Thursday, January 31, 2013
Not Such a Great Yester Day
But, in ALL things Give Thanks. Give thanks that there were no injuries. Give thanks that I was able to go pick him up. Give thanks for insurance. Give thanks that while it will be an unplanned expense, we should be able to replace it without too much difficulty. Give thanks that he can work from home, and/or rent a car if needed. At 4:30 yesterday afternoon, Marty called to say that he had just had an accident on the freeway, rear-ending an SUV type vehicle. The nose of the Camry slid under the rear of her vehicle (hers was still drivable showing little damage), but the Camry had to be towed to a holding yard awaiting the insurance estimator who can't see it until Monday, but will have to transport it to their own holding yard, oh yay! Obviously, Marty isn't really happy about now, as it was a 'dumb' mistake, and he will likely have to look for a new (used) vehicle in a short time. We knew we'd be having to replace the Camry but had hoped to hold off until Nick got his license in less than two years and then letting him have the Camry as his first car since he'd only be driving to and from school or an occasional trip to visit his friends. We won't know if the insurance company will deem this 'totaled' but likely will, even if it's repairable, as it's a 2000, and has over 200K miles on it. It's not known if the engine or frame are damaged but all the side panels are fine, it just crunched the hood, the grill, the lights & the radiator based on what I could see last night - the airbag didn't even deploy! He said he was probably only at about 15 mph when it hit. This car has required very little repair over the years, we bought it new. Even though it's as old as it is, it still had that new car smell as it was garaged at home and in a garage structure where Marty works - no sun damage to the interior which is near perfect too as only Marty used and rarely had passengers. We usually take my car when we go anywhere. I'm sad - and I prayerfully hope that we can salvage it - even if the insurance does "total" it. Anyone ever gone through 'buying back' from the insurance company?
Get It Done - January Accomplishment, February Goals
In the past Judy at Patchwork Times had us linking up with a single monthly goal of finishing our UFO with a specific UFO to finish each month. This year, she's changed that and instead of a single UFO to work on/finish each month, she's having us set 4 goals of our own choosing each month.
These were my January goals and the progress I made:
For January 2013
For February 2013
You'll note that two of the ones from January are being carried over to February. That's just how it goes. The three new ones, well, one qualifies for my NewFO projects as well, one is continued work on a current project and the other is quilting related only in that it's the room I need to be working in and want to be working in but has been neglected again for the last year, or is it now two?, since I accomplished putting in my stash closet.
You'll find more progress updates at Judy's site, linked up in my first sentence.
These were my January goals and the progress I made:
For January 2013
- Finish Easy Street to the flimsy stage - accomplished
- Quilt #031 Valentine Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)
- Start Bella Luce: prep and cut fabric - accomplished...and also constructed up to, but not including borders
- Finish the Dresden Plate block on #23 Rooster Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)
For February 2013
- Quilt #031 Valentine Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)
- Finish the Dresden Plate block on #23 Rooster Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)
- Apply borders to Bella Luce - need to find the right border fabric
- Do some remodel work to studio - this has been a years long project - some steps need to start getting done!
- Start an I Spy quilt for my grandson
You'll note that two of the ones from January are being carried over to February. That's just how it goes. The three new ones, well, one qualifies for my NewFO projects as well, one is continued work on a current project and the other is quilting related only in that it's the room I need to be working in and want to be working in but has been neglected again for the last year, or is it now two?, since I accomplished putting in my stash closet.
You'll find more progress updates at Judy's site, linked up in my first sentence.
January NewFO
I'm taking part in the NewFO Linky party over at Barbara's Cat Patches. I figured since I enjoy piecing more than quilting, this would be perfect for me, but then I'll have to address my UFO problem ... some where... some day.
For January, I've been working on two different NewFOs, not to mention working on Easy Street during that time. Easy Street is at the 'finished up to but not including borders (opt.)' point and that's where it'll stay for a good long while.
#1: I've posted snippets before on this project:
In this picture, you are seeing the full size of the main body of the quilt sans borders other than the strips on the left which are the correct width for the borders. I've mentioned in a previous post that I'm not happy with gold border selection and will be scouting for a new fabric choice, but currently have nothing in my stash that works. Note in the upper photo that there is an additional fabric that I pinned up this morning - bottom half of the gold border - it is an FQ that I have in a 'kit' for another project, but that's all I have, one FQ, I need 5/8 yard, and I have no name or other identification for it - I would be very happy with that one! Don't you think it looks better than the gold at the top? Oh well. The main section measures 36.5" x 45.25" raw. When finished with both borders all around, it should measure 53" x 60".
I've enjoyed working on this quilt. It's challenges were in matching numerous straight and angled seams. The other challenge I faced was being accurate in cutting. I don't mean that necessarily in the sense of cutting was a challenge - it was easy - but there was NO room for error as I'd purchased an already coordinated fabric set of FQs and if you made even one mistake, you'd be in trouble. My suggestion, would be if anyone were to make this pattern, or if I chose to make it again at some point, instead of FQs, buy yardage and a little extra just to be on the safe side, especially if you're like me and buy project components but don't start it until years later when you can no longer find the fabric without an extensive internet search - IF you even know the name of the fabric you're looking for! Also, I would recommend, getting your border fabrics at the same time you buy your other fabrics, something I failed to do, but fortunately was able to find the outer border fabric which matches one of the fabrics used in the center, but the gold border fabric is now an issue as shades being produced have changed.
To this point, it has taken 16.6 hours. (Yes, I'm a 'bean-counter' by nature, thus I track my time spent making my quilts, to the 10th of each hour - every 6 minutes is 1/10 hour.) So when someone asks me if I 'sell' my quilts and they're thinking $50 I can laugh in their face - I have family and friends who would think that!)
#2 I've also posted snippets of this one.
All of the blocks are complete except for a minor correction to the corner of two blocks - helps to thoroughly read and understand the directions.
