Sunday, June 15, 2014

Catching Up

It's been a couple of weeks since I've blogged anything.  Sharon emailed me this morning wondering if I had fallen off the face of the earth!  I had the best intentions of posting today but she spurred me on.  Thanks, Sharon!

I've been feeling kind of puny and recently had a bunch of tests done.  I'll get results next week.  While I don't expect anything too dire, there will be some things I'll need to deal with.  He did tell me a couple of months ago that my cholesterol was too high and wanted to give me a prescription.  Nope.  I said I would do it by myself.  He rolled his eyes!  That guy doesn't know me at all.  In four weeks I dropped it from around 250 to about 165 just through what I was putting in my mouth.  He was pleasantly surprised because a lot of his patients aren't dedicated enough to do it without the miracles of medication.  I need to get blood work tomorrow and hopefully it has dropped more.  A pleasant side effect of that is I've also dropped some weight.  I think the weigh-in next week will say it's about 20 pounds.  I noticed my work slacks were all too big, so I went to Nordstrom's and got a size smaller.  I just bought one pair for now.  I'm a realist!  :)

Enough of that.  On to quilting ...

I have two quilts that I just need to piece the backings for Brenda Riddle's Quilted Comfort project that I mentioned a couple of posts back. 


This is a older French General kit that was just sitting around.  It went together so quickly.  I could have done it in one day if my back had cooperated.  I might use this pattern again to make more quilts for the project.  The other one is a Fig Tree quilt that I did four years ago.  Here's the blog post that I did about it in 2010.  http://www.laquilter.blogspot.com/2010/02/stash-report-2010-week-8.html  It's a pretty quilt and the reason it wasn't ever quilted is because I gave the backing to someone who needed it.  I dug around and found another piece big enough and I just have to get it done.  I also have a box ready to mail to Brenda with a kit, some jelly rolls and matching backing, and some other things for her project.  I have a lot of girly stuff but not too much for the male recipients.  I need to go to the storage unit as I think I have some kits there that will work.  So, Brenda, I hope to get that box off to you this week, and the other two quilts off to be quilted the week after.  Someone emailed me and so graciously volunteered their quilting services on two quilts.  I won't post her name here, but hopefully when the finished quilts have been received by Brenda, that she will have given her permission to do so.  Thank you SO MUCH!!!  It's wonderful quilters like you who make these projects so successful!

My friend, Mary Ann, invited me to make a trip with her to M&L Fabrics yesterday.  Since I was clueless where I was going, I met her in Brea and she chauffeured me around.  That place is overwhelming.  I wish I had taken pictures of the thousands and thousands of flat folds.  The fabrics on the bolts went from very cheap to high end quilter fabric.  I didn't buy any of that fabric as the prices were comparable to the Fat Quarter Shop. 

They did have good prices on their Kona solids.  Mary Ann suggested I go with a plan.  So I pulled an older April Cornell tower from the stash room, Nature's Chorus.  I have been wanting to use that for the longest time but I didn't have a clue.  Well, one of Camille's hot new patterns gave me a light bulb moment! 


I thought by using the Kona solids and leaving out the cream FQs, that I could stretch the tower and perhaps get another quilt out of it for Quilted Comforts.  We'll see how that goes.  Anyway, this project is on my to-do list now.  It's about time!!

Mary Ann surprised me with a wonderful gift - a pin cushion.  She informed that I had to use this one and not put it in my glass display case! 




She used wool on the back.  I love it!  I couldn't resist displaying it on the Kona; it matches!!  Thank you so much, Mary Ann! Like Daddy used to say, "You didn't have to do that ... but I'm glad you did!!" 

(Daddy has been gone over 40 years now, and I miss him and think about him every single day.) 

I also picked up some chambray that Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's used as the background on a new pattern about to be released, Harvey.  I think I'm going to like sewing with it.  Thanks, Carrie!  I think .. well, yes, thank you ... I think.  You just keep inspiring me more and more and I don't have enough time to keep up with the inspiration!  (Wow, I can think of worst things in life!)  How much longer until retirement?

So that's it from here.  Too long, I know, but I had to catch up.  You know how that is!

7 comments:

Darlene said...

A fun newsy post, although, I don't like the idea of all the tests and such. Congrats on lowering your cholesterol - last week when I had blood drawn mine was 177. Doc and I were very happy.

mascanlon said...

We had such fun! So glad you like the pincushion, I do enjoy making them with scraps and Carrie's wonderful hints. Next time I bet we can do more damage too!

badlandsquilts said...

Congratulations on the health improvements...I hope your tests turn out well.

I like the french general quilt. I have a Clermont Farms jelly roll that I had been eyeing that for inspiration as it has a fabric that would work for those longer vertical pieces too.

Yah to you for being productive in so many areas!

antique quilter said...

good to see a post from you…hope everything is fine with the test results…Love the solids mixed with that bundle, great pattern choice to use the bundle and solids with hopefully you can start sewing it in the next week or so.
love that pin cushion, its happy great colors its so summery too! listen to her use it!
Kathie

Thelma said...

Glad to see you've got plenty of ideas for some great summer sewing. Best of luck on the test results.

Lynne in Hawaii said...

Great update post. Amazing cholesterol results...you go girl! The fabrics are gonna make a beautiful quilt(s)...love your choices.

Dottie@Warm Memories Quilt Shoppe said...

Vicki~ You have a good heart!