Sunday, April 28, 2013

Piddling

I've been piddling about the house the past three days.  I've started purging cabinets and closets.  Of course, I can't lift anything and my left arm is still a little weaker than the other.  I feel like I'm making headway, though.  Baby steps!


I was taking a break and had the Nat Geo channel on.  I was watching Penny watching TV.  She was sleeping under the quilt until the animal sounds came on.  She was so attentive for the longest time.  Every once in a while she'd whine or make a growlly sound.  I always wonder what's going through her head! 

Made a pot of spaghetti sauce last night, so I'm good on food for a day or two.  I desparately need to go to the market, but it wears me out pushing the cart around and then having to unload the car.  Maybe tomorrow.  Sooner or later it'll have to be done, but I'm procrastinating for now.

If I get out tomorrow I'm going to stop by the place where I bought my Horn table to see if they have any suggestions.  I'm not really able to use the machine now, but I sure want to get it all ready for when I can sew.

I tried taking a few applique stitches last night but it wasn't working very well.  My left thumb is so weak that I was having trouble hanging onto my piece, and it's hard to look down with the neck brace on.  Oh, well, at least I tried. 

I spilled something a few weeks ago in the refrigerator and I kept forgetting to tell the maid service about it.  Today I decided to clean out the bottom where the two produce drawers are.  Well, I should have taken a picture of the configuration before I pulled them out.  It took me forever to get those back in there.  Sheesh......

Time to stretch out for a bit.  My neck isn't hurting very much, but my lower back is killing me right now.  I really think the neck brace is causing that, if that makes sense.  I'm walking differently, sitting differently, and I'm sure sleeping on that wedge doesn't help.  I haven't taken pain pills in a couple of weeks, relying instead on Tylenol.  Don't think that helps much but at least they don't make me feel foggy and stupid!

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The 750 and Horn Cabinet

I was cleaning off my sewing table this morning, when I was able to grab a strong back to move the 750 from the dining room table to the Horn cabinet. 

I held my breath when I put the insert in because I hadn't even opened the box, but it fit perfectly.

Excuse the mess behind the machine.  That's almost clean now.  But I wanted to show the problem I'm having.


The knee lift falls almost middle of the area where I sit.  In other words, it's between my legs instead of to the right. 

I know you're going to say just to scoot to the left a bit.  Well, I have a drawered cabinet that fits under the Horn, and I like pulling out the top drawer and adding the top extension to make that space bigger there.  If you don't have this kind of cabinet, you probably don't understand.

I snagged this picture from the Horn website.  It's not the exact configuration I have.  That under cabinet is shoved back under my table, and just the drawer is open to support that top extension.  But see what I mean about that "wing" not allowing me to scoot left.  Arrggh........

For now I'll just have to not use the knee lift.  Arrggh.........

Friday, April 19, 2013

Chugging Along Here

No, not on sewing.  I can't sit long enough to do that yet.  But I did draw lines on squares for HSTs.  I put a tray in my lap, propped up in bed on my wedge.  Baby steps!

Over the course of this week I had help in pulling some fabrics to go in the boxes to be mailed out.  If you're expecting a box from me, they won't be sent until next week.  I can only work on that in very short spurts.  Again, baby steps!

The maids yesterday helped me by moving some project tubs so I could get to something.  I found a home for a BOM that I have over halfway done and then it was put aside.  Why do I do that?  Anyway, I know it will be finished and loved by the recipient, so that makes me happy!  At least that one won't end up on eBay after I'm gone!  :)

I need to seriously look for the chargers to my Kindle.  I have two of them and they've both gone AWOL.  I can't even imagine where they are as I had one in the bedroom and one downstairs.  I can see misplacing one of them, but both?  Totally puzzling.  I probably ought to look in the pantry.  I found my address book in there six months after it had gone missing.  I can't even blame that one on drug brain!

Doctor's appointment on Monday.  I hope to be cleared to do something, anything.  He wouldn't let me fly home right after the surgery, but a month later I'm hoping he'll change his mind.  I'm not holding out much hope on that, though.

Anyway, that's it from here. 

Does fondling fabric count for something?  Please tell me it does, because if it doesn't, then I'm totally worthless these days!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Questions Post and Comments

Wow, I really enjoyed reading all of your comments on the last blog post.  It seems that many of you are kindred spirits!  One common theme that coursed through a lot of the comments is that we have a LOT of stash!  Of course, many of you probably have a better plan in mind than I do for that stash!

I did a random drawing for a box of miscellaneous cuts of fabric, including a lot of neutrals, and the winner of that drawing is:

Vivian of Bronx Quilter blog.  Vivian said her heart really belongs to scrappy, so I hope she'll find these fabrics useful.

Vivian, please email me so that I can arrange shipment of your package.

