I have been working on this applique quilt, by Piece o' Cake, for several years now. All the blocks are prepared, and above are what I have stitched. These are pre-cut and pre-fused pieces...what could be simpler?? It is fun when all the prep work is done for you!
*******************A life changing event!*************************
My husband has retired after 41 years with one company. He did not plan to retire just now...so this is rough on him. I am finding my sewing time is being more and more limited. Has anyone else experienced this?
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Have a great day!!
Julie
23 comments:
The appliqué blocks are colorful and FUN - the perfect summer quilt.
Sorry to hear your husband retired before he was ready. It will take some time to establish a new routine, but it will be easier if he has some hobbies.
I love Piece O'Cake design too. Great job! I love the look of your sampler block and the fabric. Enjoy the guessing game of figuring out what they were meant for ... or the fun of discovering another quilt in its fold. Sorry to hear about DH. Retirement is such a big step. To be healthy, one has to feel needed and stay busy. So, do volunteer work, sign up for dancing classes, stained glass workshop, cooking classes, big brother volunteer program or whatever. He might discover a talent he didn't know he had ... or a new love. Good luck. Hugs! ;^)
What a cute applique quilt you are making. Love that little bird. My husband retired and stayed home for a year; he was miserable and so was I!!! He is now working part time and it works out better for all of us. LOL
That little bird totally appeals to me too!
My hubs was given a presentation for having completed 25 years with the company, then the following week was made redundant. He was only 54 at the time and ended up with depression. Not that he admitted it. The depression lasted a long time, probably 5 years or so. I am sure if he had had it treated, it would have all been much easier to bear. He hasn't worked since, and I think at long last he is enjoying his life again. Besides that, at 52 I was made redundant quite out of the blue. I was totally ropeable - it wasn't in my plan at all! But within a couple of months, I decided to retire and in very short order decided that being retired was the best thing since sliced bread.
Good luck with your hubby. Find something for him to do which will make him feel useful, even if you have to manipulate it into happening.
41 YEARS?!!! WOW, he must've really loved his job if he wasn't ready yet to retire after 41 years! I can imagine it must be hard if he wasn't ready. I know even when mine WAS ready so we could move to CO, he found it hard to find stuff to occupy his time. When we left CO, he went back to work and loved his job so much that, even when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had brain surgery, chemo and radiation, he still wanted to continue working and did until he was no longer able and eventually passed away.
Being retired is a big adjustment to folks with a strong work ethic like your hubby. Encourage hobbies if you can. Most of all, remind him of how loved and needed he is by you.
Love the applique blocks with the red borders!
You need to find hubby another job...if only part time, or volunteer to keep him out of your hair!
Or he needs to take up quilting!
Those blocks are so sweet.
I'm sure that the unexpected retirement is hard on both of you. I wish you both well with it.
Be patient. It took my husband over a year to get his new life in order.
I think shot cotton is when the warp and weft threads are different colors -- like chambray. It creates a shimmer when you turn it.
My goodness, those blocks are cheerful and fun. Sounds like you could use that right now.
And the retail therapy is not your normal MO, so I am hoping you found some joy in that, too.
Definitely a life-changing event!! Was it health related?
Love all your work and purchases. Shot cottons are so nice, they have a lovely sheen that normal cotton solids lack. Husbands dont take the retirement well, unless they have a hobby they are passionate about. Nobody takes to retirement well when it wasnt their idea! I would suggest this will be an ongoing life changing event that will take quite some time for both of you to adjust to - unless he gets a new job soon. He needs something to focus his energy and thoughts on, a holiday to plan for, a list of jobs around the house or a new project to build. But no longer being wanted (when you were wanted and valued for 41 years) is something he needs to get his head around and that can take time. Good luck.
I think the basket block is my favorite.
The Piece of Cake blocks are fun and playful. They just make you smile. Glad you got to do a little retail therapy. You must have a plan for the batiks? Change can be hard, but filling each day with things that make you happy is a good way to stay positive.
Sounds like your hubby needs a hobby of his own.
Lovely UFO treasures. I guess you are spending more time with hubby to help cheer him up and keep him company.
My husband retired before I did (he was offered early retirement so it wasn't his choice ... and he'd worked for the same employer for 40 years) by a couple of months. After I retire, we had a celebratory trip followed by Thanksgiving and Christmas, so by the time the dust settled, he'd come to terms, more or less, with retirement.
41 yrs. seems plenty of time to work. You only go through life once. Congrats to him. BUT when my hubby retired he was on my heels all day long. Make sure the lock on the bathroom door works because that might be the only time you are alone. I guess it's harder on men than women. I fell right into quilting in the daytime and not at night after I retired. Hope he finds a hobby. Mine NOW helps around the house with the cooking and cleaning and entirely does our laundry weekly. He wants me to acknowledge that all the time but hey I did the first 40.........so fine with me for him to carry the ball now. I found out he's an excellent cook too. Life keeps changing. Go with the flow......happy for him and you too.
Oh my gosh...love love the applique. Will take getting use to having him home...trust me, I know....
What sweet summery blocks! Don't know anything about retirement. I hope he finds a productive way to keep busy.
I feel your pain! My husband was forced into early retirement after 34 years with the same company. The first year is the hardest. We've made it through three years now. Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats.
One friend of mine went back to work full time after her husband retired. Ha! He had things he wanted to do and time to finally do them--he started a great blog of his own. I think it must be harder when it is not of your choice, but can still be for the best. All will be well.
Your blocks are so bright, lively, and fun, Julie. I keep looking at the Piece 'o Cake books and blocks but haven't made a commitment to do any of the applique pieces yet.
I read some of the other comments to this post and it was similar for me when my husband retired: he followed me from room to room just like my Airedale does. It was really hard. He's more of an extrovert so wants to interact with others a lot and I'm an introvert: I need quiet to think and it's even distracting to me to have someone sit and watch me while I'm working. It's slowly improved but, unlike one of your readers above, my husband has not taken on any of the responsibilities of housework -- no cooking, no cleaning. I hope your husband finds some things he's interested in doing.
--Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com)
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