Another example of log cabin lunacy!

 Well, here is how it goes.  I had my blue fabrics pulled out to make my small log cabin/embroidery piece in my last post, and I thought...what if I made those log cabin blocks bigger?  So I ended up slicing ALL my dark blue fabrics up into 1.5 inch side strips and I was off to the races.  I have not ONE dark blue fabric left, LOL!

I sewed an hour each night...I mean the middle of the night!  LOL!  I go to bed at the usual time, but always end up waking up at about 3 AM and sewing...it is quiet thing to do and so I get a lot done then.  I ended up with 89 blocks, and they are 8 inch, 7.5 inch finished. 

In the days when I am off, I run around and clean house and intermittently make nursing caps. I am getting faster at that! 

Dotti was kind enough to share this pattern too.  I have some cut out with this pattern as well. Big thanks for the Bolt Quilt Shop, and to Dotti, too!


http://theboltquiltshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-BOLT-Quilt-Shop-Lined-Tieback-Scrub-Cap-Supplement-to-our-Tutorial-Pattern-Templates.pdf



Today, I am mowing the lawn and baking a little after that. Seven layer bars!  I have been making my own bread, but I cannot find yeast locally...I will look on Amazon.



Have a great day, all!!!


Julie

Happy fourth, on the sixth!!

 I sewed the borders on this little embroidery quilt!  So Happy Fourth!!  a little late...I was at work on the fourth. 

I decided to make the "North, South, East,West, Home is best" quilt a little differently. I putting the letters in the center of the border pieces.  Also, I will be making this the center of a medallion quilt.  That will be fun!


I am sewing caps.  Caps, caps!  They are fun and easy to make.  I know my nurses will love them!  Also masks.




****************************Nurse's Notes***************************


There are now nine positive cases among the nurses and staff of my floor, of covid virus.  One girl is gravely ill, only in her 30's.   Quite, quite sick.  The others are in various stages of sickness.  The last shift I worked, we learned that a patient who had heart bypass, emergently, was positive for the virus.  We have all been running around in the room without protection, no M-95, because we did not know.  So we wait and see which of us will get it next.   The reason we re-tested him is that the ER called and said his wife was in the ER being emergently intubated and did we have any more contact numbers for family.  They are each other's contact people!  She was up here earlier in the day.  I was in charge that day, and had to make decisions of where to put the patients, who to assign them to, etc.  STRESSFUL. 

Also, we got an emergent heart attack in...a hospice worker.  She had an acute heart attack, so it was all hands on deck to speed her quickly to the cath lab and save her life.  She also turned out to have the virus, which probably caused her heart attack (from inflammation).  Again, all of us exposed, because we did not know.  We all had our little masks on, but not shields and m-95's. 

I feel fine.  I feel scared, though.  It is horrible to be frightened to go to work.  Many of us pray in our cars before going in, including docs.  One doc that I know has it, quite ill.  I am resolute to continue to work, but many nurses are quitting abruptly or retiring and suddenly just not coming in.  It is just awful...I think the charge nurses and the managers will soon be taking patients.  We cannot get help.  All of us are working overtime each week.  We are down about 40% on our staff.


Thanks for letting me tell you the straight skinny! 




Julie

Just playing among making nursing caps!

These house blocks are some fun orphan blocks that I was blessed with, so I am making a quilt from them.  Not sure where this is going, but it is my slow stitching of the week!



Liking to Kathy, here:  https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2020/07/slow-sunday-stitching.html




Hope everyone is doing great!


Julie

May I ask a favor of you??

 I guess I am just kind of an action girl.  I see my co-workers needing hats, for nursing!  Our doctors, especially our pulmonologists, are recommending that we all cover our hair, when at work, and wash our hair coverings each night, to help the virus not sticking into our long hair and then getting into our mouths or face.  I made the above hat, from a simple you tube video.  It consists of a circle, and a band.  It is pretty easy, with good instructions. The nurses seem to like this style.

 Here is the back, so the ladies can gather up their long hair in a pony tail and contain it in the cap.

Another view of the finished cap.

 I cut out this many caps in about 15 minutes.

 Below is the you-tube video that I used to make the scrub caps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=NDgLEUfJ2f0






I am trying to make caps for all of the nurses I work with.  It takes very little fabric, really.


I am using my scarves, made by my friend Annie, to cover my hair.  But...there is a real need for these caps for those who have nothing to cover their heads.  Some ladies are using bandanas, some have purchased hair covers, (by the way?  Some of these are 30 dollars!)  and some just don't have anything.



Would you be willing to help make some scrub caps?  A fat quarter and a scrap of fabric is all it takes to make one, and about 30 minutes of time.  And a wee bit of interfacing, for the brim.




