a christmas forest

had a bit of extra energy today...and who wouldn't after 2 naps...necessitated by some required activity and recovery from a brief cardiac procedure on thursday with mostly good result.  pulled a stack of christmas prints for more scrappy trees....i am really liking how these are working up.

have been wanting to use up some of the christmas prints and this seems just the perfect project.  thinking might eliminate half of what's on the shelf; first have to decide the final size.  these blocks will measure about 7' x 9" finished and will need to accommodate a backing 72" x 90" or less.  also quilting a small piece in spare moments that will be gifted at christmas.  ***  in the meantime, recovery continues slowly but steadily.  i still get quite tired with any sustained activity and had to pass up some fun things this week due to being just plain wiped out.  next week will be six weeks from surgery and will be discussing cardiac rehab at my next follow-up visit.  i'd prefer the magic wand fix, like who wouldn't?

net surfing too much?

probably, but there are just soooo many things that tweak my quilty muse...for instance, saw a christmas tree flimsy done with scraps (of course) that just had to try.  before you can say "hello betty," i'm at the machine with some stash pieces....leading to these

can definitely see this becoming a new christmas quilt.  i had planned one using the christmas cracker pattern but liking these trees a whole lot more.  plus they work up so darn quick.  even with my abbreviated sewing time, was able to make these four pretty fast.  these aren't exactly like the top i saw, but they're my version and i'm happy with them.   ***  busy weekend that included that dreamy shower and some laundry, new post-surgery tasks for me.   weary of baby steps progress but that's how it goes.  each PT session finds me walking further but still requiring that daily nap to recoup.  managed to put up a few christmas decorations today too.  tomorrow might even manage to put away halloween stuff!

fun with betty

my machine has been feeling neglected and why shouldn't she....aside from some hand sewing and a bare few minutes at the machine, she's been idle, waiting patiently.   this morning before zombie meds take over, wanted to play a bit.  during my first hospital stay, a friend brought me this thrift store book.  inside was a very pretty plaid quilt that immediately caught my eye.  with a significant plaid stash, always on the lookout for ideas to use them. i especially love the spiral binding too!

these are a great size for quick paper piecing.  when i returned home for good, traced out a couple of triangles and pretty happy with the result.  this will be a quick project and good for hand quilting.  thinking a flannel back will make it ultra cozy. 

this is my 3rd new start this year, but still hoping to knock off a couple of small finishes before year's end putting the 2018 UFO list in good shape.  my OT kindly put up my folding table as hoping to baste a flimsy this weekend to start quilting in january.  ***  in addition to basting a quilt this weekend, laundry needs to be done and that longed-for, dreamy shower is on the list as well...hoping to eradicate the remaining tape residue from various places and feel more like a person and less like a patient....always good!

november swan song

today was my first day back at the senior center quilting group since october...was great to see mostly all my quilty peeps again and get caught up with them.  i brought along the honeycomb project and got quite a bit done for all the chatting that happened.

i wanted to get the side rows done to see exactly how large this center portion will be and can now fill in with the units left and hopefully get the colors placed evenly.  you can see the navy setting triangles, which are very small, but there is a narrow navy blue border all around, probably 3" finished, and then a wider border all around, which will probably be 6" finished.  not sure if there's anything in my stash large enough for the outer border but then i don't need it today either.  hoping to shop the stash when the time comes.  ***  got to thursday without any daytime naps but really needed it this afternoon.  it has been a busy week with must-do walking, a few fun events, homecare people and visitors.  my first doctor follow up garnered lots of surprises with regard to my progress.  the only one who expected more is, of course, me.  i've been home a couple of weeks now and managing pretty well with dressing, basin baths, meal prep, dishes and picking up, but laundry is starting to accumulate and still waiting for that first, dreamy foray in the shower....tomorrow maybe?   the bookmobile came this week so finally have some good reading on hand.  really itching to sit down at the machine and try some things i've seen online.  and i've a quilt that needs basting to start the quilting.   maybe this weekend will give me some extended time for both.   now that december is here, want to pull out some holiday stuff too.  my gift list is down pat, just hoping to focus on increasing activity level and getting beyond the recovery stage.  everyone tells me it comes eventually! 

sewing drought over!

finally after 36 long days without a needle in my hand or my foot on the pedal, have done both today!  woke early this morning feeling fine so after breakfast, my required walk and a facecloth bath, sat down at the machine and worked some on potholders.  didn't plan on sewing long, just a bit to get back in the sewing swing of things.   then, pulled out this aging UFO to see how much could get done today.

this is another project languishing in a drawer started to use up some cherrywood solid scraps.  it isn't a large quilt per se; borders will be 6" i believe, but colorful and great for hand quilting.  the meds i have to take right now pretty much flatten me, so up until now have just been taking up chair space too much of the time.  at least now the time on forced rest should result in some sewing progress.  and time spent in "toil of the needle", as hawthorne called it, is never wasted.  ***  chilly, sunny and windy today.  still no driving for me but soon and then it's cardiac rehab.  have noticed a bunch of little improvements as a result of my surgery and expect more will come.  but the biggest is just delight and grateful to be alive.....it IS a wonderful life!

