progress!!

Hi Everyone! I have been a good little patient, only doing the exercises approved by the doctor, not lifting, and walking a lot. but...he did not say I couldn't sew by hand!! So I have been! I finished up appliqueing my tulip quilt top (on top on the Carolina Cosssroads, so it is showing through). It needs a good pressing! Just needs an outer border and it is ready to be quilted.
And, in honor of those Amish quilters I so admired on our recent trip, I had to put together a little Amish-colored trip around the world, right? I saw so many of this style quilt in Lancaster. I love the colors! It is layered and pinned and ready to be hand-quilted in black thread. This is like Bonnie from Quiltville's bargello quilt she showed some time ago, in these colors, except hers was big.
And...I got my quilt back from Darcie (quilting by Darcie), who quilted it for me! My "Colorado/Carolina Crossroads" is done except for hand-stitching the binding. Cool, huh!! The wonderful quilting and design made this quilt...I feel I was just along for the fun ride! I love it so...
I have not posted for a while, but will get back at it now. I feel almost no pain in my back now. Hurrah for surgery! Physical therapy starts in earnest next week. I am going to experiment with my first soap-making, so hopefully I will have a product to show you soon.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today!


Julie

Hi everyone:

As I am recovering from my recent surgery, I want to share with you an image or two from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania! My husband went to Valley Forge on a business trip and I was fortunate enough to be able to come along. I have always read about this area and I am a big fan of Amish quilts, so it was natural that I was excited to be included on this special trip.

The first day, I had on my own, and went to Adamstown, and shopped in maybe a million antique markets? I am sure that is an exageration, but it sure was fun to look! Couldn't take a whole lot back on the plane, though. The next day, we headed out for Lancaster. We went straight to the Amish towns of Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse, Pennsylvania. We were delighted to see the local Amish people with their plain dress and carraiges. We took only a few discrete pictures, as they don't like to be photographed, and we tried to be quite respectful of their wishes. This is a big tourist place! Which I did not realize, and I am sure the citizens get tired of tourists constantly there.

My husband fell in love with the handmade furniture (he bought 2 pieces), and I of course loved the quilts! I thought most of them would be traditional darker amish styles, but most were not at all. Very modern fabrics and styles! In fact, we found one store with chinese knock-offs!! Which kind of made us mad for these people. But almost all shops had lovely, handquilted, hand appliqued local creations that we just loved! I couldn't bring one home, but I sure was tempted!

I shopped in a place called the Old Country Store in Intercourse Pennsylvania. It was just the best quilt shop ever! Later, I found out it was one of the 10 best in the United States. Of course, I just had to have a little fabric from this Amish shop. There is also a museum in this store, and they have amazing true Amish antique quilts.

We had a wonderful lunch with local people, and enjoyed the trip so much!! What wonderful people and craftsman and women we met, just a delight. One Mennonite lady invited me to her home and in her basement she had her own little quilt shop, and she is a fabri-holic too, by her own admission!!

We were able to go to Philadelphia and see the Liberty Bell, too, as well as Independence Hall. I loved seeing the old bell I had read so much about as a child. Then we topped it off with a Philli-cheese-steak, and headed back home!!

Hope you all are having a wonderful day today.

Julie

Back from the Hospital

Hi Everyone!

I have had an adventure! On Wednesday, the 13th, I had back surgery on my L5-S1 disc, which was herniated beyond all repair. I had a partial disc removal. The surgeon said that there was lots of bad disc fragments to be taken out, and these fragments were pushing againest my spinal nerves, and was the reason for my severe leg pain and debilitation. so yahoo!! no more leg pain and no more limping. Just incisional pain! and hopefully that will go away soon. I have a line of staples down my spine, kind of looks creepy...I came home the 14th, Valentine's day evening.

I just want to say thank you for all you sweet people who are so supportive and have sent so many kind messages to me. I am blessed to know you all! Thanks again to all of you.

Julie

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to the best son anyone could ever wish for!! Of course, he is mine..


hehehe!!!

Julie

Carolina Crossroads Curtain Call!

Hi everyone!

I made so many extra parts and pieces when I was piecing Bonnie's mystery quilt, I just had to make something with them. so...I made a table runner! and you will recognize some of the units from the CC mystery quilt. I used the "puss in the corner" nine patches for the corners, and the strip-pieced blocks for the bulk of the table runner. Kind of early for red, white and blue...but maybe not!! I hand quilted it.

I finished quilting my other strip pieced quilt, and did the worst binding job of my life!! I don't know what went wrong, but don't focus too closely on those corners!! hehehe, no quilt police here, I bet!

Well, I am off tomarrow to the hospital for surgery...I am pretty apprehensive, and would appreciate your kind thoughts and prayers during this time. Being on the nurse side of things, I know what can go wrong, and I pray it is all smooth as silk...or polished cotton quilt fabric!! Being the patient is kind of tough...but probably a great lesson for me!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day, and I will be eagerly waiting to get home from the hospital and read all the great things you all are up to!

Julie

Hi everyone:

I sent my CC quilt off to be quilted!! and am very excited about that. I cut all my strips for a bargello quilt, but have not gotten anything else done with those yet.

I am working on the block of the month applique blocks by SuzGuz designs. All the blocks are heart designs! Cute and fun to do. So, I have all the pieces cut out for January and February, and I use thin card stock, starch the pieces, then press the seam allowances down around the card stock. I then can place each piece on my background and just enjoy the applique, not having to turn down seam allowances like needle point applique. So it is so fun to do! This one is just pinned in place, not pressed, a work in progress.

I am working a lot!! nothing new, right? I know many of you are so cold, hope all is well and you are enjoying a hot cuppa of something great. We are traveling to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania this spring for a class with DH's work. So I can explore a little of Amish country! It is close to Lancaster county...hehehe!!! How fun!!

Have a wonderful day!!