MIL Quilt

I received a comment about the quilt for my mother-in-law and wanted to respond. Thank you very much for the advice. This quilt is not supposed to be a special quilt. It is to be a bright and happy way to welcome her to a new home. The fabric is not high quality as I know that it will be washed many times. If I have the opportunity to make another quilt when this one wears out I will be pleased. It will show that she loves and uses the quilt which is my intent.

Just the same the advice is wise for a quilt that would become an heirloom.

We are fortunate to have many quilts in her family that have been carefully taken care of. The even survived a major flood in 1997 when the Licking River in Falmouth, KY covered the house she was renting with muddy water for almost a week. The quilts had been layered on a bed in her 2nd bedroom so there was almost no wear. We washed them two or three times on a gentle cycle and the mud came out. We did not allow them to dry before the first wash. We were very lucky. Most of them are crazy quilts and they look as good as they did before the flood.

Change in priorities

MIL is moving into a nursing home the end of this month. Because of my surgery I was not able to give her the quilt intended for Christmas. My new goal is to cut all the fabric, piece all the blocks, sew the blocks together, layer the backing, batting and top and sew it together like a pillow case and invert it. Then I will tie the quilt together rather than quilt it. I want to have it on her bed in the nursing home before she walks through the door or at least have it on my arm as the first thing to unpack.

All other projects will have to go to the bottom of the priority list for the time being. So many projects and so little time.

Our vacation schedule for 2009 has been fairly well settled. I plan on one week in Gatlinburg in March, one week in Orlando in April and three quilt retreats spread out through the year.

In the meantime I am slowly working my way into the family room to transform it into my sewing room / quilt studio. One item at a time each time I go down stairs. (Stairs are still difficult for me). My goal now is to have everything in place before we leave for Orlando so that I can pack quilting that is minimal in space requirements. Each time I pack I get a little better at taking only what I need and not over packing.

God bless you and keep you and your love ones safe and healthy.

Wheel of Mystery -- Quilt University

On January 2 I started a new class at Quilt University. It is called Wheel of Mystery. The pattern is also called Winding Ways and various other names. On January 9 we got our second lesson.

I have chosen to do a series of different red fabrics one each for the "flower" of the pattern and use black as a background. I am slowly cutting out the red fabric. I have four completed and need 11 more. I may start piecing the blocks together this weekend.

My recover from surgery is progressing. I came back to work on the 5 week anniversary of my total knee replacement (one week early) and will get a final full release on January 20. I haven't tried to drive yet as the knee is the right one and that is used from breaking and acceleration. I will wait for the total release and very dry roads before my first drive.

I have a very full day ahead so will cut this short.

God bless you and keep you safe and happy. Karen

Back to posting

I am recovering well from my surgery. I spent four days in the hospital and 10 days in a nursing home before coming home on December 22. I had additional medical problems that made it impossible to be discharged from the hospital directly home.

Quilting has not been an active part of the last five weeks. I am enrolled in a class at Quilt University called "Wheel of Mystery" and received my second lesson yesterday. I have chosen my fabric. I need to start cutting it and piecing.

DH gave me $50.00 as a Christmas gift towards the purchase of a quilting frame. I am looking at a Grace frame.

God bless you, Karen

Other objectives

Although I had a four day weekend I did not have the opportunity to do any quilting. Most of the time was spent working in the kitchen, working on a toilet that will not flush and searching for 5 pistols that belong to DH. The kitchen is almost back in pristine shape, the toilet is still not working and DH found 4 of the pistols. Today he will be looking for the last one. Finding these pistols takes a load off my mind.

We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with DD, SIL and GS. Jeremy is growing into such a wonderful boy. He and I had a long conversation and I must say he is fantastic. I love him too much to define. After dinner we had some target practice. Wait, you say. Jeremy is only 7. Well that kid can sure shoot a marshmallow blaster. I learned from him. What fun!

I have a very heavy work load during the next 15 calendar days and on December 16 I will be having my right knee replaced. I don't know how much blogging I will do in the meantime. I also need to stick very strictly to my diet so that my physical therapy after surgery is easier. 30 minutes 3 times a day for knee replacement physical therapy and some of it is patient driven. Thank God some of it is a machine that works on keeping the knee flexing. I will start at 35 degrees and end up at 110 degrees flex. After that any additional flexibility will be on my own.

Have a great day.

Getting ready

All my sewing equipment and projects that went on vacation with us are now in the house and ready for me to get to work. I had obligations for this evening that just got cancelled so I will be setting up a sewing area in the living room and working on the completion of the Navajo blocks. I have 8 left to complete and then the next step in this quilt top.

There is a new quilt guild that a LQS is starting. I have investigated it and am thinking about attending the initial meeting. Since it will be very close to my home it may be another way of extending my quilting.

DH is doing much better so I will be able to be more outgoing in my small group and guild attendance.

Have a great day.

Home Safe and Sound

We have returned from a very relaxing and restful week in Gatlinburg, TN. The sewing machine and my projects are the only remaining things in the car. I ran out of energy with the unloading. Thankfully the next vacation in April will be with a healthier husband and he can help with the unloading. He kept apologizing for not doing more, but he drove both ways and that was the saving grace.

I didn't get as much piecing done as I had expected. Creating 240 HST take a lot of time; with sewing and squaring up. I have almost 3/4 of my blocks completed for "Navajo Tears" and then I will lay out the blocks on the point with other fabric between. I have two options with the other fabric. Simple 8 1/2" squares or making QST and placing them in between the Navajo block. I will have to get my design wall out to make the decision.

This week is only 2 1/2 days of work. The rest will be some minor house cleaning after our vacation and getting ready for the holidays. Vacations are very nice, but there is always the let down and the recovery. Fortunately I love Thanksgiving and Christmas so this gives me a slow let down from vacation. I did some shopping in Sevierville for Christmas and only have a few items to purchase. Then the wrapping.

Have a great day.