I personally found this pattern to be challenging as to following the directions, mostly in the cutting process. I'm not sure I could adequately explain why it was challenging or whether it was just my understanding, or the way the instructions were written. The pattern gives options for both a 72" x 88" quilt and an 88" x 104" quilt. I did the smaller of the two sizes. I'm sure the instructions were intended to give the best layout for cutting given the varying sizes of several units, but it just became too wordy for me. It called for 1/2 yard cuts of a total of 30 different fabrics, which were then cut in half (like an FQ), and since I used from my stash, some of my pieces were either smaller, or larger, or a combination of pieces that were still able to give me what I needed, so I had to figure out some of my cutting. There were instructions for cutting from your stash, and alternate background cutting, and alternate ways of sewing triangles - the pattern called for half-square triangle paper which I've never used and didn't have. I also found, again for me, that one of the steps should have been placed in a different order, so that the lesser number of a specific set of blocks would have come out right, but then that might have been due to my earlier misunderstanding of the number of blocks needed, hence those two blocks that need a corner remediation.
I like the look, actually love the look, but I'd have to really want to do another one very badly before I chose to do this pattern again. It just seems it should have been easier to cut and assemble without having to check the instructions every 5 minutes. I've invested 41.1 hours working time just to this point.
For January, I've been working on two different NewFOs, not to mention working on Easy Street during that time. Easy Street is at the 'finished up to but not including borders (opt.)' point and that's where it'll stay for a good long while.
#1: I've posted snippets before on this project:
 | ||||||||||
| From the pattern: Bella Luce by Pressed For Time Quiltworks (Pattern designed exclusively for Pincushion Boutique, Davis, CA. c.Mary Hubka May, 2008) |
I've enjoyed working on this quilt. It's challenges were in matching numerous straight and angled seams. The other challenge I faced was being accurate in cutting. I don't mean that necessarily in the sense of cutting was a challenge - it was easy - but there was NO room for error as I'd purchased an already coordinated fabric set of FQs and if you made even one mistake, you'd be in trouble. My suggestion, would be if anyone were to make this pattern, or if I chose to make it again at some point, instead of FQs, buy yardage and a little extra just to be on the safe side, especially if you're like me and buy project components but don't start it until years later when you can no longer find the fabric without an extensive internet search - IF you even know the name of the fabric you're looking for! Also, I would recommend, getting your border fabrics at the same time you buy your other fabrics, something I failed to do, but fortunately was able to find the outer border fabric which matches one of the fabrics used in the center, but the gold border fabric is now an issue as shades being produced have changed.
To this point, it has taken 16.6 hours. (Yes, I'm a 'bean-counter' by nature, thus I track my time spent making my quilts, to the 10th of each hour - every 6 minutes is 1/10 hour.) So when someone asks me if I 'sell' my quilts and they're thinking $50 I can laugh in their face - I have family and friends who would think that!)
#2 I've also posted snippets of this one.
 |
| From the pattern: Circle of Light designed by Susan Dyer & Nancy Raschka-Reeves, Glad Creations, Inc, Minneapolis, MN |
I personally found this pattern to be challenging as to following the directions, mostly in the cutting process. I'm not sure I could adequately explain why it was challenging or whether it was just my understanding, or the way the instructions were written. The pattern gives options for both a 72" x 88" quilt and an 88" x 104" quilt. I did the smaller of the two sizes. I'm sure the instructions were intended to give the best layout for cutting given the varying sizes of several units, but it just became too wordy for me. It called for 1/2 yard cuts of a total of 30 different fabrics, which were then cut in half (like an FQ), and since I used from my stash, some of my pieces were either smaller, or larger, or a combination of pieces that were still able to give me what I needed, so I had to figure out some of my cutting. There were instructions for cutting from your stash, and alternate background cutting, and alternate ways of sewing triangles - the pattern called for half-square triangle paper which I've never used and didn't have. I also found, again for me, that one of the steps should have been placed in a different order, so that the lesser number of a specific set of blocks would have come out right, but then that might have been due to my earlier misunderstanding of the number of blocks needed, hence those two blocks that need a corner remediation.
I like the look, actually love the look, but I'd have to really want to do another one very badly before I chose to do this pattern again. It just seems it should have been easier to cut and assemble without having to check the instructions every 5 minutes. I've invested 41.1 hours working time just to this point.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Stash Report Sunday & Design Wall Monday
Well, I'm running behind yet again, hush, I don't want to hear a word about laziness because I might be found guilty!
STASH REPORT
There has been no change again to the stash report: (linking to Patchwork Times)
Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date: 0 yards
Added This Week: 2 yards
Added Year to Date: 2 yards
Net Used for 2013: -2 yards
DESIGN WALL
Physically on my design wall is this quilt. I recently bought the gold fabric for the inner border, but in putting it up on the design wall with the quilt center and the outer border, I'm not happy with it, so will be looking for a new gold, something that reads a little darker and flatter - not so bright - and more like the solid (mottled) gold squares in the quilt. The background of that fabric is that way, but the gold 'paint' is brighter and I just don't like how it looks. There will be more to write about this quilt at a later date :) (Linking to Patchwork Times)
My Easy Street piecing is finally done and in essence, I considered it still on the design wall until it was, which was late yesterday. I tried to get a shot of it outside in natural light, but there wasn't a really good place, i.e. clean place, to lay it down, so right on the dead leaf-covered lawn it went. I also took a pic of it indoors draped over kitchen chairs. I've yet to decide if I'll add borders or not. I like it this way, but I also like what I've seen where others have added borders.
Easy Street will probably go into the UFO pile until I decide whether to add borders, or to quilt it as is, and if the latter, I need to wait until I get some other projects quilted to free up my basting pins! I'm not going to buy any more of them!
