Progress for today

 I have been playing with this quilt again.  It is based on a quilt by Primitive designs by Lynda.  I have made a lot more circles for this quilt...so on it goes!  I like it!!!

 Scraps rule!!!

And more scraps!!!  It is super fun  and fast to make these blocks.  The blocks need to be set on point, so I am working on the side setting blocks and corners....



Have a great day, each of you!!


Julie

A sigh of relief, and renewal of fun!!

 I have begun Bonnie Hunter's "Garden Party" quilt!  These blocks are just great fun to piece!

Another view...



I have let myself get guilted into and bogged down on working on some things that I really have no interest in finishing...today?  I let that go!  I started this quilt, which I have had kitted up forever, and let 'er rip!!  It was such fun...

I am playing in my scraps and absolutely loving it!!!!  Life is pretty short...let's have fun while we are here!  Scraps are the most fun to me!




Julie

Sidetracked on hankies! and Slow stitching!

 Good morning!  Or good afternoon, depending on where you are.  Above is a mug rug for February.  I still need to hand stitch the applique down.  I am making three of these.

 My husband is cleaning the garage, and wants my few sealed plastic boxes of things out of there.  I have been going through them, and I found my mother's hankies.  She had one in her purse at all times...did your mom use these?  I washed a few of them very carefully...they are gossamer thin and so fragile.

 These are the oldest ones.  Many have hand made lace, and I believe they were my grandmother's, which puts them in the 1890-1920 range.

 These were mine.  I remember the Smoky bear one especially and I think I had something to do with the corner being missing!!!

 Whoops!  Just took a picture of this one, with M, for Marie...my mom's name.

 She had round ones...

 And I found these heart ones, which I believe are newer.

 I found one with a precious verse...

 A hand painted one...

And these, that just scream the 1940's to me!!!


OK, that is my sidetrack for today.  I wonder what will happen to these items that I treasure, when I am gone??


Have a great one!!

Or maybe like this? A different arrangement??

 Well, I was just thinking, and that always gets me in trouble, LOL! 

What if I arranged the blocks into a rainbow type setting?  Any suggestions?  I know that some blocks are placed side by side that should not be...but is this better than yesterday's option?



Have a good sewing day!!


Julie

Progress on this project...as planned!

I have been sewing these tiny blocks since last year. This is one of the continuing projects from last year that I had mentioned.   The plan was to sew some of these blocks every Wednesday, and for the most part, I did that.  It is time to finish it up!!!  So here I am...I have carefully picked up the blocks in order, to sew them together.  It is a pretty large quilt, for being made of four inch blocks!!!

On we go, friendlies!!!

Hugs to all!

Julie

A mysterious package!!!

I received a gorgeous package with these plaid lovelies in it!  Just the thing to make me happy, happy, happy!!  But...there was no return address or name on the return line...

So who sent me this?  Please tell me so I can thank you!!!  THANK YOU!!

Julie

Dear Jane 2020!

 Hello everyone!!  I spent a long time today working on my Dear Jane quilt.  I got to sew one whole row on to the quilt, and some of another is in the works, as you can see.  I can see in the picture that the bright yellow bottom right block will not work...pretty darn yellow there!  Hello!  LOL!  Anyway, I am back to working on this quilt a little every Sunday.

 I am so, so behind on my Cheddarback quilt.  I just don't have enough  minutes in my day to do it all...but this quilt is fun and special and I am determined to catch up.  I love a challenge!

 My latest little blockies.  I love these...only a few more to go before I can sew them all into a top and quilt it!!!  Hurrah!

This is totally not seasonal, but I thought I had lost this little quilt!  I looked everywhere...it was not hanging up where it was supposed to be...where oh where could it be?  Well, it had slid off the hanger and was behind a box in the closet.  Glad to find you, little quilt!!!





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


Yesterday was one of the toughest in my nursing career.  Tough because of the sheer amount of equipment and procedures, as well as the sadness!  Warning!  this is a sad tale...warning, don't read if you don't want to!!  The gentleman had a heart attack, and suffered through two days of horrid chest pain, then finally texted all his kids that he loved them and good bye.  They called 911!!!  and got him to the hospital via ambulance.  Right coronary artery was totally occluded.  He coded in the ER, and again in the emergency cath lab.  Long codes...and those kind are no good for brain function.

So we got him...and he had an impella, a balloon pump, a swan ganz catheter, three sheaths, central line, trans venous pacemaker, ventilator, catheter (with no urine out whatsoever), arms covered with peripheral IV's and all ports in use!!!  He had 17 drips, no kidding.  And then!!  since his kidneys had shut down, the doc put in a dialysis catheter and I had to start dialysis on him, too.  He was maxed out on every drip we have in medical science to get his blood pressure up.


