Trying to change my heading

but not successful.  Alas.  I don't understand how to make it work.  So moving on. . . . . .

An old folk song:

"But I can give you morning, on a thousand hills, and kiss you and give you, seven daffoldils"

These poor, confused flowers - I love them, but it's only January. 

Had a couple of nice days,

Those seem few and far between, so we must appreciate them when they stop by.  Maybe mid-week the weather man tells us?

I'm working on my recovery.  Today it was two 15 minute walks, plus spending some time in the sewing room.  Hurrah!  This is a pattern called Tiddly Winks by Roxanne Carter - an active member of my quilt guild.  I love it.  So here are a few of my starting blocks,

As you might notice, they are all red and white. 

Today also included a shopping trip to Target.  My wonderful Rowenta Travel Iron has died.  RIP.  So today it was off to find something else that will work.  This one is larger, but after 1 day, it seems to work adequately.  So we shall see.  [and for $6.99 how wrong can I go?]

Today some redwork patterns arrived.  I'll show you tomorrow.

A little bit confused

Look at my poor narcissis - I think he is confused - it's only January (but he is kinda cute, too)

And then, Taa Daa  (sorry Caro)
I wandered my way to the sewing room.  I have been practicing going up and down the stairs, so today it was with real purpose.  I did find that my brain was a bit addled trying to make sense of the pattern here.  But isn't this a great border?  I just loved it.  From Janet Kime's book,

Lots of bias edges, so hopefully I have been careful enough.

My fabulous caregiver

Today a parcel arrived by way of HEMA in the Netherlands specifically for my caregiver - a real badge of courage:

Quilters are the most fabulous friends

My quilty friends have been taking such goodo care of me.  Thank you so much!  Even from her own sick bed, Caro sent this sweet wrist pin cushion,

And yesterday, Ronda came over with goodies galore.  My Christmas gift,

new quilty socks.  She also brought the next block-a-buck block to work on.  I sure hope to spend some time in my sewing room this next week,

and she cleaned out her collection of quilting magazines.

It's fun and actually informative to go through even older issues to see how things have changed over time and to reassess my own preferences.  Which patterns appeal to me today?  I'm thinking that my tastes are changing - and that's not all bad. 

Yesterday there was a brief interlude when we could go outside for a short walk.  Yeah!  Fresh air!  Thursday is my first check back appointment with the heart surgeon, so that's a good one to check off.

Thursday's report

Albeit slowly, I'm still here.  (glad you can't see my 'nursing home hair')  I did get one thing completed (well, the top that is) before my hospital time.  It just makes me happy,

Isn't that a fun little wall piece?

I am NOT wandering far from home, because

I think the current total for here is about 8+ inches.  They said rain today, but not yet.  Good thing that I don't have anywhere I have to go.  Maybe tomorrow I can have some time in my favorite room?????  I will let you know.

Very quick

Released from the hospital on Sunday - in the beginnings of a snowstorm.  But bless good, good friends they did extra duty and brought me home.  Now we are working on getting the regimine of medicines aligned, doing deep breathing and walking around the house (at 4 or 5 minutes at a time.)  Do take care of your health - coming back is so challenging.

Mon-day - is that the day of the moon?

Heavens I used to know all this useless trivia but seem to have my little brain filled with other "important" details.  So it goes.

My friend Caroline has complained (ever so slightly) that she wants to see what I have been working on, thus photos of what is happening in the craft department at Casa Nana.

A lovely design from BirdBrain Designs.  This is one of the designs that you can buy pre-printed on fabri-solvy and then simply stick it onto the background fabric you want to use.  This one hasn't been sticking quite as well as I would have liked but having enough stitching in there, it holds it all in place.  Then when it is done, you simply soak the solvi off and have the design on fabric.  Just because a wild hair took me, I did this one in brown perle cotton.  This was my project du jour yesterday as the second series of Downton Abbey started on PBS.  Oh delightful.  I don't watch a lot of TV so this is marvelous to have back.

You may recall that I made, just before Christmas, 3 different baskets using this technique.  Wrap strips of fabric around cotton clothesline and then using a very wide zig-zag stitch put it together.  The shape of the pot is determined by the angle used as it is stitched.  [there are several very descriptive U-tube films, if you are interested]  My sweet friend Patty bought this for me at a recent trip to Martingale Books.  Wasn't that so nice!

Then, I have been working on one more project down in the sewing cave,

I believe the pattern is called China Dishes.  I thought it was all done - i.e. all four borders, until I realized that the top and bottom borders were not long enough.  So am working on those,. then can attach them.  I should manage to complete those today and then this one can go into the 'top complete' pile.

Our Stashbuster UFO (Unfinished Objects, for those who don't know) project began January with Project #2.  I actually had two of each month's project.  So I have finished my first #2 project,

and I am working on a hand quilted piece for the second.  I will take that one to the hospital with me - hand work should be do-able.  Then come the first of February and I will draw the next number.  [as an aside - the other night I was working on that and managed to drop the needle.  Those blessed things are so tiny, I feared we would never find it.  I had out a magnet and was feeling all over the chair and the rug and my clothes.  I finally found a flashlight and shown it sideways on the rug and located it.  phew.  I had visions of never having bare feet again, if it didn't show up.  Word to the wise!]

Good wishes to you all.  I should be back at it in a week or so.  Keep stitchin'.

The days go marching on

Wow - such a long time since I last wrote.  And an interesting collection of happenings.  We had a really lovely Christmas holiday with DS and wife and Baby "B" and DD and her 3 sweet ones.

There were lots of homemade gifts - which is always so special,

New napkins for the motorhome.

Tasty meals together.  It was terrific.

Meanwhile the doctors discovered that I was having some health problems.  So surgery is scheduled for next week.  All that means is that my little missives may be a bit more sporadic.  But I am getting myself organized with some hand-work projects to bring along with me.

New Year's week-end was a stay in the one of the former officers' homes at Fort Warden in Port Townsend.  What a terrific time we all had.

 One quick trip to Goodwill and I found this batik-style fabric.  Perfect for a back.

And a little center for a baby quilt with Peter Rabbit panels.

We'll chat again soon.