Biding time before the big computer adventure

The machine was assembled on Monday, and I did a minute amount of free motion to try it out. It quilts like a dream. Actually, it feels a lot like Big Gammill, so I think it will serve me well. Tomorrow I get the Pro Stitcher lesson. Oh my! The manual was a bit scary when I looked it over last night on my laptop. I'm having it printed and bound at the local print shop so I'll have it at hand when I start quilting. Andrea is so calm and clear with instructions, I think I'll get the hang of it before she leaves me on my own. The great thing is that she is only a phone call away if I do something bad!

Josh and Andrea assembled the frame and set up the machine.

The table is shiny and new...and isn't all cluttered...yet.

We loaded a small piece of muslin and I tried out the free motion setting.

I'm excited about how that went and can't wait to try it out on a quilt.

The tablet is a funny named brand. Chuwi. I think I may need to name the machine Chewie. Ha ha

Yesterday, we had the longarm meeting at the beautiful home of the leader. She is also a longarm quilter with a studio to die for. Her work is always gorgeous, and I hope to learn some tricks from her to improve my work. Anyway, she showed us her method of squaring up backings. Another member showed us how to increase the size of small backings by using a formula and cutting them in a diagonal, and re-sewing. You can find the instructions at the end of this post.

Sarah demonstrate how to measure and trim backings to make them square.

This is a small ornament that Sarah had on her Christmas tree. Her mom made them.

I figured out it is needlepoint plastic cut in squares and stitched. 

Th bottom is not stitched shut, so when squeezed on the sides, it opens! They used to put Hershey kisses in these for the kids to find. I'd love to try to make one. 

Here is the link to the backing enlargement method. https://jinnybeyer.com/a-solution-for-just-too-narrow-quilt-backing-fabric/

It's here!!

 It came! Merry Christmas to me! Next Monday the folks will come to set it up. I should be having some lessons after that. Then, I'll be off to the races.

My supervisor was busy but stayed quiet during the un-loading operation.

Mr Wazoo used his hand truck and made several trips for all the boxes.

The freight driver unloaded at the bottom of the driveway and left.

Mr W took his pick-up down and got the boxes in the back, then drove to the top and unloaded them.

What a good guy!

The next morning, I was up with the sun, and off with Gail to Franklin, NC to pick up her quilts from the quilter. It was a fun, quick trip with one stop in Hayesville, NC at the fabric shop to get backing for my last two Christmas quilts. Some  bolts of  Christmas fabric were in the sale room, and I scored some great buys!

Sunrise in the mountains

After the trip, I relaxed and took a nap like I am supposed to do, with my faithful companion for company.

I'm doing everything I am supposed to to recover from my surgery.😉

This morning, I sewed the Christmas quilt blocks together and made backs for the last two quilts.

A surprise package arrived while I was sewing, and this beautiful art glass heart was inside with a note from my friend in Florida. It is just perfect! My favorite color (lime green) and a pretty addition to my family photo table. It made my day. Thank you Georgia!

While I was off getting my annual mammogram, Mr Wazoo put up the Christmas tree! Let the decorating fun begin!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

A little block sewing

 I started late today after taking it easy this morning and enjoying the TV morning shows. I sewed the blocks for the Christmas quilt, and have them sorted and staged on the design wall. I'll sew the top together tomorrow.

My friend thinks the blocks look like wrapped gifts! I'll go with that.

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to talk about my surgery, my neuropathy and the medicine I'm taking. I hope to find out more about how long I'll be off my game. My machine might come this week and I am anxious to get to know it. That's all for now! See you later.

Taking it easy

After doing way too much on Thanksgiving, I have had to surrender to recovery and take things easier. I'm doing much better on my new medication (better living through chemistry...) and have decided to do what I am supposed to and not aggravate it further.

I got the backing done for the 16 patch, and decided I didn't like the top well enough to add the fancy flamingo border I bought in Ooltewah.

I used all the leftover pieces to make the back. 

This is the top. No border required.

Sewing the last seam! Back done and project on a hanger.

I have quite a few to practice on when I get my new machine.

Today, I started the last of the Christmas quilts. It uses a layer cake (again) and I have half of the pieces cut and ready. Tomorrow I'll get the rest cut, and maybe sewn. It depends on my back. I know when to stop now.

