Lots of progress!

I have been working on the quilt along with Lori, of Humble quilt.  My blocks are in progress, so they are rumpled and not pressed yet, but I am loving them anyway!    I have been making them my own...and was particularly fond of making the Liberty block my own.  I was privileged to travel and see the actual Liberty bell.  I was amazed to find that it was actually forged in 1752...24 years before America started the Revolutionary War, and won our freedom.  That is vision, you know?  People didn't live long back then...so some patriots that were alive then, were not when the war started, or ended.  The first bell cracked upon the first ringing, according to my research, and was recast.  The bell developed a fatal split, and I have embroidered that in place.  On the bell was written, 

 

"Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."  I included part of that inscription on my block.  This is actually a bible verse, from Leviticus 25:10.  

Still lots of applique to go, but here is where I am so far, this week.


Quote of the day!


"You are remembered for the rules you break!"


So maybe we all need to be a rebel once in a while, like those rebels of long ago, who at long odds, won our freedom!


Have a super day,




Julie

Dearest Boy update!!

Here is my rendition of the applique quilt, "Dearest Boy."  This block was fun to hand applique, but I had a little incident at the end.  I took my block, when finished, in triumph that I was done,  to the laundry room, where my ironing board is set up, to give it a good pressing.  So then?  I had two similar bottles side by side; one was spray starch, and one was Spray and wash stain remover.  You guessed it!  I sprayed it with Spray and Wash...hahahaha!!!  So, I gently agitated it under warm water, let the block dry flat, and THEN I pressed it with the spray starch!!  So....my block is definitely stain free...

CANNOT BELIEVE I DID THAT!!!

This block was poignant for me, because I grew up on a farm. We had a small orchard, and one tree was Bartlett pears.  MY FAVORITE ever!  We made pear butter and pear preserves and ate pears and just loved that tree!!  That home grown fruit was so much sweeter than anything I have ever found in a store...and it was a time with my mom and family that I cherish.

Hey guess what?  More friends are joining the group, sewing this quilt!  

Karen:  Log Cabin Quilter

Cathy:  Big Lake Quilter
Julie:  Juliekquilts (me)
Carole: Wheels on the Warrandyte bus
Doreen:  Aunt Reen's Place


It is super fun to sew in a group...and I bet NONE of these expert quilters has ever sprayed her block with Spray and Wash, LOL!!  I am looking forward to sharing sewing with all of you.





This is the whole quilt. We have a whole row done!!  So I will try to get it all sewn together today.  I am off from the hospital, and doing laundry, and catching up.




Blogging!  Thank you, everyone, who took a moment to comment on my last post.  What a wonderful thing to hear from all of you!  Some of you are anonymous, or "no reply", but I cherish all of you.  Stay tuned...we are going to have fun this summer...or winter for my dear friend Lyn in Australia!



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

It has been a humdinger of a busy time at the hospital.  People are really, really sick...code blue sick (heart or breathing has stopped).  We put them into hypothermia protocol (cool them to 90F to stop brain swelling and slow metabolic function for 24 hours.)  I am please to tell you that my guy, who had a heart attack, is waking up and doing great!


I had a patient also, that was under police custody.  He was very nice, in his shackles, and actually had bypass surgery!!  I found out that he was in prison for beating his wife to death.  Oh my gosh!!  I was so grateful for the police there!!!  He got the exact same care as everyone else, but that was in our minds.


I love being a nurse, and for the personal connections we make and sustain...some patients have been in and out for years, and instead of cool impersonal care, we give big hugs and "how are yous??!!"

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Have a super day, each of you!

Quote of the day:  "The secret to success is to get started."


So I am getting going!




Julie

  

Another row! some applique, and some thoughts about blogging

 I am prepping this quilt block for Linda Brannock's Flower quilt.  Lots of stitching left to do...but this is the process, so I am showing what I am doing as I am going along.

I got all the little sailboats done and the row sewn and attached.  Some learning things for me are these:

1.  Carefully measure each row, to make sure it is the same...I started with 60 1/2 inches, and one row was 61 1/2 inches!!  I took tiny little sliver, bigger seams...so it measures the same.

