guild scrap charity quilt challenge

Thanks to the momentum of quilting last Saturday, and in looking for something, I pulled out the bag of challenge fabric (for my guild challenge)- and per photo I have made a start on the quilt that is due the second week of March.

I sorted out the larger pieces and put up the likely ones for the backing. If you click to enlarge you will notice several stains on the small blue heart fabric. I had not planned to wash any of this fabric, however, I refuse to put anything stained into what I create . If it doesn't come clean by soaking it using a stain remover I will toss it and use another large piece from what was given.


There were assorted grocery bags to be handed out for this guild challenge-I think the majority of these fabrics in my bag will become a quilt that play together scrap style. I have made a start on stitching smaller pieces and yes, I can use a rotary cutter-not expertly and not super precisely-well enough to do an improv top however.

Adapting to living with a cast as anyone who has been there, done that knows, gives you plenty of discovery moments and lots of "aha" moments. I am always looking at stuff that "happens" to me to appreciate the lesson or learning opportunity presented.

Of course my word of the year-balance- is very apparent in my life right now too.
Between the focus on my word and the reality of my cast-I have more easily stepped back from much of the swirling busyness of life.

My cast has given me countless blessings-opening doors to allow me closer and more caring times with all sorts of people in my life when I ask for help. And, the opposite has been true-folks so consumed with their own situation they do not see my cast or the obvious consequences of wearing one.

It's been 22 days now of wearing it-I now laugh when people notice, oh, what happened to your hand ? etc...for me the novelty has long worn off and it is just business as usual dealing with it.

I do not spend any time longing for it to be off-I just plan stuff around it. I have plenty of time to meet the quilting deadlines coming up in the next 30 days-there is no stress or worry for me about them. I am not a drama person most of the time, I have fewer moments of allowing the negative to gain the upper hand in myself. It has been part of my work around gaining balance in my life.

Really,when you think about it, don't you find YOU have all the time you need to live your life?

as always, thanks for stopping by and if you leave a comment great, if not..that is great too.
make today be full of joy...that's my plan

quiling day-thanks Fabs

My quilting cohorts , the FABS had a sewing day today and inspired me to set up my machine to do simple straight line quilting. I have had two pinned waiting charity quilts-perfect for doing simple quilting on and forgiving if not perfectly quilted. Hip, hip, hooray to finally do some quilting today!
I can not do the more demanding type quilting for other projects-this I could do. All within a day too. The last Bob the Builder panel I bought years ago -some little guy somewhere should enjoy this bright quilt. I may try using my rotary cutter tomorrow.

And a special thanks goes out to a dear friend for a much needed phone chat today too!

Nice to be able to post something newly quilted and feel not so much on the sidelines.

On a knitty note: class starts tomorrow afternoon-two hours and she gives homework.
So perhaps a knitty photo in the near future too. After three classes, we should have two finished socks done-thus avoiding the dreaded one sock syndrome.

I am thankful for
wonderful friends, near and far
doing something creative
washing my hair

knitting

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy 150 years Birthday Oregon.

Yesterday I had a bonus day off-so I was home to some house related work we scheduled and once they were gone-I left on my own adventures. A bit of this and that to get done on a week day being so much easier than on the weekend. I swung by the yarn shop where I have signed up for a beginning class in socks. I was given dpn (double pointed needles) per my book of instructions, and proceeded to cast on and began knitting a gauge swatch-a friend the night before at guild meeting (quilt) who is an experienced knitter had agreed with me I should try knitting with my cast on and see how it went. So, I spent 2 hours at the yarn shop entertaining knitters as I struggled with using the dpn's and knitting, ripping out, re-casting on, and knitting some more.
I tell you, it was possible but pretty darn hard work! I will knit some more tomorrow as I need to keep at it and see if I can get gauge - the first big step in truly starting any knitting project I am told.

Now, I have knitted 4 sweaters and many, many scarfs...and one bag is partly done-but socks? Yes, I caught sock fever from many fellow bloggers that have made truly amazing, wonderful, fabulous socks. And, not having anyone in my family alive anymore that knows how to knit-well, I figure it must be time to truly learn if I want a pair of my own.

You get the scope of my determination-willing to knit with a cast as a handicap rather than delay until -who- knows -when this class may be offered again.

The gal that runs the shop promised not to tell the teacher-she sounded pretty gleeful about the possible look of ??? on this teachers face.
I think she mentioned something about a heart attack...but, I figure at least I chose matching yarn color to my cast and it won't be so noticable -and I am doing pre-class knitting, so she may decide to let me stay.

All of this knitting trial run was brought on by being told the date of my cast coming off is March 10th-after both of my knitting class dates.

And, I graduate to wearing a splint for another 2 weeks-sheesh! plus I get to do exercises...oh, let's imagine finger exercises, hand exercises, and probably wrist strengthening work outs too :-) gee, I can hardly wait.

Truly though, I appreciate my finger is healing well and the x-ray shows no arthritis in this hand-what bonus news!

I still have not tried sewing yet, the knitting adventure was pretty tiring and my cast hand was pretty unhappy that evening-so some resting before more adventures are tried.

Time to go spend quality Valentine time with my sweetheart.

24 days until cast removal day!

stuff

long ago on a now defunct quilting list, Karen C used to do "stuff" posts.
I love how you can learn so much from others online.
So, until I decide to try turning my sewing machine on and seeing if I can manage to sew some scraps together, I will just post general stuff.
Life is full of things to post about. I am reading more online-though not as much as I thought I would be-I actually am dealing with necessary though boring paperwork.

I tied my boots yesterday, myself (each day I delight myself with doing something left handed that I never otherwise would have thought to try)-another small feat achieved. Now, I appreciate those natural left handed folks snickering at me-I am laughing right along with you!

I happen to live with someone that is not a nurturer by instinct. I chalk it up to growing up as a little sister-those of you like myself who are first borns, will know what I am alluding to. Plus, I was just born with an overwhelming "mom" gene I believe. So, unless I speak up and fast in the mornings-I get to master any number of small every day tasks, like fixing my own lunch. I always have a sliced up apple for example. And, I can now safely cut my own apple. I enjoy being self sufficent, so these minor accomplishments just tickle me. Besides, I need to have a decent lunch-driving out to lunch is just not part of my budget-though today I have a lunch date with my dil. I am looking forward to visiting with her!
oops-typing one handed sucks up a lot of time...got to run-the day job requires I actually show up.

a very good reason ...

Sorry for the poor photo, taking it with my left hand was challenging! It explains the why of no quilting is or will be happening from me for at least three more weeks.

My fall interrupted a very productive quilt effort on the FAB challenge. It put a screeching halt to taking my quilt workshop classes today. I am hoping it will not stop me from taking a knitting class due to start Sunday-March 1st. Oh, it is only my fifth finger that broke-a spiral fracture-but not in need of pinning/surgery. They had to include the finger next to it to support the broken one.
I am getting very adept at coping one handed-though as I used mainly my right hand for much of what I do-it has kaboshed quilting for the most part-I may work with some already cut fabric..but certainly can not cut with the rotary. And, M has been emphatic-no help with quilting from her.
So, a great time to catch up on blog reading, quilt magazine reading ( 3 new ones as a feel better gift), and the stacks of paperwork that I had been ignoring as I was so enthralled with this challenge top.

Balance....yes, my word of the year to the rescue...time given to me to switch gears and tackle those other neglected tasks.

Hopefully the cast will come off in 3 weeks and-if I deal with all those non-quilty tasks-it will be wonderful to plunge back into this challenge with both hands! ok, you know I will anyway!

someone bid on the quilt I did last November...

woo hoo! When I received the email that the small quilt I sent in thanks to Tonya's Project Hope Challenge back in November was now available to be bid on-I sent links to a few friends and family members. I was showing M tonight and realized someone has placed a bid on it, and I don't think it is anyone I know...how cool is that? I hope it brings in more money to help the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, as that is such a worthwhile cause.
Want to place a bid? just go here.

It's Sunday night and I have spent the majority of the day working on the Fab challenge-it won't get mailed tomorrow, our deadline, but...it's looking great and about to the 2/3 finished mark. Of course, then I need to quilt it etc. It has a huge amount of piecing in it and some not wonderful satin stitch applique work. It absolutely says Summer, and on a gray day like today was, a delight to be working on. I have bought very little fabric to go with the challenge and other fabrics I chose to use. So, though I can't share any photos until after the reveal-I will share photos of something I bid the highest on at our yearly guild auction a week or so ago.



I won house blocks (one is signed by Freddy herself - click to enlarge and look at the house with stripes) fabric and the book - autographed to Becky 2001. I suppose Becky made a few blocks in a class with Freddy and decided she did not want to finish this into anything. What a great contribution she made to our guild's yearly auction. I was in a bidding war with another quilter who finally made a deal with me- I could have this if I would stop bidding on another great item.
I also bid and won two other items which I will share another time. I have been reading Freddy's book and enjoying her approach to color and collecting fabric. Her home is amazing in it's use of saturated colors. I have some fabrics I brought back from our honeymoon in Paris nearly ten years ago and will add them in with the batch I won. Our ten year anniversary is next year and I think that is plenty of time to have something made using these blocks, making more, and using up this fabric. It will be the perfect quilt given the French fabrics.

And, I received word back on my application for this year's Sisters week of workshops. 500 people got theirs in ahead of me, so all classes I wanted were totally filled. I was able to get the lectures I wanted and we will attend the Friday night picnic and talk with Gwen and Freddy.
I am happy to look forward to enjoying the Thursday and Friday events in Sisters, in addition to the quilt show on Saturday. I am going to find another venue where Gwen teaches to try and attend in 2010. In the meanwhile I have plenty of great books to work from and fellow bloggers who enjoy doing the same liberated style of quilting to keep me company.

Well, another few hours of stitching and then it's good night on a great weekend.