Another graduation quilt ... 2013

It always happens. Even though I plan for a graduation, reminding myself about it, it's 'x' years down the road ... then, it's time. Oh no !! Quick, a graduation quilt ! This year was no exception. My 2nd cousin -- it was in May. And my surgery was too.

So, the answer ?  Purchase fabric, supplies and during week No. 5 of recovery .. sew! In a post last month, I showed you how this compass was built.  My cousin and I decided it needed compass points, and I do like how they add to it.

The compass has graced my design wall for the past few weeks as I have hobbled around. I got cleared to drive this week by the doctor and the walking boot was traded up for a very ugly orthopedic 'shoe' .. and now I hobble a bit differently.  But since I was in town, I took the quilt with me to Hobby Lobby and used the classroom to put the background across a few tables to be able to center the compass. 

Woo HOOOO ~~

 

 

The compass is pinned all the way around the edge and through the center. Now to iron it well and stitch it down. Then it's just borders..

 

I really like how this has come out ..

 

Back to the design wall ... stitch on ~~

 

Dee

 







Chix Littles are 2 months!

But, I lost one of the hen-lettes yesterday   Out of the four, two came up roos, and two hens .. and of course, no one told the hen-lette that if she flew over the backyard fence, Lady (momma beagle) would catch her. And caught her she did ! Lady was excited to show me what she had under the lilac bushes.
  Momma Hen that I gave the littles to raise at a week old went broody 3 weeks ago and I had given her a dozen eggs to sit. She’s culled a few and the other day she had 3 left, and hatch date is August 5th. So, this morning I checked her and she had gotten off the nest to drink so surprise – she’s got 5 !  We’ll see what hatches on Monday. I think this go round they will stay first week in the brooding pen, and by 2nd week into the crate.
Now, back to some work around the house as I hear thunder .. don’t know which way it’s coming from, but hey, I’m not going to complain!
I have to go back to elevate and ice the foot ~~

til next time …

Dee

Hobbling and a Compass

Recovery from any surgery is difficult, but I am finding this particular recovery annoying. Having surgery on a foot means not walking. Walking is a very important part of my daily routine. If for any reason a foot is impaired due to injury or pain, it impedes the daily progress. I finally succumbed to the surgery as the pain was unbearable. Doctor said 'about 6 weeks' recovery, but every case is different. Well I'm the 'different' one. Having animals, gardens, yard work, all of which require needing to walk. I am so thankful to everyone that has been able to help me through this recovery that seems to be continuing ad nauseam.

The first week of recovery I thought I'd watch my online classes, I kept falling asleep. That would have to wait until much later.

I thought when I was planning for this recovery period I could handquilt an antique quilt. I washed it, I checked all seams for strength, fixed holes in seams and marked it. I couldn't sit in a comfortable position and elevate my leg for this. I was disappointed.

By week #3, I had to be able to get around the house and be able to stand occasionally, feed dogs, let animals in and out of house and be just a bit mobile. I was able to do this! And I was even in a wheelchair. The dogs got used to it, and even would go between the wheels to get past me  LOL

I was not able to sew with my right foot, so I started practicing with my left foot .. I wasn't too successful with the control, so I hunted around to find things that I was able to accomplish. The other side of this was I couldn't hang my leg down for a long period of time, so I sewed only in short spurts. So, I pulled out a UFO from 1985, an afghan made with 12 blocks to cross stitch on ~~ I counted up 11 blocks, so I have to make just one more. So I cast on my stitches and I started. I need 66 rows, and I'm up to 44 ~ woo hoo !  Here's one of the finished blocks ...

 
So, working on something made me at least feel like I could be productive. Week #4 I practiced a bit more sewing with my left foot because for Week #5 I would be sewing with my cousins ~~ an expected quilt for my cousin's oldest son for his high school graduation.

Having an army to help me was awesome, but when my cousins got here, everyone got to take a break .. which was good for everyone!

Sydney and Jack (find the boots), shown here with Melody and Shadow, had the chance to play with the horses .. but I think the horses enjoyed having them just as much! They hadn't seen me personally for 5 weeks now, and all these strangers. Shadow had just been brushed before Melody here, but he didn't want to be out of the picture  hahaha

So the graduation quilt was cut, sewn and we got a good amount done.            

2nd half is almost ready to attach to first half, background is sewn and needs to be squared .. and I have found letters to applique onto the background for compass points ~~ woo hoo !!

So while I was sewing on the compass, Sydney learned how to use a sewing machine and cut fabric for her own quilt. She made a lot of progress in just one week, hoping she continues with all her fabric once she gets home ..  I had wanted to do a kids can sew camp during the summer, but since the surgery, that was not going to be a possibility. Teaching Sydney was a good choice !


Now that it's been another couple of weeks, I've had a checkup with the doctor and have given up the crutches, the walker and the wheelchair. I am using a walking boot and started doing my own chores.  I was told that both walking and elevating will reduce the swelling of my foot. I haven't found that yet to be true. I have to wear two different size boots to do things outside, and I sort of hobble through chores. However, after doing any chore, I have to elevate and ice, then back into the walking boot.

I am continuing to sew in spurts, trying to find small things that will get completed and crossed off the -to do list-, clean a little bit at a time, elevate regularly, and pray that one morning I will be able to wear a real shoe.

I know there's light at the end of this tunnel, I am amazed that it's been 8 weeks since the surgery. And now I'm getting really good at sewing with my left foot. And one day, I'll even be able to drive again.

Til the next time, I will be hobbling around ...

Stitch on ~~

Dee


 

Spring to summer to surgery and recovery ...