Squares in front, ready to cut. Squares in the back, all set to go.

My son sent my grandson's first school picture. I can't get over how grown he looks. I wish we could see them for Christmas, but with the new variant, I don't know if they will travel. We'll see.

I love this kid!!

This is my son and his lovely wife. They took a day trip to Cambridge, Wisconsin and found this paitntin on a building there. Perfect.

Here is a photo a friend posted on her Instagram account. It is my hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. I think it is the most beautiful place. In the foreground is the Frank Loyd Wright designed center. The capitol can be seen for miles around, and the harvest moon is a perk!

My Dad used to work in the building with three parts on the left side of the photo.

Lake Mendota is behind the capitol.

Just when I thought it was almost over...

 Saturday was my last physical therapy appointment, and I told her I had some pain that I thought was because I had sewn all day. We brushed it off and had a nice conversation before wishing each other Happy Thanksgiving and parting ways. That evening, the pain began increasing in my pelvis and radiating to my left thigh. Mr Wazoo went off to bed at 9:00, and I followed at 11:00 because my leg really hurt and I thought the 'magic bed' would fix it. No dice. I got up at 2:00 and took some Tylenol but the pain was so excruciating, I thought about wakening Mr. W and going to the emergency room. I waited until he woke up at 5:30 and told him what was going on. He got dressed and planned to go at any time I was ready. At 8:30 I tried to get an appointment with my GP, but the office was slammed with appointments. I called my surgeon in Gainsville and the PA knew exactly what it was from my description and assured me I would be okay. He phoned in a prescription for Neurontin and Mr. W went to get it ASAP.

After one dose, I had relief. My thigh and knee were no longer experiencing the massive pain, and it was tolerable to sit quietly. I have Lumbar radiculopathy, an impingement of the nerve where it exits the vertebrae, causing pain to the affected limb on the side of the impingement. It will take  one to six weeks to resolve. Meanwhile, the side effects are annoying. I see double every once in a while, feel like my brain is foggy and I'm a bit dizzy. I did manage to make some of the side dishes and pies for tomorrow's feast and will still cook for and entertain my friends. Without pain! Yippee.

Here is the quilt I am working on. Another Stars over Minocqua pattern using a Christmas layer cake.

The blocks are done, and I will sew them together on Friday, if I feel up to it.

A full day was lost dealing with the complication of my back surgery, and I am again reminded that I am only 12 days post-op and need to take it easier. At least I have the Macy's parade to look forward to! I love the balloons...

My Grandson wrote his first story for his kindergarten class. I got a kick out of it because he is showing the same dark humor both my son and I have. 

I see the pencil.

The pencil sees me.

I fell on the pencil.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

That guy said "Ouch!"

But I was okay. Hhhhh!  

I can't explain it, but it made me laugh out loud.

One week of recovery under my belt!

 We are creeping up on Thanksgiving and every day my back feels a bit better. We are having friends in for the feast and it is exciting to be planning a gathering after all the months of avoiding people. It will be a traditional Thanksgiving with all the trimmings.

Meanwhile, there have been a couple of outings to fabric shops with my peeps. First, we went to Hiawassee and I touched all the fabric in the shop before buying only three yards of goods to finish the 16 patch quilt. It is a really nice shop with a big selection of fun fabrics. They also offer longarm quilting services.

Mountain Quilts in Hiawassee, GA

Every day we have a parade of deer through the yard and gardens. One day we had at least twenty doe and one buck eating acorns like gangbusters in the front yard. Mr Wazoo came running (well, walking quickly...) into the studio and said to come quick! He didn't exaggerate! The entire family was there.

The man came first, staying in the woods, keeping an eye on the girls

It was hard to get a good picture of him because he kept hiding behind the pines.

They all came one by one over Mr W's tractor bridge on the side of the yard. The teenagers kept to the grass, but the sassy mamas starting right in eating the roses. Obviously, they weren't deterred by Bigfoot lurking in the garden, too.

These two got within four feet of me while I was taking pictures. I walked almost up to where they were before they decided to book it to lower ground.

She kept track of where I was the whole time.

