Category: Christmas

Happy Holidays!

I am still alive, recovering from my spinal surgery. I did manage to sew a few small things until I could barely move my shoulders. Not sure why, But I ended up getting multiple steroid shots in each shoulder. They are better now, not perfect but leaps and bounds better.

Gnomie GNomes – I did finish this, but neighbor Carol needed something holiday for her table, so she went home with it. I think she liked the back better than my gnomes. The back had snowman fabric on it. I failed to get a photo of it. Pretty sure I had it for like 20 years. Lol. She was happy and that is all that matters. It was a super easy pattern that went together quickly.

My daughter is home from college for the holidays. Makes me so happy. She has been baking and wrapping for me. My desire to do either is at an all-time low.

I made a few of these towels as gifts. I wanted to make more but only managed to do a few. Our guild does “Tiny Tutorials” and this was the one from October, I think. Basically used scraps of fabric and batting. I purchased bar mop towels from Amazon which were about $14/per dozen.

I have made a few other things, but not many. I failed to get photos. Not thinking like usual. I will get there. My surgery takes 1+ years to recover from, but I am of course hoping that time is shorter. I feel like I have not been myself for 2 years now. The positive is releasing the pressure on my spinal cord has resolved a few other issues I have had. I have quickly learned that your spinal cord controls everything, literally everything.

My plans are to get back in my sewing room quickly. I also have some organizational goals for 2023. My sewing area is a hot mess.

I hope everyone has a joyous holiday season.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

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Dog Beds from Scraps!

Yep, I got something done! I needed to use up the many many scraps that I had. Sorry for the dog butt in the photo. They feel inspecting the new beds is one of their jobs.

We have a local charity called Hospets that works with Seniors to keep thier pets as long as possible. They help them with appointments, funding, etc… Each year during the holidays they host adopt a senior. They have a “store” (donations) where people can go to choose pet-related items to give to their adopted senior.

Since I am a crazy dog lady and can’t imagine being without a dog, I like to help those that want to keep a dog. Aging can make it difficult to keep a pet, with appointments and costs, yet a pet can offer so much to a senior (or anyone).

My beds include batting, fabric scraps, single socks (when the dryer only returns one). I also receive medication that needs refrigerated. It comes with cotton recycled packing! Each month I tear it up and add it to my dog bed stuffing container.

I make the covers out of cotton canvas and each has a zipper. I put all my scraps for each bed into a plastic bag and squeeze most of the air out. Then I zip it in. So, the cover can be removed and washed whenever needed and the plastic bag of scraps just wiped off. I have a couple that my dogs used that have been washed at least 10 times. They come out as good as new.

This is my Snibble. Yes, she is sleeping in a box of batting scraps (Snibble actually means scrap). This box and these scraps are now hers. It is one of her favorite places to be when she is helping Mommy sew (lol).

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Hug your fur babies!

The “Rona” got us

Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to minimize the severity of the Corona Virus.

Those of you that have been with me for a while know I usually choose sarcasm and humor to deal with issues. About Dec 10th or so, I came down with a cold of sorts, followed, by Haley and then Kevin.

Just seemed like a head cold. Haley followed a couple days after me and then Kevin. Haley and I took the usual “cold remedies” while Kevin did just did some cough medicine. I was tired, but I always am, so did not give it much thought. Drank a lot of water, Then one day Haley said, “I can’t taste or smell”. So I grabbed something other than water and realized it was the same for me. Kevin says it was not a problem for him. I did not miss a day of work, because I did not feel bad. Just felt like a head cold. Kevin continued to get worse. Sleeping all day, coughing. After a couple more days I was getting concerned. Grabbed an oxygen monitor and he was in the low 70’s.. Called an ambulance. They came and he refused. The next day, he asked me to take him. Needless to say, I got no sleep because I was constantly making sure he was breathing (I am the black widow). That was December 23rd.

Christmas morning, Haley and I woke up staring at each other. It was just us. It was so weird. Kevin’s sister and nephew came over later that afternoon to hang out with us. Thank God. It was a relief to almost have a 3-year-old running around eating cookies and being crazy.

I got to visit Kevin that day. Went to the hospital, put on all the gear which was silly to me considering I gave it to him. He was feeling slightly better. They had started him on remdesivir the day he came in. Still on a lot of oxygen though.

All this time, I could not figure out why it was him. He was healthy, active. Then we found out he was severely diabetic. A1C is more than double what it should be and sugar levels are in the 400-600 range. OK, now I could make sense of why “The Rona” got him. The underlying, unknown condition.

He came home on December 27th with Oxygen and tons of insulin. His oxygen is better, but he will likely have it for a while. Long-term they (Docs) would like to be able to get him off all the injectable insulin, but that may take a good while. His becoming diabetic did not happen overnight.