I would very much appreciate it if you possibly could donate this...it would make a HUGE difference to our nurses, and be very much appreciated!!!!



If you can make one, or some, please contact me at rn9999@gmail.com



Thanks!  Quilters are the most giving people around, and always seem to want to help, and here is a much needed way to help!!!



Julie

Mini quilt for June!!!

 I finished my little "Corona Cottages" quilt, and it is my mini quilt for June!  Hurrah for a finish!  I just made a few cottages, to represent our days in viral quarantine, at home.  I was hoping for a short time, so just made a little quilt!  Some quilters have made a block a day for months, and some have made multiple house quilts. 

Please see the quilters, below...all are making some really fun little quilts each month!!  Thank you, Wendy...she encourages all of us!

http://theconstantquilter.blogspot.com/  This is Wendy's blog.  Wendy makes pot holder quilts, and are they ever gorgeous and fun!

Kyle (Timeless Reflections)

Cynthia (Wabi-Sabi Quilts)
Quilting Babcia (Amity Quilter)

Barbara (Quilts, Gravestone and Elusive Ancestors)
Kathy (Kathy's Quilts)
Sandy (My Material Creations) 
Janet (Rogue Quilts)
Barb (Fun with Barb)
Cathy (Big Lake Quilter)
Randy (Barrister's Block)

I also finished some more glass cases, made out of pockets from old uniforms.  Waste not...want not!  Thanks Mom for teaching me that!



Hugs to all!


Julie

Mrs. Lincoln Sampler update, and Mary Brown too!

 This is my latest applique block for my Mrs. Lincoln Sampler quilt. Simple applique; it was so much fun to stitch!

 Cathy and I are also piecing a block, too, for each month.

So here are both blocks together! I sure hope I have enough of the ticking scraps to finish the quilt sashing! I continue to add the sashing and sew blocks together as I go. 






  The following quilters are participating.  We will be showing completed blocks on the 30th of each month!  Take the time to visit them to see their completed monthly blocks!

Karen – Log Cabin Quilter

Cathy – Biglakequilter

Jennie  – Overthehillandrunning

Julie K –  Juliekquilts

Robin –   solsticestudio

Nanette – Doitrightquilter

Jan – Nanette will show her progress on her blog.  \\

******************************Nurse's Notes*********************************

Well, the covid 19 virus has hit our hospital, state and country very hard, like a tornado, in fact.    Five of my co-workers, on my floor, have the virus. Our unit secretary, who sits in the middle of the nurse's station, our night charge nurse, one respiratory therapist, our unit coordinator, and one other nurse all have it.  Also, one doctor as well.  One is very ill, with 104 degree fevers.  A 32 year old nurse! So the virus is definitely here.  It is frankly, very frightening to go to work, but all I can do is pray, and do my utmost in safety practices so that I do not get this, or spread it to home.  

Dozens of nurses and therapists throughout the rest of the hospital are ill.   We are at 100% capacity for bed occupancy in the covid ICU unit, with every patient intubated, and opened a covid floor, which is also full.  This is serious business, all...strange and scary times for nurses.  I know they are practicing with the tents on the lawn out front, just in case, also to expand to the doctor's office building next door, if need be.  I don't know where they are going to get the personnel to take care of all these people, though.  

I do know they are offering travel contracts, paying 95-110 dollars an hour, for a eight week contract. Some nurses will take the cash and travel.  McAllen Texas hospital keeps on contacting me to go down there!  Just like it was in New York. 

Stay as well as you can, dear friends.

**************************************************************************

Stay well and safe, 

Julie

Slow stitching on Father's Day Sunday

Happy Father's Day to all Fathers!!! 

Today is slow stitching day, as decreed by our friend Kathy!!  I am linking to her, HERE.    I have been hand quilting these little quilts.  The vintage star is from the 1930's, and it still needs some quilting in the background.  The binding is ready to stitch down!  I hand quilted through each string, and it was fun to enjoy these fabric from around 90 years ago.

The little Corona Cottages quilt is my take on a house quilt, for this quarantine time in our lives.  What an amazing and strange time we are living through!  It is hand quilted, and just needs the binding stitched as well.

The tiny flower is just because I love flowers so much...just little sparklers of happy, for me!! 

The rainbow quilt is just that. Binding is in black, which is the combination of all colors!!! 
So I am making progress!  Whoop!!


I am also linking to Cynthia, HERE.  She has all kinds of scrappy fun projects going!!!



************************Nurse's Notes*****************************


I have had a whirlwind in my nursing life.  I was floated from CCU, (open heart surgery recovery), to telemetry.  These tele patients are easy...few meds, just a careful eye on them, and all walkie/talkie patients.  In fact, I sent them all home on the day I worked tele!!