STASH REPORT
There has been no change again to the stash report: (linking to Patchwork Times)
Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date: 0 yards
Added This Week: 2 yards
Added Year to Date: 2 yards
Net Used for 2013: -2 yards
~~~~~~~~~
DESIGN WALL
Physically on my design wall is this quilt. I recently bought the gold fabric for the inner border, but in putting it up on the design wall with the quilt center and the outer border, I'm not happy with it, so will be looking for a new gold, something that reads a little darker and flatter - not so bright - and more like the solid (mottled) gold squares in the quilt. The background of that fabric is that way, but the gold 'paint' is brighter and I just don't like how it looks. There will be more to write about this quilt at a later date :) (Linking to Patchwork Times)
~~~~~~~~
My Easy Street piecing is finally done and in essence, I considered it still on the design wall until it was, which was late yesterday. I tried to get a shot of it outside in natural light, but there wasn't a really good place, i.e. clean place, to lay it down, so right on the dead leaf-covered lawn it went. I also took a pic of it indoors draped over kitchen chairs. I've yet to decide if I'll add borders or not. I like it this way, but I also like what I've seen where others have added borders.
Easy Street will probably go into the UFO pile until I decide whether to add borders, or to quilt it as is, and if the latter, I need to wait until I get some other projects quilted to free up my basting pins! I'm not going to buy any more of them!
Friday, January 25, 2013
Fina-Lee Friday!
I guess sending Fina-Lee Friday to the corner for awhile didn't last long, so I'll say at best, it'll be inconsistent I don't have a lot to post for Friday, and it's almost over, so most of you won't see it until Saturday anyway...heck, it might not actually get posted until Saturday if I don't type faster!
- We got rain! I love rain! It reminds me of 'home'! Nick likes rain too. I'm not so sure Marty does, he has to drive 40 or so miles round trip to and from work in it and it really bogs down traffic and increases the fender benders around the county!
- My wounds that I wrote about on Wednesday are healing very quickly much to my surprise. The way they were bleeding, I was expecting many days, and some pain/tenderness, but nope, I was able to remove the bandages late yesterday and haven't needed to put them back on. I'm very happy and thankful for that, and that there's no pain..
- We received word this evening that a good friend, one we've known for decades, has cancer. We don't know the full prognosis, but it's a fairly rare one and the liver and lymph nodes are involved already (it's probably been present for six or seven years). A surgery is on tap in a couple of weeks, and that's all the info I was able to obtain at this time. Please keep this friend in your prayers - God knows the name and the needs of His child.
- We're having a business come in to estimate our kitchen remodel - not of my liking, but Marty wanted to find out, so that's tomorrow (Sat) at 10:00 or 11:00. Marty's also found a couple more contractors to *his* liking on Angie's List, so we'll likely have them come in for estimates too. I have no problem with our bathroom contractor, but Marty has his own issues there, mostly $$$-wise, so frankly, if he chooses someone else and I'm not happy with the kitchen, he may find himself doing a whole lot more cooking and dish-washing, lol! Kitchen ratio: me - 99.9%, Marty .1% of time spent working in it. I think I'll go put my nose back in Proverbs 31 now.
- I'm a little bummed that I don't get to go to Road 2 CA. again this year. My friend I would have ridden with wasn't able to go, and Saturday was the best day to schedule the dude for kitchen estimate. It's probably just as well, given my recent health issues, being not fully 100% yet, would hate to walk around too much carrying fabric or tools or books - purchases - and have my back overly irritated again.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Cat Tails #9 : Cats In The 'Dog' House
Yesterday morning, I took Nick to school, then stopped at Wally World aka WalMart to pick up some of Nick's favorite soups for his school lunches, some hand lotion (humidity has been very low here and my hands are dry), and a few other items, then on to JoAnn's to look for a couple specific items for a class I'm taking in March. Found one item, but not the other.
When I got home and was bringing my purchases in, I was surprised to not be met by the kitties, they seemed to be hiding; Flame is almost always at the door as I come in. As I set my purchases on the kitchen/dining room floor, I saw the reason why. There, shattered in a gazillion pieces on the floor was one of my half-gallon jars, which I'd recently washed and not yet put away. Also on the floor was a decorative wick-type lamp but it didn't have a chip out of it. It had been on the short bookshelf that sits beneath the breakfast counter that the jar was on. Kitties finally made their appearance and proceeded to be wildly rambunctious chasing and wrestling each other, and I suspect they were doing the same when they managed to knock this jar off the counter! And I forgot to take a picture even though my camera was at hand.
Wait, it gets better....but I was not sure whether to continue to be angry with the cats, or at my own klutziness. I grabbed the broom to start sweeping up all the pieces and shards that skittled across the hard, ceramic tiles of the floor, and in maneuvering the broom to sweep underneath a low cart, I managed to move my hands holding the handle towards the floor in such a way that I jabbed the back of my left index finger, near the knuckle by the flat of the back of the hand, on a large piece of glass I'd not yet picked up. It bled profusely, so I quickly grabbed a tissue and ran upstairs to find the bandages. Then I had to keep the blood off long enough to get the bandage on! Uh huh. OK, all set, get back downstairs and start picking up those bigger pieces, and reach down with my right hand and oh yeah, eeeeeyowwww, managed to slice the padded part of my right middle finger and again a profusion of blood, leaving drops on the floor and yet another trip up the stairs for more bandages and trying to keep the blood wiped off long enough to put the bandage on. Needless to say, I was ready to take all the bandages back downstairs 'just in case' because things weren't going very smoothly. I finally did get the glass all cleaned up and without further injury, but I was not happy with those kitties....nor with myself at that point. Maybe I should've gone to the dog house...if we had one.
Had it not been Nick's bowling day, I'd have gone back to bed and just stayed there...all...day...long!
And today, I still feel like I should have stayed in bed all day, just no get-up and go at all. And still klutzy but no further injuries.
I changed the bandages this morning and the cuts have closed nicely. I treated them with a little hydrogen peroxide before putting the bandages back on. Thankfully neither were bleeding any more, and they don't hurt, but they do need to stay bandaged...ok, where's my kitchen gloves...
