Well, I do think my non-productive years are over! This week I have finished 5 quilting projects – and yes they are small, but I have not touched the long arm for almost 2 years. WOW! My goal was to have the bindings on and ready for hand work, but alas, those unforeseen requirements and interruptions.
These are two placements that I appliqued for friends for Xmas (I am a little late). The second photo is the backside of each placement. I do not like how my photos using my iPhone – I am going back to my good ole’ floppy disk camera – it takes better pictures! The quilting does not show up well, I did a meandering pattern with circles. My HQ is not computer type so all my quilting is free motion quilting.
This is a pattern from Pat Sloan – I made it in Batiks. It is needle turn applique and this is the first time I have quilted one on the long arm. I do a meandering pattern in different variations.
And, here is Circa 2016 – Modified.
This a mini-quilt that I made with my 9 Dear Jane Blocks. YUP – no more photos from iPhone – this one really looks wonky!
These are not large projects, but I am so happy to have finished them.
I did receive my Postural Extension Orthosis brace yesterday afternoon and what a difference. It supports my upper torso and is going to really help me be able to do more and more!!!! The two bulging discs are in such a bad spot – they are the ones that connect the rib cage and lumbar area of the back and fusions are iffy because of the critical location – connecting the upper and lower frame. I finally have the answer on the differences in bulging, herniated, ruptured or crushed discs. Bulging is where it is beginning to go, herniated is not fun, ruptured or crushed means that surgery is definitely required. I am blessed because I did not wait any longer to get an updated MRI and now I can protect my back with my brace, TENS unit, and RF treatments. Modern medicine has really come a long way. I just hope that I can make it until the end of my life without having to go through the intense “fix” for a situation like mine.
OK enough of the spine lesson. Today I am going to try to work on the bindings on my completed quilt projects – and that will really make me happy to get all the little projects completely finished! I am going to load Threads of Memory quilt from a 2014 Barbara Brackman BOM and work on it in the next week. It is a larger project and now that I have “practiced” and have the cobwebs off the HQ (not to mention the new back brace so I will not get so tired when I quilt) I want to take more time in quilting the larger quilts.
Next I will be working on preparing applique blocks and making a final decision on a pieced project. There are so many projects that I would love to do this will be a difficult decision, but I will only do one at a time. I am soooo far behind on my applique projects I feel I will never catch up.
Have a great Friday the 13th! They have always been lucky for me – so much better than the black cat crossing my path. Hubby always laughs at me, but the other day at the grocery store one of the Checkers told me that if she leaves the house and forgets something and returns back home, when she leaves again she takes another way out of her sub-division!!!!! I told her I would need to add that to my list of “to do’s” when that happens. Of course Hubby really said she was “nuttier” than I am about a poor pretty black cat! Too funny!
Chopin - A Passionate Quilter From Texas 
I hope your brace works. I keep telling myself to do more applique. Maybe this year will be the time. Thanks
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The brace is working – and yes I must get the program on appliquing in the evening. I will probably succeed the more I wear the brace as I will not be so tired in the evening. Thx for the comment.
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Glad you had some accomplishments and are ready for a larger quilting project. Don’t overdo it though, even with the back brace. Blessings!
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Thank you Gretchen, I am trying to be a good girl. The brace is absolutely wonderful! Has taken the tiredness away and allows me to do more. It will take a few more days to get used to it. It is funny, I have to wear some braces on my feet – mid-calf – which help with some other issues and now the back brace – Heck I look like I am ready to go to war! BUT I do not care because it keeps me going and I feel so much better – Life is good! Yea 2017!
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How awesome that you got so much done! I especially love the Pat Sloan sewing machine–so cute! I hope you do okay with your quilting now that you have the brace–that should help a lot! Take care!
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I just know this will be a great year for me! I have missed my quilting and I want to enter quilts in the SA show this year. I miss the challenge.
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You are on a quilting roll. Keep it coming!
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It felt so good to be back at the long arm and finishing projects – even if they are small! Thx for the comment
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Just popped over from “Texas Quilting”. Glad to see/hear that you’re able to be back to your quilting! I stitch on several machines….mostly my Juki 2010Q and Sweet Sixteen. We’re in So. Texas (Harlingen) for the months Jan-April, approx, and I have a 2nd Juki that I leave here. Retired for approx 6 years and lovin’ it! Lots of quilting and motorcycle time…..and, of course, time for the great grands!!!!!!!
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We live in South Texas, southeast of San Antonio but would go to Arizona for the winter months for 16 years – sold the rig last month and now plan on taking shorter trips to more places! I wish I could do domestic qulting, but tried that and not good at it so I went the long arm way. It is not a computer driven, and someday (lol) I will learn how to do more designs I do mostly free motion. Have a great time in Harlingen – have not been that far south in 30 years or more – probably more! Thx for stopping by
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Thnx for the response!! We sold our 5th wheel a couple of years ago when we bought our little Harlingen spot.
I prefer to move the fabric and definitely am in love with hand-guided fmq!!! Have an awesome weekend!!!
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It was a happy day to sell ours. We only used it 3 to 4 months in each year.
Have a good day
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Glad to hear that the brace is helpful! 🙂 Any project completed, big or little, is wonderful! And all of these are just lovely!
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Thank you. I know that it is not a permanent fix but I am really able to do so much more in a day. Trying to increase my 30 minutes of walking by 10 minutes soon. I try to do 6000 steps each day. So far so good!
Thx for the cudo’s
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