To no avail.  He drifted away, despite all we could possibly do.  What a darling family...daughter was a nurse practitioner, son was a marine, other son a policeman.  Heart wrenching.


No breakfast, lunch or dinner, no potty breaks, nothing I could do but hustle as hard as I have every worked for 14 straight hours (and I can hustle, believe me), to save his life.  He was my age....but I did sneak a cup of coffee in there.

He must have been a darling in life, because the room, hallway and waiting room was jammed with people trying to see him, touch his hand, and let him know he was loved.  Never woke up...pupils were fixed and dilated, no neuro response.

I felt so bad for the family...and I am still have PTSD today, honestly...I will never forget him or that day.  I sang Amazing Grace at the end, and all the family and visitors joined in as we mourned  together.

This is kind of a record for me to remember, so skip the nurse's notes if you are here for strictly quilting content.


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Julie

Little things!

 These blocks are a continuation of my project from last year...I have lots more cut out, so I intend to sew them all up.  I like them, and they are four inch finished.

 I made a springtime purse!!  Just a small fun thing.  I have friends who spend tons of money on purses, and to each her own, but I love my little handmade purses.

 Just a start on the bowl fillers...I have really no idea what I am doing here, and just made a heart and stuffed it.  Ha ha!  I will experiment with this idea...and peek on Pinterest.

 Thank you, Karen, for the pin cushion above!  I just need to whip the seam closed.  I appreciate you!

The string quilt that I have been quilting on is unique to me in several respects.  I have no batting in the quilt, since it is backed with flannels, and the blocks have a foundation of fabric, so that part is unique.  Also, the backing is folded around to the front to form a facing, not a proper binding.  I remember my momma doing this, and leaving about a inch facing on the front!!  So I guess this quilt is an experiment to me....and on I go! It is definitely a bit lighter without the batting.


One thing I would like to ask, should I expect pilling of the flannel, with washing and wear?  What is your experience with working with flannel?



Have a great day!

Julie

An idea!!!

 Good morning to everyone!  Hey, I have an idea!  I was given a brown grocery stack full of old flannels...see below.  The lady that gave them to me knows I make quilts for patients, and she was taking them to the good will, and she saw me and said, "Would you like this sack I have designated for the good will?"  YEP!  I would like it!   I kind of separated them into "boy" colors and "girl" colors.   Here is the block I am making. Simple and fun to make!  I am thrilled that something got saved, and thrilled to be working on patient quilts!

 The cool stack...

The warm stack.




What are you working on?  I am going to do more Log Cabin quilts this year...I have strips, and I have a rotary cutter, and I have a desire to use every scrap I have!!!!  I also want to make some bowl fillers, and some more mug rugs, and of course continue on my projects from last year.

Hugs to all!!!


Julie

Hand work in the New Year!

 I have been thinking of this for a while...mug rugs for the year, one for each month.  Here is my version for January.  I made three of them, and already gave one away...there are three sisters in my family, and each of the girls will receive one.

 I have been hand quilting like crazy on this quilt!!!  I am pleased with my progress so far.

I finished the hand quilting in the sashing, and now I am working on quilting the string blocks.  I love hand quilting!




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

We have been so slow during the holidays!!  Well….today we made up for it.  Our census went from ten patients to 32, many critical...just in the last 24 hours!  WOW!!!!  I was worried about not getting my work hours, and now it is totally nutty with being called every day to come and work!!!


My challenging patient from late last year came to see us!  He is absolutely, wonderfully recovered.  It truly is a miracle...this is the patient who was totally abusive to us because we would not let him out to smoke during his heart attack. He was in intensive care with us more than a month.   Now?  He stopped smoking and drinking!  He is in cardiac rehab!  He came and brought us all goodies to celebrate him making it!!!  He is grateful and loving toward his family!


SUCCESS...and BLESSINGS!!!

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Julie

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Julie

Happy New Year!!

 Happy New Year to everyone!!  I have been pondering about hand quilting.  I took out this quilt, and was going to use pink flannel on the back.  Alas, I did not have enough of it for the backing, so I used it for borders!!!

 It is a subtle plaid check, and it is pink.  Love, love for me!!

I am doing a impromptu quilt block swap with some local quilting friends.  Here are my ten blocks to swap.  All blocks will be different, as the only rule is to make the block 8 inches finished and to use blue...wonder what I will get back?  There are ten swappers...and I don't know how many months this will run.





HAPPY NEW YEAR, EACH OF YOU!!!




Julie