Happy Weekend to all! Wednesday it will be 2 months since my Thumb Arthritis Surgery and Joint Fusion. I have worked each day since surgery working my fingers while in a hard cast (4 weeks plus the first week from surgery) and 4 weeks in a Splint. I will go see the Surgeon on Tuesday and he will want me to do Physical Therapy. So far the only things I still cannot do is to cook and do dishes and lift things over 5 pounds. I can touch my thumb to my 2nd and 3rd fingers, working on my 3rd finger tip. Hope fully I will have that ability by Tuesday. I do not use the Splint very much during the day, but still wear it at night.
I believe that I have advanced faster than the Doctor said (a 4 month recovery), but I will know that for sure on Tuesday.
I can type and have started doing cross stitch with my left hand. Typing is a trick because one needs both thumbs to hit the space bar.
During the last two months I did sew some blocks together but cannot trim them, so I decided to try my cross stitch to keep my sanity. This is where I have been sitting, reading, and exercising my hand for 2 months. Walking only lost a few days from Surgery and weather so that has also kept me sane! You can see the splint on the table. I can hardly wait to throw it away!!!!!
This is the cross stitch pattern I am working on. VERY SLOWLY
Progress has been slow, but one of the problems was the thread I wanted to use. It was too thick for 2 threads so I started using a single tread and it has gone faster (? LOL) ?). Remember I have to do this with my left hand and I am right handed (surgery hand). This is the outline for the letter “G”.
Of course due to boredom, I have found a new website for quilts. It is Modern Welsh Quilts. I purchased 3 patterns from them. I found the web site through another store that was doing the Pick of the Bunch as a Mystery BOM. I purchased Pick of the Bunch, Titus & Friends, and Perseid. The BOM was only $20 for the pattern, and the other two patterns were $8.99 each. Each of her patterns are downloadable and extremely well written which is very impressive for the cost. I am waiting on a book about the history of the Welsh quilts to arrive. Jaydee knows all about the Welsh quilts so she has helped spark the interest in them. The site is well worth taking the time to review Zelda’s beautiful quilts. They are on my 2024 quilt “List to Do”!
Well, it is time to do some exercises and rest the hand from typing. Take care, stay warm! We are heading into a week of rain each day. I hope we get about 10 inches! We might get out of the drought blues.
Enjoy stitching.
Hugs
Nanette
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Linking To: My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts; Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Slow Sunday Stitching Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party; Design Wall Monday, Scrap Happy Days, Quilting Patch Linky Party, To Do Tuesdays
This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.
Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, Connie, and Cathie.
Chopin - A Passionate Quilter From Texas 
Ooooo, pretty new quilt patterns.
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The directions are really clear and concise. Hugs
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Hi Nanette!!! It is SO nice to see a post from you. You have been on my mind. Cross stitch is a wonderful activity to keep yourself sane, and I think you should have a big ceremony for the end of the need for the splint! If I see a big blaze on the horizon up here in Wisconsin, I’ll know it’s you burning the splint. HAHA! You’ve found some new projects to think about which is fab. You’ll be sewing those quilt tops in short order. I am 100% certain the doctor will be so impressed with your recovery thus far. You’ve rocked it! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
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Thank you Rosanne, The last couple of weeks I am really ready to get back to quilting. I am only using the splint now at night. Of course won’t tell the Doc! LOL. Missed everyone. Hugs
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I’m impressed, doing cross stitching with your LEFT hand! Keep going with the great recovery. I’m off to check out the Welsh Quilts site.
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Lots of flipping going on with it, but glad I started trying to do something. Yesterday I am now able to thread the needle. Clay is still the cook and dish washer, other than that I am pretty much doing things for myself. Hugs – Love your heart and flower quilts.
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So glad to see you back to posting! Sounds like you are doing very well, and wow on the left-handed cross stitching. Those Welsh patterns are gorgeous!
Good luck at your appointment, and I hope you get to throw that splint away soon. Take care of yourself!
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I am missing everyone. Thx for missing me. My goal was to show the Doc that by doing exercises every day I could beat the 4 months! I am going to enjoy making the quilts.
Hope you are doing well. We are getting rain this week, are you?
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We are getting rain today and it is turning to ice! It was supposed to start warming up, but so far it is still 32. But us old folks don’t have any reason to get out anyway. 😀
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Glad to see you back to blogging. I miss not hearing about your projects and your health. Like the new patterns. I”m still working on smaller projects.
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Thank you Nancy. I just had to try something to be able to do a post! LOL. Glad you are doing well. Hugs We thought about coming to AZ but things happen. Hugs
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Well, you are very brave to do cross stitching with the left hand, plus your work is perfect, bravo! Beautiful new quilt patterns too.
Thank you for sharing 😉
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Thank you Frédérique. I think after the first month my right handed brain let the left hand take over for awhile. LOL
I love the patterns. She is a good designer and wants to keep the Welsh quilts going. Hugs
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So nice to have you back and healing! Glad you’ve been able to find a few things to keep you busy and your sanity. Loving the new quilt patterns. You are becoming quite the cross stitcher too 🙂 Continued healing and fast recovery
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I can only imagine how slow the stitching is left handed, but it is looking great! Glad you are still sane. ;0) I got through Young
Artist this weekend and am feeling much lighter today!
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I could only imagine what it wold look like if I did cross stitch with my left hand. You will be quilting soon. I know it.
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Keep up the good work on rehabilitating your thumb. What you are going through reminds me of when Pat Sloan broke her wrists in 2020 — same progressive exercising to work toward removing the casts and splints and get everything back into running order. Oooh, I sooo didn’t need to see those lovely Welsh patterns but I did and now I am heading right over there!
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Looks like you are recovering nicely and keeping in good spirits! I am so impressed (but not surprised!) that you are over there cross stitching with your non-dominant hand. That would be like me trying to cross stitch with my toes, but YOU can do ANYTHING when needle and thread are involved! Hugs to you and glad to see you doing well and enjoying your new quilt pattern!
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So very thrilled that your hand is healing so well but of course, knowing you, I know you are working at it and following orders, etc. I so enjoyed reading this post. Always such a pleasure to see your projects including lovely cross stitching, and also the projects that have twigged your interest for future sewing. Stay well now the two of you!
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