Tuesday, July 9, 2013

About face! MARCH!

Well...I got to thinking about this quilt, and looking at it last night.  About 11 PM last night, I UN-sewed all those pink triangles and the pink border from last post.  I just thought it made the whole quilt dark, and it is busy enough  without adding any more drama to it!  So I replaced the pink with muslin setting triangles, and walla! there it the lightness I was looking for again.  Now...I am at a loss for what to do with the border!!  I am thinking about it...I don't want to have to do any more frog stitching...RIPPIT!!!


The next quilt I am focusing on is the sister's choice quilt that is entirely cut out from earlier in the year.  I am GOING FOR IT!!!  FOCUS!!!!  (note to self...)  By the way, my new mind set feels really good.  I am really happy about focusing on just one project at a time...it helps my not feel so scattered, and to not be looking for new projects all the time is refreshing!!  I know I will start new things, but for now, it is important for me to finish a few of these quilts all cut out and looking at me...somewhat accusingly!!  They really do take a life of their own at times, don't you think?!!


*******************Nurse's notes******************

Last time I worked was a challenge at the hospital.  I had a tummy ache all day, due to stressing about one patient.  She hit, kicked, punched all of us when we got within reach,  and finally we had to call security and eventually the city police.  She was violent and dangerous, and a stout young lady.  She was also in her right mind...and knew exactly the damage she was doing to people.  Scary stuff....but the doctors could not let her leave, due to her condition...she very well could have died.  When she was stable, she walked out in the middle of the night, against medical advice.


Next door...an angel!!  Another young lady, she had her internal defibrillator going off for an hour.  Poor thing, she was terrified, and just prayed out loud that God did not take her now, but rather let her live to raise her adopted baby...I prayed with her, while we were getting drips and meds to help her stabilize her heart rhythm stat.  We got her stabilized, and her husband came to the room, and he was as precious and sweet as she was.  So my tummy ache melted away in that room!!  Just tension, I guess!!

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Have a great day, all!!

Julie

29 comments:

Quilter Kathy said...

WOW...you did a lot of unsewing last night! I am surprised by how much I like the muslin...you were right! Are you starting to think about an applique vine and flowers border by any chance?!?!? LOL

regan said...

I love it with the muslin! I haven't been on the blogs for about a week, so I had to go back and compare. Great choice! And what a story at the hospital! Like you don't have enough stresses there, and then to have to deal with a violent patient! Wow!

Kim said...

Maybe unsewing is the perfect destresser.....no thinking just meditating and picking out those darn little stitches. I believe that prayers are darn good medicine too!

Lovely progress....will your border have more applique? Some of the elements from the blocks?

Happy Sewing

Unknown said...

Love your flower and nine patch now you've replaced that pink with neutral - if it were me I'd add a wide border in the same neutral and then applique a whole wandering border of flowers similar to the applique blocks - but you might not want that much work

Loris said...

Good choice! The muslin is more complementary carrying out from the background fabric. This looks lovely :-)
Man, those defibrillators can be scary..as well as violent pts. Seen too many and now we have security guards right at our door. They have come in handy!

Donna Keating said...

Julie, I enjoy your nursing notes as much as I do your quilting entries. My niece is a nurse at Harris downtown and her stories about her difficult patients are scary sometimes but she has a lot of nice patients outnumbering the bad

Gayle said...

I like the muslin MUCH better! When I saw the pink on my monitor I thought the color must have been skewed cuz I didn't really think you'd like that. Good choice!

audrey said...

Okay, wow! I loved the vintage look of the pink, but I can totally see why you switched back to the muslin. It's so good to listen to our gut feelings even if it requires more time and effort.:)

Sue SA said...

I do like the pink, but the muslin makes the nine patches stand out more. Could you add a thin strip of the pink then a wider border in a different colour? I think people are funny creatures, our resistance to help sometimes is like the reaction of a wild animal, yet we should know better.

Leeanne said...

Wow you really get a mixed bag with nursing!
You made me laugh 'un sewing those borders & setting tri's, what would the pink be like for the borders?

Chookyblue...... said...

I looked back at the pink and yes I think your did the right thing reverse stitching and putting the light setting in.........the quilt is looking great......

Lesley said...

I adore your quilt and agree you made the right decision to change the colour of the triangles. Now the quilt just shines!

Unknown said...

It looks wonderful - and may I say, you are crazy fast with a seam ripper! What about a medium shade of blue for an inner border, and then a wider border of more scrappy nine patches? Whatever you decide, it's going to be beautiful!

Quilts And Pieces said...

OMG! It is perfect! And so worth the ripping out!

Kindred Quilts said...

I liked the pink, but I agree that the muslin makes the individual blocks pop out, as they should! Did you get any sleep at all that night???

Lynn Dykstra said...

Great decision--you made a better quilt by simplifying.
I had a patient once whip out a notebook when I introduced myself at the beginning of my shift. I asked why and she said she needed to get everyones name down so she knew who to name in her lawsuit. I spelled it very slowly for her to make sure she got it right.

Me and My Stitches said...

No matter which border...I just love this quilt (have you read that a time or two already?!).
Kudos to you and the job you do - it takes a special person and your patients are lucky to have you.

Merilyn said...

I'm catching up with my blog reading and thought I had seen this with the pink fabric, I thought....was I hallucinating LOL!!! didn't I just see pink, LOL!!! I do like the muslin as well, and I do agree it allows the blocks to shine on their own and not be overshadowed!!!!
What an interesting story, we've certainly had our share of challenging behaviours too to deal with lately, but then that IS the speciality I work in!!! Hope your young Mum gets well enough to go home to her baby and husband very soon!!!!

Dasha said...

Julie the muslin is a terrific choice. Its a lovely quilt, and the muslin just lifts it right up. Well done. Your patient sounds like a sad lady with so much anger and negative emotion in her. And poor you having to deal with it. Cyber hugs to you.

Karen said...

LOL! I had never heard it called "frog stitching".

Barb said...

is it wrong that I like it both ways?
I love pink.
This is one of my favorite all time quilts - yours is so wonderful!!!

Robert said...

I think muslin gets a bad rap sometimes. Some quilts just require it. Great choice. Liked the quilt, so had to google it to find out more about it - sure is not to big, but a nice wall quilt. What will you do with the pattern when you are done?

Have a box of scraps saved for you - just need to get them off. Take care have a good day. From northern Iowa. . . .

Lori said...

What a great quilt with pink or muslin. Either way, I'm glad you are happy with it.

ytsmom said...

It's nice to have some good to balance out the bad! Love the quilt!

Libby said...

After a week in the hospital with Hubby last fall, I can't imagine someone treating the caregivers in such a way, but I've no doubt it happens. Bless you for taking on the best and worst and doing your best no matter what.

Vicky said...

I can't believe how different they look! While I really liked the first one, I love it with the muslin. A lot of work but a good choice on your part! Congrats!

Lois Arnold said...

The pink did not bother me, but the quilt is lovely with the muslin! I repeat, I want you for my nurse if I am every in the hospital! To have such a caring individual with you at a time of stress would be such a blessing! Thank you for being that kind of nurse!

Nicky said...

Great decision - definitely brighter without the pink and well done for doing all that work twice over!

There is a lot to be said for a plain old piano key border but if you want applique then go for it!

MARCIE said...

Love your quilt. Unbelievable storie you bring home from work. Hang in there kiddo.

Puffins and purples!!

I was tempted by Puffins...a squirrelly breed!!  LOL!  This fabric was shared with me, and I have been loved these bright, candy corn colors...