Sister's Choice Quilts

Winding Ways

Winding Ways is really coming along.  I think I will make 14 more blocks so the quilt will be 7 x 7 blocks square.  Most of the blocks turned out really great.  Some are a little poochy in the center where all the seams come together, but those pooches pretty much press out, and once quilted, nobody will be the wiser.  The blocks are 8 1/2 inches square.  Someone asked me the block size and I replied that they were 10 1/2 inches, which was way off!  I used the Marti Michell Winding Ways template, which actually does come in a choice of sizes.  The largest is 11" as I recall.

One of my readers told me the circular pattern makes them dizzy, and I kind of feel that way too.  Whoa Nellie, is the room spinning?  This quilt was made entirely from scraps in my stash, which makes me very happy.  A free, and guiltless quilt!  I don't think I will put a border on this.  There is enough action going on in the center of the quilt in my opinion.  If any of you want to talk me out of this idea, please have at it.  Has anyone seen a Winding Ways quilt with a border?  What did you think?  Did it add something special or is the quilt enough on its own?

This is the view off my back deck as I write this post on Thursday night.  I stood out there trying to catch a shot of lightening, but didn't have the patience to wait.  Ozzie has been barking his head off at the thunder.  Thunderstorms are a rarity in California, did you know that?  We hardly ever get thunder and lightening.  Rain yes, the lights and sound effects no. 

Grandpa Larry had his surgery Thursday and the report from the doctor was good.  When they got in there to place the pins and the plate, the break wasn't so awful as they thought at first.  He got through the surgery very well, and now has a long recovery ahead of him. 

I am going to take some of your suggestions and plant some flowers on his front and back porches and take pictures of his cottage to bring to him in the hospital.  Along with all of your cards!  You are just the dearest women on the planet to take the time and make the effort to send your good wishes to a sweet 90 year old man you don't know.  He is an absolute doll, a Navy veteran, a fine grandfather, and an accomplished man (he has a PhD in Microbiology!).  He is lonely now, and has never been so on his own like this, and your kind thoughts will mean the world to him.  And to me.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

*Note:  Robin Kirk--I tried to email you, but your email wasn't included in your comment.  Try again and I will be happy to send you an address to mail your card.  Thanks!

Update

Hi there.  I seem to be off my posting schedule this week, due to family circumstances.  Grandpa is doing ok.  He is in the hospital, but they still have not been able to do his surgery because his blood levels aren't quite right yet.  With any luck, the surgery will take place today.  My husband says the nursing staff is taking good care of him and his spirits are pretty good. 

My spirits are not so good--as one reader commented--just as we seemed to be moving forward, to have this sort of a set back is just such bad luck.

Our little family is all Grandpa has.  My husband is an only child and all of Grandpa's brothers have passed away.  His wife of nearly 70 years of marriage died in September.  If anyone would be interested in sending Grandpa a card, let me know and I will provide a mailing address.  I know a show of get well cards would really mean a lot to him!

I'm stuck up here at home, 130 miles from all the activity, so I am not much help.  This week my daughter's in laws are taking care of Baby E, so I don't even have her as a distraction.  No worries, I am holing up in my sewing studio, listening to the rain pound down outside.  I'll make a big pot of corn chowder (complete with bacon for a garnish) and comfort myself with hot soup tonight. 

The progress on the Winding Ways blocks is coming along, but I have to say I have been quite distracted by the idea of finishing up my languishing BOMs as part of Sinta's Pink Pincushion BOM Rehab program!  The picture below is of six filler blocks for the Simply Sophisticated BOM of a few years ago.  The next block I plan to complete is a darling basket block, and I do love basket blocks!

If you are interested in joining this motivating group, put the button on your sidebar and send Sinta pictures of what you are completing.

 

Bad Luck

Well, this is a major bummer.  It turns out Grandpa broke his leg.

Saturday was the big day to get him moved into a little cottage near us, and when he was getting out of the moving truck, he stepped down kind of hard on his right leg, due to it being a big step down.  And he fractured his leg!  He didn't even fall down.  I tell you old people's bones are like egg shells.

Immediately, he said he was unable to walk.   After much debate standing out in the front of our house--should we call the paramedics?  Was it just a strain?  Had he torn a ligament?  I ran in and got one of my dining room chairs, which Grandpa sat down in, right there in the front yard, claiming he would just sit out there all night because he couldn't walk.  Somehow my husband and I got him into our house (with the help of my sewing chair, which has wheels!).  He said his leg hurt, but didn't seem in real pain, so we put an ice pack on his leg and gave him ibuprofen.  He just would not try to walk.  My husband and I got him into bed for the night but none of us got much sleep.  Sunday was Easter and even though we tried to talk him into going to Urgent Care, he didn't want to due to it being a holiday.  The swelling was down and the pain was better, but he still said he couldn't walk. 

So, first thing Monday morning, we put him in the car (don't ask how that went), and drove him to his doctor.  After xrays, the doctor announced that Grandpa had fractured his femur.  What a shock that was!  I have heard of that happening to other people.  One family I knew had a kid fall at the playground, and went for a couple of days at home with a broken bone that no one diagnosed.  I always thought that would be impossible to not know!  But there you are, it happened to us.

So, he is having surgery on the leg today, which involes putting a pin or a plate or something in, and then will be in a skilled nursing center for six to eight weeks.

He never even got to set foot into his new house!  I told him this was a desperate attempt to get out of doing all the unpacking.

Mixed Bag

My Easter weekend surely was a mixed bag.  On the one hand, we had glorious weather.  On the other, everything that could go wrong seemed to do that.

This was supposed to be the big weekend to move Grandpa into a little cottage on the nearby golf course.  He got through the day just fine, but when he was getting out of the truck at the final destination, he did something to his knee and has not been able to walk since.  Today we will get him to the doctor for xrays to see what he did to himself.  This is a disaster because I cannot lift him and my husband works out of town during the week.  I have a feeling Grandpa  may be going into a rehab center until he can walk again.  What a shame!  He hasn't even set foot into his new house!  I was there for awhile yesterday afternoon, directing the movers on where to place furniture and I know he will love the place once he gets into it.  His windows and back porch look out onto the golf course where one can watch both herds of deer and golfers enjoying themselves.

What little sewing I did took place during Eva's naps on Friday.

I am pretty happy with these Winding Ways blocks!  It takes me about 20 minutes to construct one.  Just look at the secondary circular pattern.  That is just so cool!

Here is something else I am planning on joining in on.  Sinta over at Pink Pincushion is hosting a BOM Rehab group.  Do I ever need that!  The idea is that the participants pick one of their BOMs that is sitting around gathering dust and make one block per week, and post about it on Mondays.  I have several BOMs to choose from (hangs head in shame).  In fact, have I ever finished a BOM?  "Why, I can't recall", she says, not making eye contact. 

Which one to choose?

Why yes, how about that one?

My Mom, the Lamp Genius

My mom was some kind of lamp genius.  She could make a lamp out of anything, I kid you not.  The lamp above was from a tea canister she picked up somewhere.  She made many a lamp in her day, and as they say, they broke the mold when she passed away.  Mom was unique in so many ways--a true character.  Full of life, very creative, full of opinions, generous to a fault, often feisty, loyal to her family without reservation.  I miss her so much.  If Shirleyann loved you, you had an advocate who would fight 'til her last breath for you. 

Mom's been gone for an unthinkable eight years.  How could our family have continued to live and breathe and eat and see the dawn of another day without her light in it?  Somehow we have managed to go on without our matriarch.  Eight years.  My gosh, how can that be?  I dream of her often, quite vividly.  She appears in my dreams, sometimes she speaks, usually she doesn't.   She is merely present.  For the first few years after she died, in my dreams, she would have left us for another family that she loved as much, or more than she did us.  Otherwise, why would she leave?  I know, how crazy.  I would be so angry with her in my dreams.  It was quite awful when I woke up.  I would want to rail and cry, "Mom!  Why did you leave us?  How could you?"  Over time, my dreams have changed, and I welcome her into them with delight.  She is there, she contributes, she continues to support.  I wake up now, and think "Thank you for visiting me Mom.  I miss you and it is so nice to spend a little time with you, even in my dreams".

In my most recent dream, she visited all my sisters and I.  We were all sitting in front of a roaring fireplace, with the sound of the ocean in the background.  All of us were wearing Eileen West white nightgowns, including Mom.  We sat by the fire, glasses of wine in hand and got all caught up on each others news.  Just like old times.  When I awoke, I was sad to say good bye to her, and to yet again realize that this would be another day without her in the future of my life on earth.  Yet, I had to admit, she is with me all time, in the beautiful faces and characters of my dear sisters, daughter, and nieces.  Mom lives on in all of us, and in my memories and my dreams.

I meant this to be a post on lamps, forgive me.  Sometimes we just need to let digressions happen.

 

 

Family Resemblance?

Uncle BroBo came to town to meet his little niece Evangeline.  We were struck by the family resemblance.  Do you see it too?

The Rewards of Quilting

One of the joys of quilting is giving something I made to a loved one who I know will appreciate it.  I presented this quilt to my young cousin Stephanie on her 25th birthday this week.

I think she liked it!  This quilt is from the Bennington pattern in Carrie Nelson's book Schnibbles Times Two.  The fabrics are Objects of Desire by Sandy Gervais.  I have been saving this quilt to give to my cousin for awhile.  The pizazzy colors and fun design just seem to suit her bright personality.  The fabric is printed with tiny little shoes and purses, and the quilting design has hand bags and rings and other girly things that compliment the fabric perfectly.

The women in my family all made the drive up to Angels Camp to visit me (no that's a lie, they came to see Evangeline!) on Wednesday.  We spent about ten minutes at my house, then since everyone had their purses on their shoulders and were tapping their toes in anticipation, we trekked over to Sara's house to meet Baby E.

Can you kind of tell everyone is entranced?  That baby just stole the show.  Just look at my cousin Claudia in the mirror.  I don't think she could smile any bigger! 

Evangeline has been born into a family of strong supportive women.  Besides her mother and grandmothers, she will always have her aunties and cousins to rely on as she grows into adulthood.  We are a family of sisters.  She will learn that "the ties that bind her to her Sisters are not wrapped around her wrists, but rather are fastened to her heart".

A Well Spent Weekend

Remy has chosen my Grand Finale/Bennington table topper as his personal favorite.  I was having trouble sewing the rows together because he was always right there on top of them.

I did prevail however, and got the top all sewn!  Isn't the piano key border a wonderful touch?  Pieced borders are the best in my opinion.  Carrie says that they continue the design aesthetic of a scrappy center clear out to the border and create a unified, balanced effect.  She is so right.

I am loving this!  One of my readers called the colors a throwback to the 70's, and I think she was exactly right!  It's all there--Rust, Avocado, Harvest Gold, and Earthtone Brown.  In 1979 I had a family room done up in those colors.  This little Schnibbles topper will look amazing on my kitchen table with a vase of sunflowers.  So retro!

It makes sense to me to follow Kristyne's lead, and try a cross hatching quilt design on this topper.  She has had great success with that design, and I am going to copy her.  Am now off in search of spray basting adhesive and a yard of backing fabric!

Hope you all had a terrific weekend!  I spent mine cuddling with a very special infant.

Now that she can keep her eyes open for a few minutes, I am teaching her about patterns in fabric.  Yes Evangeline, those are polka dots.  We love polka dots.

 

Waiting

Any day now....

We are waiting...

And waiting...

And waiting.

Go check out Sara's blog for a long awaited update and pictures of the nursery!

Ack

Doesn't this look inviting?  It is a watermelon inspired quilt that I made years ago, that I rediscovered during our move.  It looks great on the chaise lounge under the deck gazebo.  It is such fun to make these finds and look at them with fresh eyes. 

I had started a post and had it all ready to post yesterday.  It was called Good News.  That good news was that we had found an assisted care place for my husband's parents.  We have looked at a dozen of these places and talked and talked to various care providers and finally found a place we thought would be perfect for them.  We put down a deposit, and guess what?  They don't want to go. 

I believe what they want is for my husband to move back home with them and live as they did years ago when it was just the three of them!!!  They are back to calling him by his childhood nickname, and are phoning him to please come over right away, forgetting that he now lives three hours away from them. 

We have hired an agency who provides home care to have caregivers come and look after them in shifts day and night, but we can't keep that up.  You would truly not believe what the cost is.  So now, we are back to square one with them, trying to figure out a solution as to what to do with two 90 year olds who no longer can do anything for themselves.  Well, that isn't entirely true.  They have both completely mastered falling down.  I would laugh, but it is all too true.

At this point, they really don't have an option to live independently.   I don't know what the answer is, right at this moment, but we will be figuring out something this week.

In the meantime, I need sewing therapy.  Look for my solution to my sewing/fabric withdrawal in tomorrow's post!