiny they rarely make it up on the design wall.  Maybe this one has a chance.  The blocks are large and set on point.  I made a few test blocks and put them up on my design wall just to see if I wanted to proceed.  A friend showed a quilt made from this pattern at a recent Guild meeting.  She assured me that it is easy, even though it is set on-point.

 

Only 15 Thrift Blocks for the Scrappy Meets Thrift Challenge were completed last week.

 

Thrift Blocks Are Happening Here

My sewing time this week focused on more 2-inch thrift blocks for the Scrappy Meets Thrift Challenge Sew-Along sponsored by Repro Quilter.  I finished 38 this week.  I should have pushed just a little harder and finished two more since I’ve been bagging them in groups of 20 to help me keep count.

 

This is a peek at my very messy sewing station these days.  I’ve been watching lots of YouTube videos while stitching away.  Paper piecing creates lots of tiny scraps from trimming up squares and I haven’t even started de-papering any blocks yet. 

 

Speaking of messes, the city was repaving the streets in our neighborhood this week.  That combined with the hot weather made staying inside very appealing though I did manage to make it to my monthly Guild meeting as well as my Tuesday quilting group.

 

I’ll be pulling out the cutting table again this week.  An unexpected opportunity to be part of another quilting retreat late in July has surfaced and I need to start prepping for that as well as our other travel plans in early July.  July is shaping up to be a busy month.

 

 

Lots of Cutting

Not much sewing machine work happened last week.

But I spent several hours at the cutting table.  These should be enough units for the Scrappy Meets Thrift Challenge to keep me in mindless sewing for a while.  Each pile is approximately 10 blocks.  

I also got the fabric for the alternate blocks cut into strips and ready for sub-cutting into 2 ½ inch squares.  

This is one of those times I really appreciated my die cutter.

We had some rain in the past few weeks, and we could tell that enough dirt had washed into the skunk hole that it was not active.  I filled in as much dirt as I could.  Then I layered old gutter guard webbing and weighted it down with concrete chunks and rocks.  It’s not pretty, but is positioned between the AC unit and house wall, so well hidden.

My two 98 cent tomato plants are producing.  They turned out to be a vining, indeterminant variety and have taken over one of my flower beds.  At least they are paying for my investment!

Turtles, Thrift Blocks and Orchid Blooms

I managed to piece more than 50 blocks this week.  That just about exhausts the kitted blocks I prepared prior to the quilt retreat a couple of weeks ago.  They go a little faster now that I'm working on them at home and using my preferred sewing machine.  The cutting table has been pulled out of its nook in the laundry room.  I hope to get more blocks kitted for stitching this week.  

 

Last Tuesday was a two-turtle day.  Every year about this time, the turtles in our neighborhood start getting frisky.  I think both these were probably females looking for a place to lay their eggs.  This one was in front of the house and I let him/her just keep on trucking.

 

This one, however, required a rescue because he/she was inside the backyard fence.  All I’ve ever seen my dogs do is stand there and bark at them continually, but I was happy I discovered this one before they did.

 

For the third time this year, the orchid Julia gave me for my birthday several years ago has put on blooms.  I think it really likes being surrounded by glass bricks on two sides.  It recently lost two leaves, so I am a little concerned about it.

 

This was a week of catching up on yearly commitments, and I elected to cut back on attending some activities in order to keep from being overwhelmed.  One commitment was putting new flowers on my parents’ and grandparents’ graves in the family cemetery.  Then we stopped by to see the cousin who owns the property where the cemetery is located in order to leave our annual donation for upkeep.

 

More Thrift Blocks

I managed to stitch up a batch of 14 Thrift blocks last week.  I would have made more, but several unplanned interruptions, including a chance to visit a quilt store in Buda, kept that from happening.  The fabric below the blocks is one I am considering for alternate blocks.  Since it is a tiny plaid, I may decide it would be more trouble than it’s worth to try to cut and stitch the blocks so it doesn't look wonky.

 

Our Tuesday group finished binding the quilt we completed for our deceased member.  All that is left is a label which will be done on an embroidery machine.  All of us made sure to put in a few stitches and it went much quicker than expected.  When I had finished my turn, I resumed handwork on the borders for my Kim McLean project.

 

This 1,000-piece puzzle of a sewing room took up a lot of time too, but it was fun.  I expect it will be a while before I tackle another one as we are trying to finalize plans for a trip that will be coming up shortly.

In other good news, last week we accumulated more than two inches of rain!