And the kitties? Well, I guess they're out of the dog house, they're just to sweet and lovable and they kept me warm overnight, as they do every night be cuddling on my bed.
When I got home and was bringing my purchases in, I was surprised to not be met by the kitties, they seemed to be hiding; Flame is almost always at the door as I come in. As I set my purchases on the kitchen/dining room floor, I saw the reason why. There, shattered in a gazillion pieces on the floor was one of my half-gallon jars, which I'd recently washed and not yet put away. Also on the floor was a decorative wick-type lamp but it didn't have a chip out of it. It had been on the short bookshelf that sits beneath the breakfast counter that the jar was on. Kitties finally made their appearance and proceeded to be wildly rambunctious chasing and wrestling each other, and I suspect they were doing the same when they managed to knock this jar off the counter! And I forgot to take a picture even though my camera was at hand.
Wait, it gets better....but I was not sure whether to continue to be angry with the cats, or at my own klutziness. I grabbed the broom to start sweeping up all the pieces and shards that skittled across the hard, ceramic tiles of the floor, and in maneuvering the broom to sweep underneath a low cart, I managed to move my hands holding the handle towards the floor in such a way that I jabbed the back of my left index finger, near the knuckle by the flat of the back of the hand, on a large piece of glass I'd not yet picked up. It bled profusely, so I quickly grabbed a tissue and ran upstairs to find the bandages. Then I had to keep the blood off long enough to get the bandage on! Uh huh. OK, all set, get back downstairs and start picking up those bigger pieces, and reach down with my right hand and oh yeah, eeeeeyowwww, managed to slice the padded part of my right middle finger and again a profusion of blood, leaving drops on the floor and yet another trip up the stairs for more bandages and trying to keep the blood wiped off long enough to put the bandage on. Needless to say, I was ready to take all the bandages back downstairs 'just in case' because things weren't going very smoothly. I finally did get the glass all cleaned up and without further injury, but I was not happy with those kitties....nor with myself at that point. Maybe I should've gone to the dog house...if we had one.
Had it not been Nick's bowling day, I'd have gone back to bed and just stayed there...all...day...long!
And today, I still feel like I should have stayed in bed all day, just no get-up and go at all. And still klutzy but no further injuries.
I changed the bandages this morning and the cuts have closed nicely. I treated them with a little hydrogen peroxide before putting the bandages back on. Thankfully neither were bleeding any more, and they don't hurt, but they do need to stay bandaged...ok, where's my kitchen gloves...
And the kitties? Well, I guess they're out of the dog house, they're just to sweet and lovable and they kept me warm overnight, as they do every night be cuddling on my bed.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Design Wall Monday
Don't you just love checking out blogs of others on Mondays to see what they're working on? I enjoy it, even if I don't always comment on someone's blog - I should more often! The only problem with checking out all those blogs is, my day disappears too quickly! Head over here and see what others are revealing.
This is what's been on my design wall, or the bed, or the sewing machine, or wherever this past week. Yes, I've been working on three projects at once, bouncing back and forth, and I still need to work on some of the items from my Getting It Done list!
I hope you're getting some sewing in today, because I'm not, at least not yet, maybe later. Enjoy your day whatever you are doing.
This is what's been on my design wall, or the bed, or the sewing machine, or wherever this past week. Yes, I've been working on three projects at once, bouncing back and forth, and I still need to work on some of the items from my Getting It Done list!
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| Easy Street being guarded by Raven - block rows are pinned together & ready to sew. |
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| Had been on design wall but didn't like individual block positions so took it down; was going to put Easy Street back up but laid it out on a bed instead - easier on my back! |
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| This is Bella Luce, it's on the Getting It Done list, and I'm much further along than what I 'planned/hoped' to accomplish. |
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Stash Report Week 3, 2013
I'm happy to report: nothing in. I would like to report something out, but not yet. Linking up to Judy's reporting at Patchwork Times. How'd you do this week?
Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date: 0 yards
Added This Week: 2 yards
Added Year to Date: 2 yards
Net Used for 2013: -2 yards
Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date: 0 yards
Added This Week: 2 yards
Added Year to Date: 2 yards
Net Used for 2013: -2 yards
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Cat Tails #8
There are times I'm not sure which of the two fur-babes is 'top' cat. It seems lately though that Flame may hold that designation.
Here she is guarding my Easy Street blocks making sure they don't escape.
And this smug look? Well, she's sitting atop the cable converter box which sits at the back of my desk between a file folder holder and a stack of 'stuff'. Right behind it are two identical boxes with towels in them (just for the kitties) that sit atop respective 2-drawer file cabinets. Raven had jumped up onto the desk and attempted to get past her to get to one of the boxes and Flame promptly decided no way, Jose' and bit Raven's nose, to which Raven then found a different route. Flame was not about to move for anything. And, upon Raven's getting into one of the boxes a different way, and trying to say howdy to Flame, Flame decided to nip at her again and remain smugly seated as you see above. Guess we know who the Cat Queen is...at least on this day. The day before they had a wrestling match on the dining room's tile floor - ouch!
Here she is guarding my Easy Street blocks making sure they don't escape.
And this smug look? Well, she's sitting atop the cable converter box which sits at the back of my desk between a file folder holder and a stack of 'stuff'. Right behind it are two identical boxes with towels in them (just for the kitties) that sit atop respective 2-drawer file cabinets. Raven had jumped up onto the desk and attempted to get past her to get to one of the boxes and Flame promptly decided no way, Jose' and bit Raven's nose, to which Raven then found a different route. Flame was not about to move for anything. And, upon Raven's getting into one of the boxes a different way, and trying to say howdy to Flame, Flame decided to nip at her again and remain smugly seated as you see above. Guess we know who the Cat Queen is...at least on this day. The day before they had a wrestling match on the dining room's tile floor - ouch!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Wahoo Wednesday
Well, something like that. :) It's two "W"s so it sounds good, right?
