Category Archive: quilts

As you can clearly see, I managed to reverse one of the two foxes.  I should have a fox headed each direction which is not the case.   Since the first one was created last year, I don’t remember enough to know what I did differently.  I know that the vellums that came as the pattern were pointed opposite directions.    They turned out the same size so it is not a big thing.

This is the Winter Wonderland set by Linda Hibbert of www.silverliningsoriginals.com.   Each bird or animal comes with a left and a right vellum pattern, so you can face them the way that pleases you.  I found that with being very scrimpy with the fabric kit included, I can get both the left and the right facing one made, which gives me more practice. (I have had to substitute a fabric where I ran out.)

I think I’ll go back and do the other cardinals and bunny and then attempt the squirrels and the moose.   By then the fellows should have made headway outside on the road and I will no longer need to concern myself with that.   This makes such a great diversion and takes real concentration

Today I worked on a practice piece – a free little mini quilt from Sassafras Lane Designs.  I found  several places for improvement, which was not a surprise.   It had more difficulty in cutting and sewing these small pieces, so this was good practice.   I also found that my sewing was fairly accurate, but I need take more care with the cutting.  I sewed each of these quilting lines from the top down.  Next time, I will alternate stitching one line from the top and the next from the bottom to see how much difference that would make.    If I were to quilt a “real” piece, I would starch it until stiff as the back became shorter an inch shorter than the front in this small piece.  Then I would spray glue it together so the top and bottom fed evenly.   Or I could just allow extra backing if doing this on the domestic machine.  I ended up trimming an inch off the bottom and the top.  It finished at 8.5 x 10″ and out of scraps.   I will use it for a mug rug when have a small plate of something with a drink.  It was a good learning experience.

This is what happens when your body hasn’t decided if it is on the East or West coast timeline.

Spool Souffle has had trouble coming to the front and getting finished.   But it is now and ready for gifting.   It measures 62  x 74″ and is ready for gifting.   It is a Fat Quarter shop pattern.

Colorful mountains is a block in general public information and I used a fat quarter pack which I have no idea how I acquired, along with a pale blue for sky.  I used the leftover pieces for binding and the back is also a leftover piece of backing.  So this quilt used pieces that had not yet found a home.   It measures 55″ square and is a perfect lap quilt size.

And that is what happens when your body hasn’t decided if it is on the East or West coast timeline.

Today was the big stem cell day.   It took 2 hours to drive into Seattle as there were several accidents, no doubt caused by the rain.  It really was surprisingly simple.   The doctor pokes tiny little holes in the “love handle” areas of the waist with a #30 needle and then suctions some fat out.   Now for me, I didn’t have a problem because I have a bit extra there.   For DH, it was a major problem because he really has no extra fat.   However, they finally did get enough.   They take out what would amount to a stick of butter.  Then they process it to remove the stem cells from the fat.   This takes about 30-45 minutes.  We rested while that was accomplished.    Because I have a bad knee, they inserted the cells into the knee joint and I should have full mobility without pain within 3-6 months.

For DH, it was inserted into a vein so that the body can choose the most needed area.  For Parkinson’s symptoms, we wait the same amount of time.   We do not know what the outcome will be for him.  The doctor has done many Parkinson’s patients and all have had some amount of relief from systems, though there is a variance from some relief to remission.   Also because this is a progressive type disease, they recommend an “annual booster”.    All of this research is so new and they are learning so much continually, that things could change.   We entered as part of a national study being conducted.

 Yesterday, I managed to quilt most of these colorful mountains.   I used a circle design that came with my machine , but changed it to become more oval

I was really short for backing so inserted a block that matched the front.  Now, I just need to get both this and the spool quilt bound and off to their new homes.