Thanksgiving wishes

grateful beyond measure on this Thanksgiving day.   Though recovery is still snail's pace, progressing each day.  in past years the focus was on the sumptuous meal, but this year each breath and step remind me being a recipient of bountiful blessings.  i'll be fixing a small meal of some holiday favorites but thinking always of my loved ones and the care and protection bestowed upon me by a loving, benevolent Heavenly father....

easing back...

by spending a few minutes putting away the last of the fabric piles into shoeboxes.  picked these up before the "halloween surprise" and wanted to finish the job today.  recovery continues at a slug's pace but each rest is fruitful in a bit more energy.  friday and saturday were busy and sure were too much, so today is kick back, keep up with exercises and do a few things around the apartment.

now all the excess stash is filed away for easy access and viewing. ***  it seems that some morally bankrupt turnip head in this complex continues to feel i am their personal K-mart....my ikea bag for recycling has walked away as has my kitchen timer.  the ikea bag was their 79 cent big blue tyvek one and it was perfect for managing stuff for recycling, not expensive but still ikea isn't close.  this person needs a refresher on the golden rule.   sad that housing situations, like marriage, are a mystery until one actually moves in and lives there.  was fortunate to escape a bad marriage and hoping at some point do the same from this place...but certainly not today.  the sun is shining brightly on this temperate late fall day and basking in a life that abounds in blessings.

the gift

first post in eons due to unexpected surgery....the lifechanging kind.  God is so very good all the time. Recent cardiac visit revealed 100% block of main vessel, calcified over years.  thanks to miracle workers all along the way, have undergone surgery and out of hospital doing recovery.   strength rebuilding and activity are very slow but progressing in the tiniest of increments each day.  after many years of complaining of shortness of breath to providers who saw only my overweight status, it's time to up your game.  I could have been spared much discomfort and on the road to recovery years ago.  catching up on hundreds of emails and starting life anew with the humblest of gratitude and feeling like the luckiest person on earth.  

Next?

now that the senior center quilt is done and gone and well received, too, i might add...the next thing is to finish potholders for an upcoming fair...ran low on selvedges so had to pull stash and cut more.

they are looking good i think....using leftover bias binding pieces on hand to bind the edges with.  hoping to generate enough funds to purchase a walking foot for my machine...we'll see.  and in the hoop is a temporary project.  waiting on a backing for the next one, but in the meantime this small quilt will suffice.

it's another of my amish style quilts with no particular destination but possibly the maryland vets' home, which is in need of twin quilts.  nice to be quilting something that doesn't require any repair work along the way.  i doubt it will be done anytime soon, but nice for a change.  the real next is an antique repro being donated to my local DAR chapter.  on my income, mostly unable to donate funds but figured can give back with a quilt that can generate same.  it helps me from feeling like a charity case or somebody always with my hand out, which can happen with long-term penny pinching, not pride rather self-respect.  ***  our excellent autumn continues with cool nights and daytimes around 70s....leaves are slowly starting to turn and, if predictions prevail, it's going to be another warm winter.  perfectly ok with me if the down coat stays in the closet...lol.  

my weekend...

despite some nice weather this past weekend, didn't venture out even once as i was joined at the hip with this project...

it's the senior center quilt that i volunteered to hand quilt and delighted to say it is done, done, done!  it'll be handed off to another to wash and get ready for giving.  unfortunately, the quality of the construction isn't fitting for an official QOV, but it will find a good home i'm sure.  it was hand pieced some time ago--none of our current ladies worked on it--and while quilting had to reinforce several corner seams and more may come undone with the washing, we'll see.  also had to replace 2 squares as i found holes in them.  i did manage to get some laundry done and pick up some clutter, though.  it was worth taking the time to finish.  now i've potholders to finish for an upcoming fair.  even with my little job, grabbing a few opportunities to make some cash going toward eliminating debt. ***  also this weekend made the decision to look for new housing.  am simply disgusted and hugely disappointed in having to do this.  it's a nuisance and costly as well.  two weeks after i moved in here, i had gotten a call from my first choice, which was closer to the shore.  even though i love this area and have community ties, the negatives far outweigh any positives.  it'll be years, of course, so i can keep working and continue to abolish debt. hoping my health isn't compromised any further.  plus the thievery is making me downright angry.  i thought i had left the homeless shelter riff raff behind me but apparently not.