Quilt-y stuff: The MOST Wahoo! part of today, was that my learning-to-quilt student and I were finally able to resume our lessons. She is such a dear, sweet young woman, and eager to learn. She homeschools three young ones, so there are some interruptions, and I have to say "Better her than me." The kids are good, and she's very good with them, and I'm sitting there trying to stifle laughs because of the dialog at times.
She is starting with a very simple structure of just 5" squares pieced end to end in rows, with no specific pattern - scrappy. She got pre-cuts for most of the blocks, but also cut some of her own because she found a fabric she really liked. (Isn't that how a stash is born?) And I was amused as she showed me the tools she used with which to cut them. She had a cutting mat and a rotary cutter - all good though the blade seemed a bit dull. However, she didn't have an acrylic ruler, so she laid her fabric along the marked lines on the mat and using those and a metal ruler (like an engineer? might have) was able to cut her fabric. I think she will be purchasing an acrylic ruler in the near future! I suppose she could have gone completely retro and used scissors :)
I also showed her a few gizmos that I personally like to use, and a few tips to sew an accurate 1/4" seam. She has a basic machine but doesn't yet have the 1/4" foot, nor does her machine allow her to change needle position and the feed dogs extend well beyond 1/4" to the right of the needle. It does have a small indented mark that reads 1/4" about an inch or two in front of the needle. I placed blue painters tape in a line along the front of her machine as a guide - the machine also has the top loading, visible bobbin, so the tape couldn't be placed over that unless she wanted to remove it every time she needed to change the bobbin.
Health stuff : I'm praising God that my health is returning, though there's still just a little yuckiness feeling in my chest. The back pain is back to 'normal' - note, I did not say gone for it is never gone, just better than the days (weeks) it flares up. The yuckiest part of today, is I think I'm going through medication withdrawals. Over the last few weeks/couple of months, I've had rounds of antibiotics, Vicodin, codeine cough syrup, and six consecutive days of a Prednisone (steroid) treatment. The steroid has been the most recent having finished up the night before last, and this morning I woke up feeling very much equivalent of 'medicine head' or jittery and shaky, very weird and not something I'm acquainted with. It didn't dawn on me that that was what it could be until I was on my way to my PT appointment and confirmed as likely after talking with a friend who was on steroids awhile back for an even longer period of time who had experienced the exact same feelings. I am feeling much better now.
I'm having PT 3x / week, and was assigned stretching exercises today to do before I get out of bed and after I go to bed...and anytime during the day I feel I want to lay down and do them, hehe. The part I enjoy about PT the most is having the electrodes attached to my lower back and then I get to lay on this giganto moist heat pad with my knees bent for 15 minutes. Today, she didn't hear the timer go off and left me there for about 30 minutes...aaahhhhh :)
Quilt-y stuff: The MOST Wahoo! part of today, was that my learning-to-quilt student and I were finally able to resume our lessons. She is such a dear, sweet young woman, and eager to learn. She homeschools three young ones, so there are some interruptions, and I have to say "Better her than me." The kids are good, and she's very good with them, and I'm sitting there trying to stifle laughs because of the dialog at times.
She is starting with a very simple structure of just 5" squares pieced end to end in rows, with no specific pattern - scrappy. She got pre-cuts for most of the blocks, but also cut some of her own because she found a fabric she really liked. (Isn't that how a stash is born?) And I was amused as she showed me the tools she used with which to cut them. She had a cutting mat and a rotary cutter - all good though the blade seemed a bit dull. However, she didn't have an acrylic ruler, so she laid her fabric along the marked lines on the mat and using those and a metal ruler (like an engineer? might have) was able to cut her fabric. I think she will be purchasing an acrylic ruler in the near future! I suppose she could have gone completely retro and used scissors :)
I also showed her a few gizmos that I personally like to use, and a few tips to sew an accurate 1/4" seam. She has a basic machine but doesn't yet have the 1/4" foot, nor does her machine allow her to change needle position and the feed dogs extend well beyond 1/4" to the right of the needle. It does have a small indented mark that reads 1/4" about an inch or two in front of the needle. I placed blue painters tape in a line along the front of her machine as a guide - the machine also has the top loading, visible bobbin, so the tape couldn't be placed over that unless she wanted to remove it every time she needed to change the bobbin.
Health stuff : I'm praising God that my health is returning, though there's still just a little yuckiness feeling in my chest. The back pain is back to 'normal' - note, I did not say gone for it is never gone, just better than the days (weeks) it flares up. The yuckiest part of today, is I think I'm going through medication withdrawals. Over the last few weeks/couple of months, I've had rounds of antibiotics, Vicodin, codeine cough syrup, and six consecutive days of a Prednisone (steroid) treatment. The steroid has been the most recent having finished up the night before last, and this morning I woke up feeling very much equivalent of 'medicine head' or jittery and shaky, very weird and not something I'm acquainted with. It didn't dawn on me that that was what it could be until I was on my way to my PT appointment and confirmed as likely after talking with a friend who was on steroids awhile back for an even longer period of time who had experienced the exact same feelings. I am feeling much better now.
I'm having PT 3x / week, and was assigned stretching exercises today to do before I get out of bed and after I go to bed...and anytime during the day I feel I want to lay down and do them, hehe. The part I enjoy about PT the most is having the electrodes attached to my lower back and then I get to lay on this giganto moist heat pad with my knees bent for 15 minutes. Today, she didn't hear the timer go off and left me there for about 30 minutes...aaahhhhh :)
Monday, January 14, 2013
Design Wall Monday
Having a late go of things here today. Had to take care of some of those personal responsibilities of life; it's all too easy to let things slide and I've already done that way too much during my less than stellar health issues of late. The back was playing happy today (praise God) and that helped a lot! Physical therapy starts in the morning. But, I'm getting side-tracked. I'm here with a shot of what's on my design wall. Remember those Sawtooth Stars of a few days ago? Well, here's the top half, minus the right border, of the project they're in. Each block is not in it's final position, but laid out just enough so that I could get an idea of how it was coming together. Just pinned to the wall, I was really struggling with how the pattern didn't seem to be showing very well, but when I took the picture, it tightened it up, and I could see the design a whole lot better. Hasn't it been suggested to get one of those front door peep hole things to look through for that reason? Some things show best from a distance.
