Quilter's blogs

I frequently read other quilter's blogs. I laugh with Ami Simms and learn with Myrna Giesbrecht along with many others. Today I changed my thought for the day in this blog and it made me realize that with all the teachers I have had over the years I have gotten so many good tips and occasionally a not so good tip. We learn through experience.

(Thought for the day: Creative minds always have been known to survive any kind of bad training.)

Another lesson I have learned over and over is that we often make the same mistakes time and again. Each time life shoves my mistakes in my face and they are mistakes I have made before I try to learn. Sometimes I am more fortunate than others.

New Year's resolutions are definitely a thing of the past. I know that I will not keep them. Instead I have to set small specific goals and work until one is done before going on to the next. I am applying this at work as well as at home.

Have a great weekend.

Guild Meeting

Last night I attended my quilt guild for the first time since November. At that time DH was still in the rehab center recovering from sepsis, pneumonia and kidney failure. He had lost over 30 pounds in one week and at one point was on life support.

My former friends in guild ignored me. In fact I said hello to one and she just walked passed me. They all gathered in a corner near the membership and name tag table. I would never treat a worm the way they treated me.

I know that some will believe what I next say is a lie, but I would never wish any harm to them, I would never wish they have to go through a devastating life change like mine and I will never attempt revenge on them. They were my friends. They are now people that I know but do not wish to associate with. I will be polite and keep my distance. I just want them to be polite and leave me alone.

We moved my MIL into a nursing home over the weekend and closed her apartment. She is adjusting very slowly. She likes the food and that is a big help. Everyone in the nursing home is so friendly and helpful. I think we made a good choice in where to have her live. She is not so sure about that, but I think she will come around to realize that it was for the best.

My quilting goals have gone totally out the window. Between my own recovery from total knee replacement to DH recover to MIL I haven't had my sewing machine out since November. Once things settle down I will start to access my works in progress and projects that I want to make or finish and set some specific goals.

I haven't done any knitting in years, but have a project I started two years ago for DH as a Christmas gift. It is a hooded sweater. I think I will take it with me when I visit MIL so I won't fidget when visiting.

Have a great day.

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.