The next day, I got floated to an ICU unit...the sickest of the sick.  Honestly, it was really very fun!  I had a pneumonia patient (rule out covid...she was 28 years old and a horrible pneumonia...fever...cough...could not taste or smell.)  What does that sound like to you?  Anyway, she tested covid negative!  She had just had a baby 8 days prior, so I was anxious for her to get well and get home to her baby.

Another patients was a BRAIN SURGERY PATIENT! Ok, so in my 30+ years of nursing, I had never taken care of a fresh brain surgery patient, and I really had no business being assigned to that patient...but it was great fun!  He was a doll...37 years old...two INCH tumor removed from his brain.  Two drains from his skull, including a Ventriculostomy...so first time for me taking care of that.  I learned so very much, and enjoyed his sweet hUmor and love for his daughter.  Remember, all these patients are pretty much by themselves in the hospital, due to no visitors (Corona virus precautions). 

The next day, I was back on my home unit.  One guy on the ventilator was mine...until a patient developed sudden kidney failure, and I had to put him on continuous dialysis, and take my other patient too!  These are supposed to be one on one patients...but there was no one else, so I did both.  Happily, no one coded and all was well!!  I did not eat or tinkle all day, just ran room to room and back again!


*****************************************************************

I am off today...made a large breakfast for dear husband to celebrate Father's Day, and now I am doing laundry and sewing...and writing to you!



Have a lovely day, all!!




Julie

Farmhouse sampler applique update

The above block is my current block for my Farmhouse Sampler.  I added the little pink circle in the center of the block.  On we go!  Three blocks down and six blocks to go! 20 inch blocks make this quilt go fast!

Please see Karen's block, here, as we are enjoying making this quilt together.

https://karen-logcabinquilter.blogspot.com/

I am finishing up blocks and pieces...these blocks were cut out and now they are finished!  Hurrah!  There are really 15 of them...odd number, there!

Hope each of you is finding joy in your journey, no matter what!  I am determined to do that!

Julie

Embroidery progress, and selling some things.

I have finished the embroidery on this little quilt.  Except for the one blank square, which will be a signature and date square.  I have been sitting in one little corner, slowly and quietly stitching away on this piece.  

 I am selling some quilt things.  This quilt top is one I always intended to hand quilt, but I guess I will sell it instead.  It is a double wedding ring, as you see. 

 It is not perfect.  The rings are sewn by machine, and the melons are sewn by hand, at least the ones I saw.  There are a few water marks/stains like this one below, as is often the case with a vintage article. 

 The edges are ruffled, a bit. 

 So you do you think it is worth $25.00?  I do know some of the fabric are 1930's originals.



Thank you for your opinion, and if you want it let me know.

The whole thing.

I will be selling all my antique and vintage quilt tops, so stay tuned.

Have a great day,



Julie

Slow Sunday scrappy stitching!

 Slow stitching.  Funny how I feel a bit guilty about sitting still and just deep breathing and stitching...so I decided not to feel that way!  This little quilt along is via Facebook. 

The mixture of embroidery and tiny 4 inch log cabin blocks is what I am working on today.




What you are stitching on today? 

I am linking to Kathy:  HERE

and Cynthia:  HERE






Julie

May Monthly Mini

I decided to make a tiny tulip quilt for May.  Tulip time is earlier here, but I always love to watch their enthusiastic blossoms, early each Spring.  I machine quilted this tiny quilt, which you cannot really see, but I liked doing it...just great fun!

Please see these quilters...and admire their monthly mini quilts!  Thank you, Wendy, the Constant quilter for encouraging us all!!

Kyle (Timeless Reflections)

Cynthia (Wabi-Sabi Quilts)
Quilting Babcia (Amity Quilter)

Barbara (Quilts, Gravestone and Elusive Ancestors)
Kathy (Kathy's Quilts)
Sandy (My Material Creations) 
Janet (Rogue Quilts)
Barb (Fun with Barb)
Cathy (Big Lake Quilter)
Randy (Barrister's Block)

Julie

The 30th: time to show my Mrs. Lincoln blocks!

 The above block is my latest block for my Mrs. Lincoln quilt. 

And here is my pieced block...and they are already sewn into their row!  Hurrah! 


Please see the following quilters, who are working on their applique projects.




  The following quilters are participating.  We will be showing completed blocks on the 30th of each month!  Take the time to visit them to see their completed monthly blocks!

Karen – Log Cabin Quilter (Lead)

Cathy – Biglakequilter

Jennie  – Overthehillandrunning

Julie K –  Juliekquilts

Robin –   solsticestudio

Nanette – Doitrightquilter

Jan – Nanette will show her progress on her blog.  