I'm already getting restless to find a new project to get started on, but there's a list of January "Get It Done" items I need to review, and get to work on too - after all, those are my goals! as well as new projects and finishes.
Linking to Judy's Patchwork Times where busy, busy folks are showing their design wall activity, check them out :)
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Linking to Judy's Patchwork Times where busy, busy folks are showing their design wall activity, check them out :)
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Cat Tails #7
So the other night I went into the bathroom and what do I find? Miss Raven making sure she was properly made up:
She was sitting on the end of the counter in the dark, guess that 'night vision' helps.
She was sitting on the end of the counter in the dark, guess that 'night vision' helps.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Seriously, Again? and The Hobbit
For the last few days, I've been again feeling a dull ache in my chest, and sure enough, started coughing again yesterday. Will this crud ever leave? And of course, Marty's been home with the flu (verified) all week, then I hear on the news that there are three strains going around, of which you can catch all at different times. So this morning I decided I'd nip this in the bud right off the bat and headed straight to my doctor's office (it's also an urgent care center so don't have to make appointments). It wasn't real busy yet, unlike when I went in right before Christmas, and I was seen and out and off to the pharmacy and home in just a little over an hour - that's good time here! They did a flu test, negative, thank You Lord!, temp was normal, bp was ok, I've lost about 5 pounds :) and he didn't hear any 'loose stuff' in my lungs. No real 'diagnosis'. But I'm coughing and my chest is tight like before, so he prescribed some cough syrup, and some Lidocaine patches for my lower back. Also an antibiotic Rx for if "(I'm) not better by Monday".
Marty said I'm grumpy when I'm sick. And here I thought I was less grumpy because I wasn't talking as much back in December. Funny huh?
Despite this condition and believing I'm not contagious, and because the movie is getting toward the end of its run, we decided we better get out to see The Hobbit. In the series, that's the only book I've read, and that, only within the last couple of years, but I still found myself not remembering what was to happen nor in what sequence those things I did remember. I enjoyed the movie and thought it moved along quite well for being nearly three hours long, but there were a few spots I just plainly found silly or corny. I didn't find the fat Orc King to be cohesive with all the other orcs (the make-up etc). He was CGI and to me it just didn't fit with everything else and made me think it was a bit of an attempt at a pseudo Jabba the Hutt. Just didn't work for me. I still give it a good thumbs up. Originally I'd wanted to see both the IMAX 3D and the normal screening, but at this late date only the IMAX 3D was still out at our theater, so I had to hunt down some old contacts I still had - hate wearing 3D glasses over my regular glasses. I'm actually glad it was still in 3D as otherwise, I'd never get to see it that way.
Marty said I'm grumpy when I'm sick. And here I thought I was less grumpy because I wasn't talking as much back in December. Funny huh?
Despite this condition and believing I'm not contagious, and because the movie is getting toward the end of its run, we decided we better get out to see The Hobbit. In the series, that's the only book I've read, and that, only within the last couple of years, but I still found myself not remembering what was to happen nor in what sequence those things I did remember. I enjoyed the movie and thought it moved along quite well for being nearly three hours long, but there were a few spots I just plainly found silly or corny. I didn't find the fat Orc King to be cohesive with all the other orcs (the make-up etc). He was CGI and to me it just didn't fit with everything else and made me think it was a bit of an attempt at a pseudo Jabba the Hutt. Just didn't work for me. I still give it a good thumbs up. Originally I'd wanted to see both the IMAX 3D and the normal screening, but at this late date only the IMAX 3D was still out at our theater, so I had to hunt down some old contacts I still had - hate wearing 3D glasses over my regular glasses. I'm actually glad it was still in 3D as otherwise, I'd never get to see it that way.
Friday, January 11, 2013
What Day Is It?
Hmmm, Friday again. I think I'll fore-go my usual "Fina-Lee Friday" for awhile.
I did manage to go to quilt guild last night. This was quite the accomplishment since I haven't been going much of any where for weeks and weeks other than driving Nick to and from school and a stop at Walmart on Tuesday. The guest speaker was ok, just not my style and color choices for the most part, but she was still interesting. I do like to see what interests others. I always enjoy hearing the stories of how different guest speakers first came to the world of quilting. They can be quite funny!
Some of my reasons for going were to see if it was possible to sit for an extended time in less than comfortable chairs which helped me determine that I will probably only attend one service at church on Sunday rather than two (one is our fellowship group and they have hard plastic, very uncomfortable chairs), and January is when we pay our annual dues so I had to write my check for that, and I think in all of 2012 I only managed to get to guild once or twice, so am trying to do a little better this year. We shall see.
I need to stop at the fabric/craft store (not Jo-Ann's) today to look for a minimum of 1/2 yard of a light gold-tone, preferably not a solid and something that will fit with paisley. Also need to look for a darker gold that will read solid for an inner border for the same project. For that, I need about a yard. If I can't find it today, I'll have to take a longer drive to a quilt store about 15 miles away tomorrow. The center of this project is made from 8 FQs and 1/2 y. background fabric (the light gold-tone). I bought the FQs as a coordinated pack a few years ago. Now, with working on it, I finally read the instructions and realize that there is absolutely NO room for cutting errors or mangling a piece in sewing, because you use pretty much every - single - bit of those FQs. I have been known to not take that sage advice of "measure twice - cut once" and with at least two of these FQs, even a single 1/4" wide wrong cut would have been disastrous - try finding that same fabric after several years! Thankfully, all has been cut and sewn into blocks except for where I need that background and I plan to buy MORE than the 1/2 yard! So it's about time to head out the door.