2.  Be sure and borrow a long tape measure from the big tool box...it works great!  LOL!!



*****************Blogging**********************************


As I am sure that you have noticed, blog participation and comments are down, I think universally, maybe because in part of summertime busyness.   Some people have gone to Instagram, and some to facebook.  And yet?  I think blogging is the best way to really talk about the process and enjoy the interactions with like minded quilters.  So...I would like to encourage you to maybe do a couple of things!!

1.  Get out there and find five new, or new to you, quilt blogs and add them to your blog roll!!!

2.  Make a few moments each day to comment on five or more blog posts.  It is the interaction that makes it such fun!!  I plan to do this early, since I get up very early for work, anyway.




This is an interesting read  about blogging, courtesy of our friend Florence!

http://flossieteacakes.blogspot.com/2018/07/thoughts-about-blogs.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FyBVT+%28Flossie+Teacakes+-+Crafting+Blog%29



Any thoughts??


Have a super day!!


Julie

Row by row quilt

So I finished the pinwheel row, and I am working on the hearts row.  This is my favorite, as some of you may have guessed!!  Nine more hearts to go, then on to the next row, which I am not sure what is yet, LOL!!  This is pretty fun patchwork, itty-bitty,  and I have kind of made a game of it...sew for fifteen minutes, then jump up and do things on my housecleaning to-do list for fifteen minutes, then sew, and so on!!  SEW ON!  Hahaha!

Have a wonderful night, each of you, or day...whichever it is in your part of our world.

Julie K

Little things!!

 So this is the next row on the bitty blocks row quilt.  1 inch x 2 inch finished flying geese.  I am a little bit in love with them!!  Yippee!!!  Fun and fast to make...

 And this is the next row; pinwheel variation block.  I sometimes use paper plates to cut my pieces onto and carry to the sewing machine; it keeps me a little bit organized.

I just cried at this package!  My friend Nancy knit me not one, but two pairs of socks!  HAND knit!!  I love them...thank you so much, Nancy.  My feet are an unusual size, so it is hard to find socks that fit them, unless I go into the kids section...

Nancy quilts for quilts of Valor, and has to her credit over 100 quilts, I think, for them.  Please see her blog HERE.  And...she knits!!  LOL!!


www.wyomingbreezes.blogspot.com

THANK YOU!




Julie

Progress!!

 I spent some time on the road recently, and hand quilted half of this quilt.  Also...I bound it.  I apparently really scandalized one quilter by binding it first...Giggle!  I explained that I sandwich it carefully, pinning a lot, then stabilize the outside with quilting, then add the binding.  It really helps keep the sandwich edges from raveling while getting tossed about it the car, on my lap, or transferred to the back seat, etc.  Try it once!!  It works, for it's purpose!

 This quilt is on my list to finish this year.  These are my bitty blocks, from a quilt along a few years ago.  I am making progress...these rows are all sewn together now, and I have two more rows cut out.  Super fun!!

And tada!!  I finished the applique on my Dearest Boy block, A-5.  I love those cherries!!!  Delicious...and I have some real cherries in my fridge, to eat tomorrow, for the fourth!




Have a super day, each of you!!


Julie

Thank goodness!!

 Here is my month six, for the "Sweet Land of Liberty" quilt along, with Lori, by Cheri Payne.   I changed the block with the tree, and put a heart in the middle instead, so I can embroider my anniversary date and information about this quilt.

 Here is where I am so far.  That empty space troubles me, on the left...I still have not decided what to put in there.  It will come to me!!


Please see Lori's quilt HERE, and also take a peek at all the quilts in progress!  They are all so  gorgeous!!

I think these jeans are so funny...I have just worn them out, crawling around weeding in the garden and working outside!!  I saw a pair of "pre-torn" jeans for $198.00 bucks the other day, in the mall...so I think I have them beat, LOL!!!  Can you imagine paying that...maybe I am behind the times!!  What do you think??



THANK GOODNESS for a day off work!




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


I have had a patient for the last 8 months, in the hospital. Code blue on arrival, he has made it through more horrific complications and illnesses than any other human I know.  It is exhausting to care for him, and witness his journey, yet invigorating to be a part of his healing and recovery.  I just love him and his darling wife and daughters.  I love being a nurse!!

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Julie