Happy New Year and catching up

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy 2015.

This time I am not surprised that it has been so long since I posted.  It seemed that being unable to walk was going to be the worst of my recovery. Actually each phase had its own challenges. It was pretty painful to start walking again without the boot. And do not even get me started on Physical Therapy. I am sort of half kidding about therapy. My therapists were great and I don't think that I would be walking as well as I am without them pushing me along. Yesterday was my last day of therapy. Now I have to keep up my exercises at home.

While I was stuck at home I worked on a couple of wool projects that were started and then just put away. One was about half stitched and still needed wool pennies made and sewn on. The other needed all the hand stitching done.  The penny rug was not done the same as I have done before and I just didn't like how they were looking. I took them off and just stitched the back onto the wool. Not my favorite piece, but it is done. The second one I want to get framed.

Over the last few weeks I did a crochet along. I have not really done much crochet in years. Hardly any in fact. I wasn't sure that I could finish this blanket, but it was so bright and happy that I had to play along. I actually kept up and finished the final round of the edging this week. Gasp...

Pat Sloan is hosting her New Years luau again this year. (Virtual luau of course). The challenge this year, working on those pesky UFOs..  I worked on a quilt called Traffic Jam, it is a free pattern on Pat's site. The sashing was added and then the center of the top put together.  I still have to calculate how many pieces I need to make the pieced borders.

I also pulled out the center of the sew along quilt that I started last year.  Randy of Barrister's Block and Lori of Humble Quilts collaborated on this quilt and hosted the sew along. Instructions are still available on their blogs. (Check June 2013). I got the first pieced border sewn and put on. There is also a narrow plain border on it. I still have another pieced border, a narrow border, and an applique border to get done and onto the top.  I plan to keep it moving.

This little cutie is a pattern that I did as a block of the month. It is Garden Baskets by Primitive Gatherings. I finished the applique blocks on schedule and have them sewn together. This one will have a pieced border too. What the heck?  Are they UFOs because of the pieced borders?

Hoping to blog more often this year.
Happy Stitching,
Beth

Not about quilts, but

I am so excited about something my younger daughter is doing. Some of you may know that she and her BFF, Doug moved to LA three years ago. This year they started a screenplay. I went uh huh, like Mom's sometimes do. I am so proud of them. They have finished it. They have hired cast and crew to make the movie. They are really excited about making their movie.

Of course I am really excited that they work full time and stuck to a schedule to finish the screenplay. And they are really making a movie.

Check out this site to see them and hear what they are doing:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/and-the-devil-makes-three.

Thanks
Beth

ouch

It always seems to surprise me when I see how long it has been since my last post.  I am not sure why, I am really not busy so I have no excuse.

What is the ouch about in the title?

Four weeks ago I was taking some hangers down to the basement when I half missed a step. Just enough to twist my ankle and fall down the last two or three steps. I tried to get up but that was not happening.  The hubby was outside so I crawled up the stairs and called out the door for him. I crawled up the next flight of stairs to the apartment. The hubby wanted to help me onto the couch. It was too much for me. I stayed on the floor. He wanted to head to the ER but I said wait a while. He went out to clean up what he was doing. I crawled to the bathtub thinking a little soak and I would feel better. NOT Poor hubby had to help me out of the tub and help me get dressed. Then we did head for the ER.

The ER DR came in and said he didn't think he would have to reduce the  ankle (put the bones back in alignment) but he needed the xrays first.  A few minutes went by and the nurse came in and announced that the Dr would need to reduce the fracture and she started getting everything ready.  About 3 minutes later the DR came in and said no reduction. The ankle is fractured in three places and surgery would be needed. I am not sure which was worse news.

I was sent to the ortho unit with surgery to be done the next day. I said "on Sunday?"  They said yes. The ER had put a soft cast on my ankle and that helped a bit. So did the medication they were shooting into me. Normally I am not a fan of strong pain meds but just then I was like "yes pain meds please".

Surgery went smoothly I am told. Plate and screws on one side of my ankle and screws only on the the other side. A new soft cast was on my foot and ice packs on top of that. On Monday I was released to go home. With instructions of no weight bearing for 6-8 weeks. And also no walker, crutches, wheelchair nothing. Just a referral to a lending closet in my area.  On the way home we went and borrowed a walker from my dad. He doesn't use it.

I am healing but still non weight bearing. The apartment I live in is on the second story of a non elevator building. I can not leave the apartment on my own. My big activity of the day is bumping down the stairs on my bum then kneeling in the doorway to let the dog out. And then crawling back up the stairs. I do have a knee walker which is sooo much better than the walker so inside is better.

I can hardly wait to walk again. And drive. And not crawl.

I have done a little sewing, mostly just the BOM. I will show you the newest pics in another post.

Happy stitching.

Monday Sewing

I have been in a bit of a sewing funk lately. I did start leading a block of the month group this month.  I made this top from Tula Pink's book "100 Modern Quilt Blocks"

 and we are using the book to do this BOM.. I selected three colorways, one is Kaffe and Kona cottons, one is all neutrals, and the last is more pastel-ish. We are working on color, combining colors, and accuracy. This is geared more toward beginners, in fact last year when I discussed the idea during (last year's) BOM they were excited to try it.  We will be doing 5 blocks a month for 6 months. At the first meeting they picked up their bundle of  FQs and every month they pick two more FQs. I am available to assist them with picking colors if they would like help.

