Sunday, April 26, 2015

Basketry!

 Sitting quietly lately, I have completed the quilting on this little quilt.  I am making progress on my UFO's, doing this kind of stuff.  This quilt reminds me of my mother, who had the basket below for as long as I can remember.

She kept clothes pins in it, and so I do too, as well as my mismatched socks, waiting for the lost sock mate to show up!!  I have a couple of her darning eggs in there.  My mom always hung out all the clothes to dry, and there was a hook on the line to hook this basket onto.  It was old 40 years ago, and I don't know how old it really is, but it is quite sturdy and I just love it.


Have a wonderful day, each of you!!!


Julie

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Playing with blocks!

Just playing, here...another layout!  Something is wrong on the left side...I will figure it out and play more later.    It is much easier to see in the picture.  I hope each of you has a wonderful day today!!

Julie

Monday, April 20, 2015

Re-working some things...

 Good Evening!!  It is rare that I ever get to post at night, due to work, dinner, dishes, etc...but here I am!  You may remember Lori's of Humble Quilts quilt along...the blocks looked something like this, but in a different setting.  I had made twelve blocks...but used another pattern??  I don't know what I was thinking!!  (please see the Nurse's notes below for a possible reason I can't remember...) Anyway, I recently found the original twelve blocks, and was smitten...and made some more!
 Just a sample layout...I am going to enjoy just playing with these.
 Do you know about the Bitty Blocks quilt along??  It is a row quilt...and I have the fourth row all cut out, but just can't seem to get it together.  I still need to applique the basket handles down...I changed the original basket pattern.  Can't leave well enough alone, can I??
And a little runner...just making something out of leftovers.  Need to use every little bit up!!




************************Symptoms of the patient...Nurse's notes

*******Fever(no infection)
*******Tachycardia (high heart rate), up to 160
*******Hot, hot, hot...all the time
*******Can't sleep
*******Irritability
*******Fuzzy thinking
*******Short of breath
*******Tremor
*******weakness
*******So very tired...


OK, did you guess the disease??  By the way, this is me.  Yep!!  My Hashimoto's thyroiditis has reared it's ugly little head again.  This is an autoimmune disease, where my body is attacking and  killing off the thyroid gland, which controls metabolism functions.  Autoimmune disease, like Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus.  TSH is 0.00...which means my thyroid levels are sky high.  This has happened again...which means they are looking again for thyroid cancer (scanning this week)  and also...maybe I have it radiated  or surgically removed to just kill it off.  I will then be on thyroid supplement for the rest of my days, which many people are on.

This time, it is worse...I don't think my heart will tolerate another go around.  I have about 120 pulse all the time...and I am on massive beta blockers.  So, I will keep you posted...I am praying about what is the best option to do.  The anti-thyroid meds are very hard on the liver and on the bone marrow.  The radiation can cause Leukemia.  The surgery is invasive and there is no guarantee that they can get all the thyroid gland out.  So I am praying....and thanks for listening!


****************************************************************


Have a great night, everyone!!

Julie

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Looking for inspiration! Or maybe have too much??

 I have been making 4 inch scrappy stars for years.  And hoarding them, too...So I gathered them all up and put them together with these 1/2 square triangles.  I have had these made for years too.
 Sooooo........
Any suggestions?


I am having a problem finding a focus, here.  Too many projects whirling about like a cyclone in my wee brain...fogged with Nyquil!!  (remember, I have the mother of all colds)  What is a girl to do???  How do you find ONE project to focus on??





Hugs to all, and have an amazing day!!  (without Nyquil......)

Monday, April 13, 2015

Binding Blitz!! April gift!!

 I am working on this binding...this quilt is all quilted!!
 Another view...
 And another!!  Randy D., of the Barrister's block blog,  had a quilt along a couple years ago.  I actually pretty much stayed caught up, and this quilt was the result.  Thank you, Randy!!
 This is the April Binding blitz prize!!  It is a bunch of fat eighths, and a few fat quarters as well.  The picture does not show it as well as I would like, but the fabrics are pretty reds...
and browns.  I like this bundle, and got it especially for someone who participates in the binding blitz this month.



**********************What in tarnation!!!!?????????????????????


I have a cold!!  A DOOZY of a cold!!  Rotten, I tell ya.  That is the way I feel!  I kind of thought I was immune...been a long time since I have been sick.  NyQuil is my favorite friend.  I can sleep with it!!  Love, Love, LOVE that!!

My heart rate is quite high again...Hashimoto's strikes again!!  OH well...this too shall pass!!

***************************************************************



Have a great day, everyone!!


Julie

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

A crooked piano!! and a WINNER!!

 A border!!  Jeni from the Willow's quilt is a top.  I lack just a little bit of applique stitching yet...but decided to put it together anyway.  I decided to make a piano key border, out of my smallest plaid scraps.
 Here is when I was thinking about the border...LOL!!
 I put it up on my dining room wall to think about it a little bit.  A design wall!!  But I must not use it as such...that old wall paper would fall apart!!
I made this quilt a long time ago...it is hand quilted.  I was just was looking at it, and I don't know if I have shared it before.


***************************Winner of the Binding Blitz for March!!!  And on to April!!



Congratulations, number eight!!  That happens to be...Dolores, who blogs at the True Blue Canadian!  Congratulations, Dolores!!  The fun of this whole Binding Blitz is that I am discovering new-to-me blogs...I love it!

I had one lady who sent me a picture of her lovely quilt, that she had bound.  I loved it!!  For the life of me, I could not get the picture to download to my computer, so I could show you....I will try again this month if that happens.  Thank you, everyone, for your participation.  I have something special as the prize for April Binding Blitz prize, which I will show soon.  So keep finishing up your bindings, friends!!!


***************************************************************************


Have a great day, all!!!


Julie



Thursday, April 2, 2015

Binding Blitz!!

 I bound this quilt in March!!  And also hand quilted it.  It is fresh from the washer and dryer, and I love that I got it done!!  I really enjoy hand quilting, and do it on the road...big stitching, you know?  Love that for sure.  You can click on the picture to see just how big those stitches are...no perfection here, just a warm quilt full of love.
 Another view...
 And another!  These are all plaids from the thrift store shirts, and whatever strings I could possible come up with.  I love them all.
 This quilt is all ready to bind too!!  Rosie the quilt inspector is doing her thing.  She is a tough judge...but someone has to do it!
 And this one is ready to bind too!  I love what we do...making something from scraps.  Yahoo!
Spring is here...is it spring where you are??  These Iris are in my back yard...moved with me from place to place.  And I will move them again if need be.  I have divided these lots, and have tons of these pretty flowers.  Do you have Iris too??



********************BINDING BLITZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please add your link below...I would love to see your gorgeous finishes for March!!  The link will stay open for five days, then I will randomly draw a winner for the gift.


Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie

Hexies, rainbow quilts and plaids!

Good morning to all!!!  Above is a hexagon, for English paper piecing.  My kitten Lucky has discovered them, and decided that they are great...