Stitch it up!
I did manage to go to quilt guild last night. This was quite the accomplishment since I haven't been going much of any where for weeks and weeks other than driving Nick to and from school and a stop at Walmart on Tuesday. The guest speaker was ok, just not my style and color choices for the most part, but she was still interesting. I do like to see what interests others. I always enjoy hearing the stories of how different guest speakers first came to the world of quilting. They can be quite funny!
Some of my reasons for going were to see if it was possible to sit for an extended time in less than comfortable chairs which helped me determine that I will probably only attend one service at church on Sunday rather than two (one is our fellowship group and they have hard plastic, very uncomfortable chairs), and January is when we pay our annual dues so I had to write my check for that, and I think in all of 2012 I only managed to get to guild once or twice, so am trying to do a little better this year. We shall see.
I need to stop at the fabric/craft store (not Jo-Ann's) today to look for a minimum of 1/2 yard of a light gold-tone, preferably not a solid and something that will fit with paisley. Also need to look for a darker gold that will read solid for an inner border for the same project. For that, I need about a yard. If I can't find it today, I'll have to take a longer drive to a quilt store about 15 miles away tomorrow. The center of this project is made from 8 FQs and 1/2 y. background fabric (the light gold-tone). I bought the FQs as a coordinated pack a few years ago. Now, with working on it, I finally read the instructions and realize that there is absolutely NO room for cutting errors or mangling a piece in sewing, because you use pretty much every - single - bit of those FQs. I have been known to not take that sage advice of "measure twice - cut once" and with at least two of these FQs, even a single 1/4" wide wrong cut would have been disastrous - try finding that same fabric after several years! Thankfully, all has been cut and sewn into blocks except for where I need that background and I plan to buy MORE than the 1/2 yard! So it's about time to head out the door.
Stitch it up!
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Easy Street Brakes On
I suppose I should have been finishing up Easy Street, but I decided I'd put the brakes on, pin a few more blocks onto the design wall, take a picture for the blog & Quiltville's link up (which was yesterday! if you haven't already, check out the beauties there), then take it down and work on it when I can get the living room cleaned up enough, and vacuumed, so that I can lay it out on the floor. I could just close my eyes and sew the blocks together, and it would probably work, but I suppose I'm just anal enough that I want to make sure I don't have too many of the same fabrics in one area and not in another. That said, here's another photo, just willy-nilly pinned to the design wall...it will get sewn together, just not right now.
I am really loving this quilt!
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| Easy Street - partial |
Oh My Stars! or Oh My, Stars!
Gotta love the English language and our grammar and punctuation, or lack thereof. In this case, it's Stars! and lots of them, as in Sawtooth Stars.
I missed getting my post ready for Monday, so I'm linking it up today, at Judy's Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday. I'm glad she leaves the link open for several days. The Sawtooth Stars are for my January NewFO project, and I'll provide more detail on that on January 31st when I link up to Cat Patches. There are 40 of these stars. Note the star on the right, 8 of them have one solid square instead of the HSTs.
I missed getting my post ready for Monday, so I'm linking it up today, at Judy's Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday. I'm glad she leaves the link open for several days. The Sawtooth Stars are for my January NewFO project, and I'll provide more detail on that on January 31st when I link up to Cat Patches. There are 40 of these stars. Note the star on the right, 8 of them have one solid square instead of the HSTs.
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| Sawtooth Stars |
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Stash Report - Week 2, 2013
We're nearly at the middle of January already; before we know it, it'll be week 52!
I had to add a little to my stash this week because I needed some additional fabric for a project I was working on. I needed a light background fabric and fabric for the inner border. I won't say that I'm 100% pleased with what I was able to find, but they 'will work' and I think the end product will be just fine!
Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date: 0 yards
Added This Week: 2 yards
Added Year to Date: 2 yards
Net Used for 2013: -2 yards
Added were the whole yard pieces that I have here on my ironing board with the blocks and partial blocks laid out on them. The LQS (if you call local about 10-15 miles away) has a huge store with lots of fabric, but the particular oriental-Kashmir style I was looking for in just the right golds was not there and this is the closest I could get after rejecting six or seven others. The next closest store is yet another few miles further away, and I know they tend to be heavier on other styles of fabric, so didn't head out there. I think I really do like the background fabric, it's in the tone I was looking for. I'm slightly less pleased with the darker gold which will be the inner border, as it should really be either the same or darker than the dark gold squares. What makes it look lighter is the heavy gold paint, which will probably gradually lessen with future washings. Now, in the blocks in the center where the light background is, there are those gold half-square triangles. Well, somehow when I was laying out my fat quarters and choosing which to put where, I missed that they needed to be the same darkness (in this case black and not gold) as the dark squares in the 4-Ps. And while they play well, it changes the look and though they've been cut already, I dug through my stash and found a perfect black with gold scroll filigree, seen in the photo below with the gold blocks.
What I learned from this project, if you buy a pre-selected grouping of FQs for a specific project, read the directions, and determine if you need additional fabrics of any of those FQs, and/or fabrics for borders, because if you wait several years, you may not find just the right co-ordinating fabrics or the same fabrics as the FQs (should you make a mistake) at that later time. I should have remembered this from another project I worked on where I wanted a rich, dark brown for the binding...I went to several stores and quilt shows and still settled for something 'close' but not really what I'd hoped for, and I didn't want to wait until that color may reappear in fabric shops because it could have been years!
Jump on over to Patchwork Times for other reports of input/output this past week.
I had to add a little to my stash this week because I needed some additional fabric for a project I was working on. I needed a light background fabric and fabric for the inner border. I won't say that I'm 100% pleased with what I was able to find, but they 'will work' and I think the end product will be just fine!
Used This Week: 0 yards
Used Year to Date: 0 yards
Added This Week: 2 yards
Added Year to Date: 2 yards
Net Used for 2013: -2 yards
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| light and dark golds added |
Added were the whole yard pieces that I have here on my ironing board with the blocks and partial blocks laid out on them. The LQS (if you call local about 10-15 miles away) has a huge store with lots of fabric, but the particular oriental-Kashmir style I was looking for in just the right golds was not there and this is the closest I could get after rejecting six or seven others. The next closest store is yet another few miles further away, and I know they tend to be heavier on other styles of fabric, so didn't head out there. I think I really do like the background fabric, it's in the tone I was looking for. I'm slightly less pleased with the darker gold which will be the inner border, as it should really be either the same or darker than the dark gold squares. What makes it look lighter is the heavy gold paint, which will probably gradually lessen with future washings. Now, in the blocks in the center where the light background is, there are those gold half-square triangles. Well, somehow when I was laying out my fat quarters and choosing which to put where, I missed that they needed to be the same darkness (in this case black and not gold) as the dark squares in the 4-Ps. And while they play well, it changes the look and though they've been cut already, I dug through my stash and found a perfect black with gold scroll filigree, seen in the photo below with the gold blocks.
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| black & gold from stash |
What I learned from this project, if you buy a pre-selected grouping of FQs for a specific project, read the directions, and determine if you need additional fabrics of any of those FQs, and/or fabrics for borders, because if you wait several years, you may not find just the right co-ordinating fabrics or the same fabrics as the FQs (should you make a mistake) at that later time. I should have remembered this from another project I worked on where I wanted a rich, dark brown for the binding...I went to several stores and quilt shows and still settled for something 'close' but not really what I'd hoped for, and I didn't want to wait until that color may reappear in fabric shops because it could have been years!
Jump on over to Patchwork Times for other reports of input/output this past week.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Do U EQ?
In my geographic part of the world, EQ is an acronym for Earth Quake! And they still take my breath away because they're SNEAKY! I know another big one will hit one day and I don't relish that thought, but really, that's not what this post is about.
I would like to know, do you use Electric Quilt? I guess the latest version is 7, and according to their website, it is compatible with Windows 8, yeah, I know, but it's what came on my new computer and I'm finding my way around it. I was still in the dark ages of XP. Back to EQ7. If you use it, do you really, really find yourself making the quilts you design? It's a pretty pricy piece of software to just sit and make pretty picture-quilts out of, lol.
I was telling Marty about it and he was headed to a computer store for a new graphics card for his own computer so he'll check and see if they have it and said he'd get it if I wanted it, but I thought I'd ask y'all first. I told him I needed to do some research.
Looking forward to any and all comments pro/con about this software especially if you have EQ7 and use it with Win8; is it truly compatible?
I would like to know, do you use Electric Quilt? I guess the latest version is 7, and according to their website, it is compatible with Windows 8, yeah, I know, but it's what came on my new computer and I'm finding my way around it. I was still in the dark ages of XP. Back to EQ7. If you use it, do you really, really find yourself making the quilts you design? It's a pretty pricy piece of software to just sit and make pretty picture-quilts out of, lol.
I was telling Marty about it and he was headed to a computer store for a new graphics card for his own computer so he'll check and see if they have it and said he'd get it if I wanted it, but I thought I'd ask y'all first. I told him I needed to do some research.
Looking forward to any and all comments pro/con about this software especially if you have EQ7 and use it with Win8; is it truly compatible?
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Tootling Down Easy Street
I just can't contain my excitement about how much I'm liking how my Easy Street Mystery quilt is looking. I.am.loving.it! I'm happy with the colors I chose, I'm happy with the pattern, I.am.very.pleased! And here's a pic of what would be one corner. This corner consists of 3 block "A", 1 block "B", a corner triangle block and 2 setting triangle blocks. Overall, there are 16 block "A"s, 9 block "B"s, - all set on point - 4 corner triangles (stating the obvious right?), and 12 setting triangles - it will measure 84" square before borders (optional). I still need to finish the last two seams on the "B" blocks and then I can assemble the top.
I'm pretty well pooped out tonight so will sew those seams tomorrow after I get home from my MRI. Painkillers have really only taken the edge off the pain. Sitting is somewhat comfortable up to a point, then I have to get up and move around, but moving around, standing, bending and laying down, all hurt, so I'm sure hoping that whatever is found in the MRI can be dealt with and eventually free me from pain. Pain or no pain, chores need to be done so beyond sewing, I did a few loads of laundry, the dishes, and fixed supper today and that's why I'm pooped and am going to go watch the rest of Oregon vs. Kansas....GO DUCKS!
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| If you tilt your head to the right so that the block corner becomes the bottom left corner you'll have the correct orientation of the setting. |
I'm pretty well pooped out tonight so will sew those seams tomorrow after I get home from my MRI. Painkillers have really only taken the edge off the pain. Sitting is somewhat comfortable up to a point, then I have to get up and move around, but moving around, standing, bending and laying down, all hurt, so I'm sure hoping that whatever is found in the MRI can be dealt with and eventually free me from pain. Pain or no pain, chores need to be done so beyond sewing, I did a few loads of laundry, the dishes, and fixed supper today and that's why I'm pooped and am going to go watch the rest of Oregon vs. Kansas....GO DUCKS!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Getting It Done
I'm a couple of days late in getting this listed as it should have been posted on 31 December 2012. Judy has changed from her UFO Challenge of recent years to a monthly list of four items to get done in given month. These don't have to be complete projects from start to finish, but elements of any given project in an effort to make progress towards getting 'it' done. I can do that, I think. After all, that's pretty much all I managed to do with my UFO Challenge progress anyway. How does one eat an elephant? One bite at a time. And with that, here's my list of four items to accomplish in January:
- Finish Easy Street to the flimsy stage
- Quilt #031 Valentine Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)
- Start Bella Luce: prep and cut fabric
- Finish the Dresden Plate block on #23 Rooster Quilt (see my 2012 UFO list)
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