And then I did something I don't often do, and that is to select two other winners because they mentioned a specific type of fabric that I want to reduce in my stash .... batiks.

Nini - said she buys batiks by the armload because she loves them so much.

and

Marilyn - said she loves batiks.

If both Nini and Marilyn will email me their postal addresses, I'll get their packages off to them.  These two packages may take a wee bit longer as I have to pull out the batiks.  I think I can get to them without having to have someone help me, but it might have to wait until I get a strong back over here.  I'll keep you posted on the status of your shipment.

I was talking to Darlene this week and mentioned that it is the "color wall" fabrics that I mostly want to reduce.  I will probably have another blog post about that soon where I ask you the color that you like/need the most in your stash.  Stay tuned!

Thank you to everyone for commenting.  I think I'm beginning to get a grip on what I need to do to tame the beast.  I surely don't want to have to move all of this when I retire, but I want to keep enough so that I will have plenty to work with for a few years. What a conundrum!!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Questions

I've been pondering things since I'm pretty much down for the count on sewing.  Mostly I've been pondering my stash.  I have beautiful fabric purchased with no particular plan in mind.  I have tons of wonderful patterns purchased with no particular plan in mind.  I have oodles of books purchased just because I thought I would enjoy reading them -- i.e., no particular plan in mind. 

No particular plan in mind.  I guess that means I'm a fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants kinda gal.

I really know what I like in my stash -- and what I could part with and not miss.  That's probably where I need to start paring it down, taming the wild beast so to speak.

1.  Do you purchase fabric for a pattern you already know you're going to make, or just because you like it?

2.  Do you purchase a pattern because you have fabric that would work?

3.  Do you have a person as the recipient in mind when you make a quilt?

4.  Do you buy kits?

5.  Do you purchase complete lines like towers, Jelly Rolls, etc., or do you like scrappy quilts?

6.  Do you like individual patterns or books more?

7.  Do you want to leave a comment to win something from my stash? 

I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this matter. 

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

At Last!!

I've gotta say .... this is the BOM that I've been about to pop to start.  Finally it's here!!



Chick Jubilee by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs.  The Fat Quarter Shop did their usual beautiful job of packaging it!

I've been wanting to do an Easter-themed quilt for quite some time, and have even purchased a few patterns, but they didn't really float my boat.  When Kimberly at the FQS offered this BOM, I was all over it!  Heck, I might have been the first sign-up!

I love love love the bright pastels, but what I really love are the gray and white backgrounds and borders.  They really make those pastels pop!

It's still being offered by the FQS so there are still a few spaces left.  If you're interested, I'd jump right in because I'd bet they won't last long.

Anne, I have purchased all of your BOMs, but you really hit a home run with this one! 

On a funny note, I'm getting a new neighbor in the condo next door.  Penny has been very alert (but not barking) at the various trucks pulling up and unloading and the rattling of their dollies.  I heard another truck pull up, and all of a sudden she ran to the front door and started barking.  About three seconds later, there was a rap on the door, and a friendly voice that said, "A UPS delivery for the puppy!"  She barked once more and then went to the nearest sunbeam and stretched out with a big sigh. 

Now that I think about it, over the past weeks I've been home on the days when I heard her bark for a minute, there was always a box on the doorstep.  Do you think she knows the sound of their truck?

Smart dog!  Happy Mommy!

Sunday, April 07, 2013

Finally!

Today I finally finished the last tree block!  Hooray!


I tell you -- I had to sew every seam twice on this blasted block!  I'm going to blame it on the drugs!

Now that all twelve blocks are done, I can clean up the mess on my sewing table.  I have to make oodles of HSTs for the inner border, and I think most of those are cut out.  I'm not able to cut right now, so I'll have to deal with the setting triangles later.  But that's okay.  I'm perfectly delighted that this much is done.

Three months, twelve blocks .... slow and steady ....


Tuesday, April 02, 2013

Another Day

Here it is, April already, and I feel like I have nothing to show for the last month.  I don't, not really, except a nice long scar on my throat.  That won't even be very visible once it heals and melts into all of the pre-existing wrinkles.  So I guess I'm safe to say that there is nothing to show for March!

Except for this.


This is the It's Sew Emma pattern, Peyton at Play.  You can get a downloadable PDF or purchase the printed pattern like I always do.  And it's the Pattern of the Month over at the Fat Quarter Shop, so the pattern is 20% off this month!

I really like this pattern because it can be made in a day.  I stopped when the center of the top was assembled, and then put the borders on in the second sitting, but that was only because I started it late morning.  Early in March I finally hand stitched the binding down, and it's been in almost constant use since then!  It's a great lap size for the sofa!

I already know which fabric line I'll use for the next time I make Peyton at Play.  Do you?  The Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber blog would like to know!

And so would I!!