So for the foreseeable future, we have a new normal. I am OK with it. We are all still here and I am not officially getting my Black Widow tatoo. Phew.

Needless to say, there has been no sewing or quilting for quite a while. I hope to get back to it soon. I had big plans on doing a bunch of stuff while I was on vacation over the holidays, but that did just not work out.

You never know what is going to happen in your life

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

And Just like that…it’s nearly Christmas

Good thing I finished those placemats.

They came out OK. It does make my dining room look festive. My Santa chair covers also help. The stuffed dogs? Well, Raising Cains chickens sells them every year. I recently got 2 new ones (Charlie Brown and Snoopy). Proceeds go to help dogs. My daughter thought they needed to be in the photo. They are always yellow labs in a costume. Super-Cute.

The placemats came out ok. After I made a couple, I was unhappy with my thread choice. It was a pretty red/green twist. It just looks dark to me. Fortunately, my lines are pretty straight so it does not look that bad. I wish I had used thread that matched the background fabric. Next time.

So, I sent my Plaid Challenge Quilt to my brother-in-law. He had a rough year, so I thought it might make him happy and he does have to live with my sister. LOL. They sent me this picture last night of it over thier love seat.

I do love it when I see one of my quilts in use or displayed.

Everyone at my house is not feeling well. Not horrible illness, just enough to annoy you. Makes it difficult to get things done for the holidays. We have been avoiding everyone because it certainly could be the “Rona”. My daughter and I lost smell and taste. I am about 10 days in so on the back side. It just felt like a crappy head cold.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Merry Christmas

Happy New Year

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner…..

Last night my quilt guild, The Marysville Crazy Quilters had their Holiday party. It was also judging for “The Plaid Challenge”.

Great fun and food was had by all!

I placed third in the plaid challenge.

I won $25.00. WooHoo!

How will I spend my riches? I think that I will buy a Creative Grids Ruler with it. I only have 2 and find them very useful. That way I can look at that ruler and remember why I have it. LOL. I am such a dork.

I really do enjoy a creative challenge. Here is some really ugly fabric that does not go together. Go make something with it.

The rules were that you had to have some of every fabric in your quilt. It could be any size of a quilted item.

So, from left to right in the photo the quilts were numbered. I am number 7 (Carpenter star). Number 5 won 1st (looks like a planet in the middle) and #3 was Second (Tumbling blocks).

I think I do have plans to gift this quilt to someone. I know someone who could use a little happy and might appreciate it!

To me, it looks like a “dude” quilt. Not feminine at all. I need to wash it first. I once had a problem with black fabric that had been stored a long time and this was from my stash. I have no idea how old the black was. Better safe than sorry.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

OMG, it’s December?

Where does time go? While sometimes it seems to be crawling, and then it is December.

I finished something (s)

So, I made this quilt for my Aunt. She is the only relative I have left and I think she will be turning 95. It is scraps, but to me, it felt like all my past projects going into something for her. It went together quickly and looks not too bad. I quilted with my heart ruler and meandering swirls. I hope to get it to her soon. It seems unlikely before Christmas, but hopefully soon after. She lives in Michigan, so only about a 3-hour drive for me.

I put pink and white flowered minky on the back so it would be soft. While I like the softness of minky for some quilts, I don’t find it easy to work with and it is messy. I have done it on my domestic machine and it was super hard to move around. My shoulders hurt for days. So, this one I pout on the long arm. It came out OK, I just had to be super careful with stretching. It is also very difficult to see if your tension is correct with Minky on the back. Now that it is complete, I think the tension could have been better, but it will have to do. I try to keep a notebook of all the things I learn along the way as well as how many bobbins are used and stitched. It helps me plan for the next quilt a little better.

So, I also finished all my Santa Chairs. I have a full set now. Makes me happy every time I look over at them.

Thank you to my daughter who always begrudgingly holds up my quilts for photos.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Santa Chairs!

So many many moons ago, I bought Holiday chair covers. They were made out of very thin felt-like material. I used them nearly every year. Well, they are finally worn out, so I made a pattern and started making new ones. I chose fleece. I am hoping that will stop fingers from going through them every time a chair was moved. I actually saved/used the pom poms from the old ones. For some odd reason, they make me happy. Only problem I have is tht I did not but enough of the red fleece to make six, so hoping that I can match it fairly closely. I will be able to wash these if needed. The other could not be washed. They would have never made it through the washing machine.

If you can, I suggest trying this….