The first session I was explaining everything to them and one lady asked "an we pick any FQ in the store"? I said yes and she said "Oh NO". I replied oh no? and she said too many choices. LOL

Since I already finished one top, I am using another layout in the book to make another top. It is all neutrals and is called Skyline. I kind of gravitate toward lots of color so using only neutrals is a challenge for me.

These are the blocks we are doing this first month.

More to come....Happy stitching!

Walking in Los Angeles

I spent time with my sister in South Gate and I spent some time with my DD in LA.  My DD wanted to take me somewhere that I would enjoy so we went to a sewing shop. It turns out the shop was only 3 miles from DD's apartment. The shop really specializes in garment sewing, but it was a good visit because DD has been wanting to learn to sew. We had a great time talking to the owner of the shop. Before we left my DD signed up for the beginner class where she will learn to use her machine and about the basic notions. She will also make a tote bag. She is really excited and I am too.

On another visit with DD we went to downtown LA. Our first stop, my DD's favorite shop...The last Bookstore. It is crazy in there. On the main floor it is like a regular, orderly book store. Upstairs is full of fun stuff. First of all there are no straight rows of books. All the bookcases are on angles to make a kind of maze through the books. There is an old vault with mysteries in it. There is an arch made out of books. And my favorite, the section where the books are arranged by color. It seriously looked like a fabric shop to me.
The arch

The colorized books

There is a small yarn shop up on the second floor too. And above the hall outside the shop is this amazing piece.

Along one side of the building there are small galleries with local artist's art on display. Lots of fun in one place.

 We walked through the historic district. We wandered down to the fashion district too. As we headed back toward Angel flight, my DD asked if we could go to a vintage resale shop that she follows on instagram. She googled the address and we were really close so we went to look for it. We couldn't find the shop, but as we were looking DD saw the owner walking to the post office. We went back the way we had come and looked again. Still no luck. Just then, the shop owner passed us and I said we will follow her. We did. DD found a really cute dress and some black shorts.

After walking several blocks,and up a giant hill and back down it, we found out the Angel flight was closed. :(  It is a trolley up a big hill with a park at the top. DD was so excited to show me the park that I walked up the million steps to see the park. Which was also closed. I needed oxygen.

Our last stop of the day was a foot massage in Chinatown. DD always wanted to go get a foot massage, but felt strange going alone. (This from the girl who packed her stuff and moved to LA. Without me.) Turns out they soak your feet while they massage your head and neck and arms. Then they do the feet and legs. Finally they have you lay face down and do some stretching on the back and arms. This lasts for an hour and costs $20.00. REALLY!!! It was awesome.

What a day.

Sunset at the beach

One evening my sister and I headed to Huntington Beach. The plan was really just a drive down Pacific Coast Highway  (or PCH). As we got along Huntington Beach there was a lot of parking so we decided to park and take a walk.

We got out and started to look out at the beautiful water. It looked like we couldn't get down to the water from where we parked unless we took up rock climbing. (Have I mentioned that I am a klutz?) The sun was getting lower in the sky and we just kept walking and enjoying the view.

As we traveled down the path we saw that we could get down to the beach. Yeah.  And it was a dog beach too, so we saw lots of dogs playing in the sand.

I had to put my toes in the sand.

I wanted to put my feet into the water so I went closer. One wave came and washed over my feet. It felt so good. Another wave came and washed over my feet. Then my sister called my name and I turned around for a second, looking back at the ocean in time to see a bigger wave coming. I managed to move a bit, but I still got wet up to my thighs. In jean shorts.  That does not feel good like waves on your feet let me tell you.  My sister laughed and got my picture, which is still on her phone.
Now it was her turn to get her feet wet. Ha ha ha she got hit by a big wave too. She had on Capris. Now we were wet, and it was cool by the water so we started back toward the car.

That is when we saw this sign:

Between being wet, and that silly sign we laughed all the way back to the car.

Happy stitching

Southern California

My sister and brother in law and my DD#2 all live in Southern California. I went west for a visit. I have been back a week and I am barely getting myself functional again.  Maybe the reason I stay home a lot. :)

My DD took me to Griffin Observatory (That might not be the exact name ). We went up a twisty road to the top of a mountain. Scared me. You gotta remember that I am a flat lander. I live in Illinois, and we don't have hills let alone mountains.

Inside the observatory there was a really cool instillation of 'space' jewelry. In one long hall there were so many pieces of jewelry that were stars, moons, and sun shapes. It was so cool, but too dark to get a good picture.

There were also many different views of L.A.  all around the observatory. Complete with smog layer.

And of course a selfie of my DD and I up on top of the mountain.

Outside of the observatory the different orbits of the planets were identified by a small plaque and a circle etched into the concrete. I had to take the picture of the one for Pluto. Is Pluto a planet again? I think it is.  In any case Pluto was identified by Clyde Tombaugh, a distant cousin of mine. We never met but Pluto became my favorite planet (after earth of course) when I learned about Clyde.

I have more of my trip to show and tell. And I never got my Aurifil blocks posted so that is coming up as well.

Happy Stitching.