Have a great day!

Julie

A treasure!

 This quilt came to light, one that I never knew existed!  My sister had it...it was made by my mom, and has her signature yarn ties.  It is a "Glorified Nine Patch."  My sister wants me to restore it, and so her son can have it.

My mom (Jeff's Gram) always embroidered her quilts with the name of the recipient and her signature...Gram.  She was quite ill when she made this, as evidenced by the signature....her normal embroidery was perfection, and this was the best she could do.

A treasure!!!  Now...the batting is actually an old army blanket.  Would you leave that in there?  What would you do?  Only a few seams need repair....would you quilt it or leave the ties?




Julie

Moda Blockheads 3

 Here is my progress on the Moda Blockheads 3 quilt along.  A new block is released each week, on Wednesday.  All the patterns are still available here:

https://bearcreekquiltingcompany.com/moda-blockheads-iii-2020/

I need to make another brownish block, so that lonely house is not sticking out quite so badly. 

These are my latest blocks.  I am a little in love with that flying geese block...the wheels are turning!



Hope your quilting wheels are turning, too!!


Julie

And the finale!

 Tada!  The piecing is complete!  And the two inch scrap was completely empty, but I had to look over my scrap bag and cut a few more strips, so I have more 2 inch scraps now.

 Scraps make more scraps, don't they???

 See that little orange piece of fabric?  It looks like the corona virus to me, almost...except the virus is round with projectiles on it...but still...viral quilting it is!  That red piece is from a blouse I made.

My favorite little scrap is this pinkish one with the monkey.  Super cute!  Nothing I recognized, but now I love it!






Have a great day....onwards!


Julie

Quilt of many colors

Please watch this video...my mother also made my own clothing, and I had similar experiences at school. 







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_-YbWHs6DE



Julie

Fabrics as old friends!

 I have been busily sewing away on this scrap quilt at night.  It is the true definition of scrap...being all of my 2 inch bright strips, from the 2 inch wide bin. Some are fabrics from 20 years ago, ones I recognize and love...and a rare few that were my mom's fabrics...so maybe 50 years old!  I have used all I have of these strips.  I see fabric from old uniform tops; from a square dance dress; from a bonnet from long ago.

 Here is all that is left, and it is not much.  I may have to cut a few, just to make the quilt rectangular instead of square!!  The quilt is 68 inches across.  Why this measurement?  I have no idea...just seemed like the right width, LOL!

 I finished all the circular applique on this quilt and put the rows together, and I am stewing about the border...always my sticking point!  You know, daily progress is the ticket...work just a little bit on anything each day, and you will achieve your goal.  Anyway, that is my story and I am sticking to it!  I am working on my abs...hahaha!

 I made the sashing from these old pajamas...not much left here, LOL!!!

 I made another of these blocks...not sure if I am going ahead with this piecing. hmmmmmmm......I have very few black or gray printed fabrics. 

 I made three of these little mug rugs for my sisters, so I need to get those into the mail.

And here is where I am on Cathy and I project.  Progress is being made!!!




Have a super day, wherever you are!



Hugs from Julie

Farmhouse Sampler, block two!

 Karen and I are making Dawn Heese's "Farm House Sampler" quilt.  We are on block two, already!  Karen and I are showing our blocks on the 15th of the month.  Above is my block for this month.  I changed the leaves somewhat; I find that I fiddle around with patterns here and there, playing with pieces!  I very much enjoy appliqueing these fun, large blocks.  They are 20 inches, finished. 

Here are my two large blocks together. 




Please see Karen's blocks here!

https://karen-logcabinquilter.blogspot.com/2020/05/farm-house-sampler-block-two.html






Have a great day, everyone!



Julie

Inching along...or one and a half inching along!

 Well.  I was sorting and cleaning out my 2 inch strip bin.  I had lots of tiny short pieces...so I am doing this!  It is very labor intensive...2 inch strip, one inch white strips in-between each little piece.  I left out the dull colors, and tried only to choose bright colors.   

 It is sort of an addictive quilt, you know?  Just mindless sewing. It is like sewing a lot of long borders, though, so each long strip must be carefully measured and pinned.

So I have this many 2 inch strips left, so however far this goes is as far as the quilt is long.  Onwards!!!


1.5 inches forward at a time (finished strip size!)









Julie

Just a few littles!

 I have been making these little sampler blocks. Three inch finished blocks, that is!  I am not sure how to set them, and am waiting for inspiration!

 I have been working on my Mrs. Lincoln quilt.  Trying to catch up a bit!!!

So here is where I am so far.  Almost caught up with Cathy!


What are you up to??????????








Have a great day!




Julie