While I was at my mini-retreat, my Friend Lynn introduced me to these OLFA ENDURANCE blades. I am usually a skeptic, especially about blades. Wow, do these make a difference. She had one in her rotary cutter and when I used it, I was not even aware that I was cutting anything. There was no resistance and it was completely silent. The best thing for me or anyone with arthritis or anything in their hands. They can be pricey, but I have seen them on sale. Lynn had been using hers for a while and it was still as sharp as ever. My package is clearly empty because I bought one and it is wonderful!

Dog Beds for Hospets

There is a local group in my area called Hospets. They support Seniors with Pets. They help them with appointments etc so that they don’t have to choose between their pet and something else. I donated 5 dog beds to them to pass out as they see fit. I will continue to donate dog beds to them. They were very grateful. My daughter and I are also sponsoring a senior for the holidays. They submit wish lists for themselves and their pet and you help them out with items from their list. Our person is local to us and has a pet bird.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Retreating :)

What Fun!

Lynn and I headed off to Ohio Country for a mini-retreat. We stayed at the historic Millersburg hotel! It has such a history. It also has quilts hanging everywhere.

What did I do?

I made the ghost Blocks. There was a lot of swearing involved. I don’t really care for stitch and flip, and that was necessary. Since there were only 5 blocks in this runner, I suffered through it and swore a lot. It is cute.I also worked on my holiday placemats. I am hopeful that I can get them done.

Not perfect, but tolerable.

Guild Retreat

We are planning a retreat for our guild and hope to have it here. They have a large room that we can use free of charge. It is a beautiful room with high ceilings and exposed brick walls. We are hoping for the first weekend in March. We are hoping we will have 15-20 ladies from our guild join. Something to look forward to in early Spring. I am sure I will need it by then.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

The struggle is real

I managed to finish something. It is just a baby quilt. My friend Lynn gave me this fabric. It was simple and easy to put together. I quilted this on my domestic, since I am not really able to use my longarm at the moment. I am out of practice, but it is a simple meandering so no big deal. I used a holiday blanket I got for the back. It is super soft, which I love. I did not have a need for this quilt when I made it, so I will just set it aside for the right moment.

The Struggle – So, my most recent visit to the doctor was not a pleasant one. I was told not to expect much more that what I already have. Be grateful I am walking. Most people with your spinal injury never walk again. Ugh. Took that to heart. I am no where near where I was less than a year ago. I can walk about 500 ft. before my legs want to give out. I can stand a few minutes before I need to sit down. I am still attending physical therapy and they claim that my strength has gotten better. I have zero stamina.

This affects my life in every way imaginable. I cant do things with the family that I would like to do. I can’t do the things I would like to do. I do manage to sew, but stick to small pieces because they are easier to manage. Not as heavy to try to push through a domestic machine and well, the long arm…that involves standing and some strength. I waited years to have one. Have not had it long, but cannot currently use it. It is heart breaking to me.

Let’s not mention that I have had continual ear infections, all kinds of stomach problems, and a racing heart since I have had this surgery. Of course, nothing is related to the surgery itself, so they say. Test after test after test, which tells us nothing.

So, my mental happy place is my sewing room. I do force myself to go in there. I do try and work on things. It is not the way it used to be. I am hoping this is not my new normal, but I just don’t know.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Moving right along…

The Easter Table topper.

What do I like about this table topper – I like the shape. I always like interesting/different shapes. I love my decorated eggs and my colorful peeps.

What do I not like about this table topper – The thread I chose. I love variegated thread, not on this. When I look at the light teal and dark teal (flower looking pieces), they do not line up correctly. The pattern I used looked perfect, but I futzed with it for quite some time to get it to lay right and I still don’t like it. Since this piece is for my table I will have to tolerate the things I don’t like. I would have to make another and see if it came out better before I would give this to someone. Still sort of cute.

I don’t follow directions well – I am sure I am ot the only one. I was looking for something Easter and did not find a lot of patterns. I found this on the Bernina website. It had a lot of embroidery on it which I clearly had no intention of doing. I have two machines that do it and I never do. My 1st late husband and I had a commercial embroidery business, therefore I no longer want to do it and after having commercial machines, find doing it on a one needle sewing machine annoying. So, I basically used the pattern for the shape and the eggs and then went off and did my own thing.

Bambi – Christmas quilt – Off the design wall and being pin basted. I am using a blanket I got for Christmas on the back. It is super soft and very pretty. I think it will be best used on the back of this quilt. I may quilt this on my domestic since I currently have something on my longarm, that is begging to be done. I am finally doing things quilty.

News from the world of Lori – So Doctors have finally figured out what is wrong with me, hopefully. Apparently, my neck has severe arthritis to the point that I do not have spinal fluid surrounding my spinal cord in a decent sized area. So, on February 5th, I will get it fixed. There really is no option, I could wind up paralyzed if I choose not to do it. So, do it we will. Such is life. Yes, I am totally freaked out by it.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting