Echo Quilting

Here is what the corners look like after I echo quilted them.  Like the way it looks…..so much better than that stipple quilting.  Now on to the next borders…have them figured out so it shouldn’t take me so long to get them quilted
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(Again remember the blue lines are temporary.)

Lynn

More Work on Machine Quilting

I finally decided that I just couldn't keep the machine stipple quilting I did on the miniature basket quilt the other day.  The stitches ran together and looked like mush so out it came.  Using little stitches and silk thread that matches the background made it tricky to rip but with the aid of a magnifying glass I got it done.  Here is what it looked like – you agree I am sure.  Remember there is blue ink showing yet but that will all be removed when I finish the quilting.  I echo quilted around the swags and really close to the feather quilting.

OK, next I decided to echo quilt around the flower motif.  I echo quilted around the swags with a larger spacing and around the feathers with a small echo so the flower echo was quilted between those two sizes.  I quilted all 4 corners then stopped and put it up to study some more before I continue.  I do like the echo quilting so much better than the stipple quilting I did earlier.  I am thinking of continuing the echoing in the rest of the spaces around the flowers.
 
See I told you I am taking my time doing this quilt but guess it is getting ridiculous with just a bit of quilting being done each day.  Oh well, the important part is that I am liking the process and don’t feel pressured to do it quickly even though I do want to get it finished by next week when I have my shoulder surgery.  If I get it done good and if I don’t that is OK too.

Maybe I can get some quilting done tomorrow afternoon.  We are supposed to get some ice and maybe snow but I have to make a trip the Hastings first thing in the morning so hope it holds off until at least tomorrow afternoon.  I can wish that we don’t get a storm but  guess you can not control Mother Nature and we take what we get.

Lynn

Nearing the End of 2010

Now that Christmas is past, our children and grandchildren have gone back to their own homes and I have taken down the Christmas decorations I had time today to work on a project or two of my own.  Normally I leave the Christmas decorations up until mid-January but since I have shoulder surgery scheduled in a week I wanted to get everything back and the decorations put away before then.  I am hoping that the surgery will not be too bad but had surgery on the left shoulder 7 years ago and it turned out worse than they thought before surgery and I had quite the recovery from it so I am not counting on simple until it is all over.

Today I first worked on doing a little more machine quilting on my basket quilt.   Not sure I like what I did so am letting it sit while I think about it.  I put it up on the flannel wall and looked at it every once in a while this afternoon...still don't know.

This evening I pulled out a beading project I had started many months ago.  It took me a while to figure out where I was on the pattern though.  This pattern is hard to follow anyway as it seems to be just a photo of a finished project instead of a graphed pattern that for me is easier to follow.  I am checking off every other row with a different symbol so I can keep track of where I am on the pattern.  I did scan the pattern photo and reverse it so it would work for me to bead it left handed.  Patterns seem to be all written for right handed people.

I am thinking I may be able to do beading after surgery even with my right arm in a sling.  I am left handed and most of my work is with my left hand.  I think the right fingers could hold the project without putting pressure on my shoulder.  Guess I will have to wait and see.

I am also preparing for not being able or wanting to do any cooking after surgery for a while.  The last several weeks when I make a food that can be frozen I have made at least a double size recipe then froze meal sized portions that would feed both John and I.

It was so nice to have the frozen entrees when I broke my ankle (our daughter, granddaughters and friends made and brought food that I portioned out and froze until needed.)  So far I have enchiladas, spaghetti sauce, steak pieces for stroganoff, chicken and noodles, chili, ham slices, ham balls, and have the ingredients to make lasagna tomorrow plus I still want to make some meat loaves too.  That should help me out for quite a while.

Think I will even do this after I am recovered as getting an entree from the freezer already made has been so handy  We didn't eat everything that was in the freezer when I was laid up with the ankle and have enjoyed having it there to use when I am busy or don't want to take the time to cook from scratch.

Oh, by the way, no one noticed I didn't put out all the Christmas decorations....am seriously considering downsizing the decorations I keep in the boxes before next year so I am not even tempted to put it all out again.  The grandkids noticed the stockings right away and had to find the one with their name.  One son in law even recognized one stocking as having been made from a pair of his old jeans....he recognized the small round hole that was in the bottom of the jeans when he wore them.

Until later,
Lynn

Hand Painted Crèche

I was painting ceramics in the 80s at a local gals shop.  I painted a lot of things at that time enjoying the fun of doing a craft and visiting with other young mothers doing the same thing.  I took my daughter S along with me as she was not old enough to be in school yet and they allowed her to paint pieces too.  I wonder if she kept any of those kittens and other things she made.


In 1986 I made this Crèche for our home.  The standing figures are about 1 1/2” tall and  I display it in the china hutch in the dining room.  I started doing that when we moved here as the grandchildren just couldn’t leave the figures alone and after all who could blame them.  I remember rearranging the nativity figures in our Crèche when I grew up too but they were plastic and didn’t break.  The grandchildren knew that anything in the china hutch was “look only” and they could stand and look through the glass doors at all the pretty things. They are old enough now to display them other places but I like the way they look in the hutch with the mirror backing.

John made the wooden stable for the figures and the star was a gift ornament that I thought was perfect for our Crèche.  Another one of my “most favorite” Christmas decorations!

Tonight is Christmas Eve....My wish for you is to slow down your busy life and enjoy the reason for the season. 

Lynn