I made a resolution this year to blog more often, find a job, have my foot surgery, finish more UFOs, and possibly have a great harvest from an early garden. Well, the blogging didn't happen, the job hasn't happened, I have had my foot surgery, I'm still working on the UFO's, and the harvest, well, other things took priority.

I had planned a Memorial Day post -- and was waiting for a picture of my comforter curtain project that I completed the day before my surgery. I'm still waiting, but will post it under projects completed 2013. I planned the entire month of May to complete a lot of work outside before my surgery was to happen. Plants needed dividing, seeds needed planting, new pots, deck washed, gardens, seeds dried, 2 dogs to groomer for summer clip. Well, the garden got some work, and seeds dried, but too much to do!  Then, I had a hen go broody, so I got her 4 baby chicks to raise. The goal ~~ get them independent and into the flock before my surgery. And it worked !  They are now 2 months old, and from the four I have 2 hens and 2 roosters.

     

One Week old 



                      2 months old



Well, the week of the surgery, my sister brought me a case of sweet potatoes to can ~~ and I did that too ! I cooked them down, made fries, tried cubes for freezing, and used a pressure canner .. phew !

Then my surgery was performed the 31st of May and I've been out of commission since. The first week was demarol. I weaned myself down by the end of the 2nd week as it put me out completely. My SO took his entire vacation for the year to come home and take care of me and took over chores on the homestead while I recovered enough to be a bit independent. However, I still had to assemble a small army of people to cover outside chores with the horses and flock. I was instructed to not put any weight on my foot for the first FOUR weeks. I had one mummy foot, a cast put on within 3 days, and a 2nd cast 2 wks later. I've been using a wheelchair around the house for 3 1/2 wks, plus crutches and now am trying to walk on only my heel. I have to rest, ice and elevate so I can keep going. It has now been 5 wks, going on week #6. I tried doing outside chores with horses and the flock this past weekend, just ONE feeding -- it was a huge NOT READY sign. Will try again this next weekend.

     

And I even had to bag it to shower ... in a chair ... with duct tape .. so I picked up some argyle tape !

Now, week #5, I had the pleasure of having my cousins from Tennessee come to visit and help with the chores and the invalid I am in this wheelchair. It also gave all my army a chance to do something else for a week while they were here. They cooked, they cleaned, they did chores, the kids collected eggs, picked berries, did dishes, and we had a project. My cousin's eldest son that just graduated High School in May. He's grown up on the water, will be going to Florida to college, so we decided on a Mariner's Compass ~~ we started on the 5th, and the center of the compass is almost complete. It won't stay a UFO long !

Now to find compass letters for N- E - S - W that will compliment the compass ...

I must get back to stitching .. have 3 more grids, want to get this done so I can work on the background and borders .. and so many other things .. life is an adventure, I do it in quilts ~~

Stitch on ~~~

Dee

What's it worth ? The journey of building a quilt ...

Making quilts for family and friends has been a journey of time, patience and love. Then someone asked, will you make me a quilt? What will it cost ?  Well, there's the supplies, of fabric, thread, batting, and then, there's the time to do it.

Time ?  What do you do with that time ? First, a decision must be made as to pattern, choice of colors, and once a quilter's mind gets churning on a 'new' project, the ideas just bounce off the sewing room walls! Quilt designs have been around for centuries, so many to choose from. And of course, a quilter will consider the taste of the person to receive the quilt, their age, is it for a specific life event? There is fabric to buy, wash, press .. and cut !

After choosing what pattern to make, a quilter makes the 'shopping trip' for the fabrics and supplies. After the fabrics are purchased, they are washed, ironed, and then by following the cutting instructions for the quilt pattern, the time it takes to cut the fabric. If it is a fairly simple pattern, it still will take 'time'. Once the pieces are all cut, then it's time to assemble the blocks. Blocks can be assembled individually, or in a fashion that all of them are completed at once. After all the blocks are completed, then the blocks are sewn into rows. How many blocks are being made? What size will the quilt be: baby, crib, toddler throw, twin, queen, or king ?  What kind of borders will it have, will it have drape at the top, bottom and sides ?  So many questions !

  What is this time really worth? And after the top is completed, it now has to be quilted. Will I do it by hand or on my home sewing machine?  Or will it be quilted by someone with a long arm quilting machine ? Batting and backing of the quilt need to be purchased before quilting can be done.  Or, the backing of the quilt can be assembled from scraps from the fabrics used to make the front. This can make the quilt reversible, and the quilting pattern can enhance the quilt. And after the quilting is finished, then it is bound with binding to match the fabrics of the quilt .. it certainly isn't something that can be thrown together for a quick turnaround by any means. Depending on the choice of pattern and/or size, 3-6 weeks can be a minimum!

 

 

A quilt for a life event, be it for family or friends, is a labor of love, with a lot of patience thrown in. A quilter is someone whose love of this craft has turned into a passion. To charge a price for the value of this labor of love is not only just the cost of supplies, but the hours lovingly put into the making of this memory for the purchaser.

I offer the following discussions from Hunter's Design Studio as food for thought, and whole-heartedly agree with trying to explain what I charge for my work, I am worth it. My skill I have acquired over the years of sewing and quilting will give you a work of art to be used and loved for many years to come.

What is it worth ?

What is it worth - Part 2

So go ahead, ask .. a well-made quilt will last a lifetime, not just a few washings to be replaced with another from another country where they are turned out in a sweat shop. I am proud to be a quilter.

My next project will be a graduation quilt for my nephew -- it's been on the back burner for the last 4 years, but he now graduates next month .. the quilt has been in the back of my mind, it is now drawn and the fabrics chosen. Woo hoo -- a new project !

I promise to keep you posted on the progress !

Stitch on ~~

 

Dee