Stitchin' Therapy

    I never expected to be so quiet for so long.  A month can slip away in a blink of an eye for me it seems.  The busy times of Christmas took a toll on me and I needed about 4 days to recover from than, and another couple of days to get the house set back in order.   Just when I felt better the first Arctic blast arrived and elevated my pain level beyond what I could tolerate.  Mornings of 6 degrees and days that barely got above freezing are not my friends.  I don't do pain meds, and rely on things like Tylenol to get by.   So I read a lot, and then read some more,  and just waited it out.

  This week warmer days came, the sun returned, and I spent a couple of hours each day just soaking in the warmth and Vitamin D.  I pulled out projects that had been cut and began some simple piecing.  My finger tip nerves are hindering me a bit, as I have a great deal of problem feeling the fabric.


 Just picking up pieces for pairing takes forever.  I had parts for this Crossroads pattern cut and sorted so that is where I began.  It is a forgiving block and my lack of accuracy in spots can be worked in.  It's from Connie at Freemotion by the River....here's her tutorial.  
   I have made this one several times---scrappy, floral, fall theme prints---and in different sizes.   Crossroads to printout from Connie.  




 
   It took a few days  but I got parts cut for a Boxed Square throw.  The pattern is here  at Mary Quilts.    This one is just florals---dark versus light values.  I plan on sewing these  leader/ender style as I put the rows together for the scrappy Crossroads top. 

   My two 16 patch bed throws are pinned and sitting by Hot Legs for a quilting session.   We have another blast of very cold air blowing in tomorrow, so I really should get one done.


   Sir Old Man is down for a week or so.  He thought it was a sinus infection.  I thought he had pneumonia.  We were both wrong.  He is on steroids, and an inhaler for now for allergic bronchial reaction to inhaling wood dust----so so we think.  He was at the guild sanding on a donation project and forgot his mask.  First mistake.  On donation projects they use common/lower grade/overseas import products.......between the lines read  non-native species that we have not been exposed to can cause allergic reaction.   He is no worse, and has been able to rest better now.    It was still scary for him.

  Rather than a recap from last year, I updated the quilts for 2017  page.  As for 2018.....who knows?  I have no big plans, I have a couple things to quilt, a couple things I want to make.   I'm not running a race this year.