Out in the grass, another doe startled easily and would prick their ears up and watch me.

This one stayed by the bridge in case she had to maker a quick getaway.

The herd moved on after ten minutes or so, I'm sure they don't like having people gawking at them while they eat any more than we would.

On Thursday my new apple peeler/corer/slicer arrived from Amazon. I immediately peeled, cored and sliced a Honeycrisp apple the size of a softball for a trial run. It made enough for a two person apple crisp for dessert after supper. Yum! I even splurged and had a lump of frozen yogurt with it!

It is enameled cast iron with stainless steel parts. It should last forever.

I also took in a quilt for repair this week, and set to work on it right away. Not having quilting to do frees up all my time for hand sewing.

I made all the pieces to replace torn or badly worn ones and pinned them on

There were 20 patches to replace.

I also put a pin in every seam that was open. There were some big holes to fix!

There were 61 open seams.

When I replace one this large, I also have to hand quilt it later. It took three days and evenings of sewing to finish.

Three days of non-stop mending had this quilt good as new!

I love a happy finish! It will go home tomorrow.

Because the repair was finished, I said yes to another shop hop with Gail and Audrey. We set off to Ooltewah, TN and Chattanooga Quilts. I love the samples they have hanging around in the shop. Most of them have kits made up with the pattern included. I really fell hard for this neutral sampler, and think it would make a great gift for one of my daughters. I bought the fabric kit and pattern and plan to start sewing it as soon as possible.

I've never made a quilt with such a peaceful palette. It should be a challenge.

We also drove up to Maryville, TN to Mountain Creek Quilt Shop. I didn't get any pictures, but it is a fabulous shop with hundreds of bolts of fabric as well as a huge wool, homespuns and flannel room. If you're a quilter, you can't leave without some fabric treasure.

At guild on Thursday evening we enjoyed a talk and quilt show from one of our newest members, Cathy. She and her husband were missionaries in Africa for a year and she worked with the villagers to teach sewing skills. They loved it and eventually built a sewing center where they make school uniforms for the kids. There was no electricity, so Cathy searched and found treadles for the sewists.  Cathy bought fabric whenever she went into the nearest town with shops, and after a year, had enough to sew this quilt. The figure blocks are called African Princess. Very fitting. She told us of a woman who became so close to her that she named her child Cathy. The names on the quilt are for the sewing group.

Both sides of the quilt are beautiful.

Here is Cathy showing the quilt top to us. Don't you love the colors and patterns?!

You can see some of the names on the quilt as well as enjoy the local school colors of gold and blue.

Here is the block with an African Princess and the name of the special woman and her child, Cathy.

Hre is the back of the quilt. Just WOW! Cathy said she didn't want to cut these fabrics into little pieces. I'm glad she didn't! 

This is Cathy, retired Methodist minister, missionary and talented quilter.

Happy Fall.  Our leaves are almost all off, but we don't care...

Don't you wish you lived here?

Sunday Fun-day

Christmas music in the air and Tula Pink fabrics on the cutting table...what could be better?! I cut out some wide strips of Tula fabrics and some peppered cottons (from Pepper Cory) and set to work making a St.Louis 16 patch I saw on  the Scribbly Gum blog. The quilt uses fat quarters to make a quick, large lap size quilt, so I decided to go for it. I bought a pack of Tula fabrics on a recent shop visit to Ooltewah, TN, and chose those as well as a bunch of peppered cotton solids from the FQ wall at the  Cleveland shop. It didn't take long to cut the strips and make the blocks. After they were on the design wall, I thought they were a bit too simple and decided to add little triangles to the corners. I can never leave well enough alone!

                                                 

Here are the blocks. I did some more arranging and still wasn't satisfied.

I auditioned some Kaffe millifiore colors and settled on the cornflower blue one for the triangles. 

Subtle, but effective to knock down so much clunkiness in the blocks. Maybe I'll add a fun border, too. 

Everything is seat of the pants and fun. Design play is good for healing, don't you think?

Today, I will finish this top and cut a new one. My mind has already raced ahead and thought of what to do with the leftover FQ pieces...a many trips quilt from Bonnie Hunter's blog. 

Off to the races!!