I love to share my Quilting projects with other Quilters. My goal is to share my progress on projects that I am working on. I would love for you to follow along with me during my endeavors. I hope you enjoy watching me tackle new techniques and projects. Hopefully you can learn from my "hiccups" and mistakes and make your journey easier.
Author: Texas Quilter
I am a retired GS-13/14 from the Federal Government after a 33 year career with them and 5 years with the private sector. We were blessed to have started working young and retired at the age of 55! I love to quilt, knit, embroidery, needle turn applique, and now Sashiko! I have been married to my husband Clay, a retired Lt. in the SA Fire Department, for 23 years now. We grew up together, but did not find each other again until 1996! After we retired we traveled each year to Arizona for the winter for 15 years and in 2017 decided that we would enjoy just "going on a shorter trips" and sold our unit! We both miss the extended travels. We are blessed to be able to enjoy our hobbies in our Studio where I quilt during the day and he works on his hobbies. We enjoy life (as long as there are not too many unforeseen requirements)!
I love my Country - USA - and our President Trump. I am a Conservative Republican and I Love my God, believe in our Founding Fathers, The National Anthem, the US Flag, the Military, and have no respect for Socialists or Communists as I believe they have no place in our Government. If my beliefs offend you that is your problem.
Greetings. I have nothing to show from last week. Just too many interruptions, too much time spent on the Computer in the morning, and worst of all just giving in to being overwhelmed with things I would rather do than UFOs by doing nothing.
I feel like every day is Ground Hog Day – same thing but a different day! It is time for me to reorganize my time and get out of the rut I have put myself in. I remember Clay telling me how he would just lay in his room at the Firehouse just waiting for the next Alarm to go off while the other Firemen slept like babies and just jumped when necessary. I could not relate to that story until the last 2 years. Now I think I am just waiting for the next shoe to drop rather than focusing on what I really want to do and do it!
I must re-evaluate what I will do with my life at the age of 76 now that health issues are under control OR- wait for the NEXT Alarm TO GO OFF to find my passion again.
This means that I am going to take a much needed Blogger Vacation, along with limited Computer time. A time to clear my muddled mind which has been stressed to the max.
I had been working on challenging quilts up until Clay was hurt and now I find myself only working on 3 things, 2 of which are what is know as Grunt Work of Quilting and one block that I hate! Thank you Kathy for giving me a name for it. One day I am wanting to finish A Bountiful Life and Dresden Plates and thinking about Stonefields then the next day “I could care less”. I have just resolved the One Block Problem and here is how I did it!
From this:
To This:
Bye Bye
I already feel better. I hated this block. Especially the fabric I had picked out for those leaves. If I was excited about it I would have finished it 3 months ago
I know I just cannot be the only one with this issue, but for me I refuse to continue on with this mindset. I do not want to continue on accomplishing nothing, so the only way to dig out of this situation is to just STOP and go back to my previous life of making quilts that bring out my creativity and passion!.
During the time I am on my blogging vacation I will only post when I have produced something of value. I will still look at posts of others as I have time, but may not be commenting. I just have to get out of this mindset I am in. My routine has to change or I will become a Recliner Potato! Handwork for me is a nighttime activity. Piecing or quilting on the backlog of quilt tops is for the daytime!
I like this saying:
I have to include the fact that political garbage is also upsetting but as of now I can do nothing but continue to NOT watch the idiots on the News. We keep up with Epoch and I love Mark Levin and John Solomon podcasts. They keep me informed with only the important things.
Have a great week and keep on creating those beautiful quilts
The last 10 days were filled with other things rather than quilting and I am now behind schedule again! We have been on the “lets go to the Doctor” visits – Clay with his knee and my Endoscopy. All in all we are both in great shape! No problems just a flare up with my Gastritis so he doubled my PPI and it is kicking in! Clay had his first Rooster Comb shot in the knee and then upon leaving the office assuming that we were finished with this issue, we found out we would have to come back for 4 more shots beginning on each Monday from 19 Jun through 9 August. Of course we were just so happy to know that we will be able to run to San Antonio on those Monday Mornings. (UGH). But at least it is just for a shot! Again we are blessed.
I had hoped to finish Autumn Leaves this week (on the long arm already to go for July now) but that did not happen due to life’s little interruptions and the corrections made to my first quilt made in 2000.
Autumn Leaves
I did finish my Red, White, and Blue Log Cabin quilt and the binding on Autumn Jubilee!
Sometime this month a trip to the Gulf Coast is in order – will be nice to visit and sit by the water! Here’s hoping that a hurricane doesn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere!
I hope that this finds all healthy and ready to enjoy celebrating our country on 4 July 2021! Have a wonderful time with family and friends and stay cool! We have rain predicted for the next 8 days! Interesting July weather.
Warning –Status of Things to make you Depressed! June 2021 is almost over with and we are now 6 months and 2 days until 2022! Are you ready or that? Well, if not you should be, and in fact, you should be praying for 2024 to come FAST! Clay and I realized how dangerous this country is dangerously getting close to another 1929 Depression! Our first experience that gave us the first indicator was the visit to Durant Oklahoma when the Choctaw Nation had a job fair and was offering a $1,000.00 bonus to ACTUALLY ACCEPT a job with the Casino. WOW what an eye opener in April 2021 to see that they could not get people to take a job without paying them to come to work.
We had to come home early from Durant because of the Illegal Aliens who cross the border were being dropped off with 6 miles of our home and these Illegal Aliens who cross our border are not really nice people – they hurt US Citizens and break into our homes. One cannot enjoy a vacation knowing that this is going on so close to our home. Texas is just one of the border states for the Illegal Aliens to start living off solid American Citizens with our hard earned tax dollars. Do not be dismayed though if you live north of Texas and beyond, because we share and they are also headed throughout the US! This is compliments of the Democrats.
Now let’s fast forward to our day yesterday. If we thought that we had a shock in Durant, and the Illegals, nothing compared to what we experienced at the furniture store. We had decided to purchase a double recliner love seat and one single recliner. The first store we stopped at only had 7 recliners on the floor (when they used to have over 50)! Then we were advised it would be a YEAR if we placed an order with them! WHAT??? We had wanted to replace 360 feet of fence line last month but found out how the prices had tripled for materials, but never figured it had hit the furniture industry (DUH!).
Now on to the second store! We found a perfect (or at least we thought we did) Recliner Love Seat, BUT they did not have a matching single recliner we wanted. Another shock – this time they said it would be April 2022 before they would receive any orders placed now! We spent about one and a half hours to sit in the different chairs trying to decide if we wanted to pay close to $2,000 for the double recliner. I noticed that one side was a little higher than the other so I sat on one side, then the other, only to find out that one was softer! When I mentioned this to the Owner and asked him to do the same thing and let me know if it was me or the chair, he quickly stated that he did not need to because they were made by humans and one was different. Well, out of that store and it was a Lazy Boy Recliner that has poor workmanship!
Now you may not want to read something like this on my Blog as I know it is not quilting, but if you were not aware by now, this is not the time to purchase any big ticket items because the prices have tripled and most not available.
Now is the time to just sit and wait it out and pray for our country that our economy does not tank. I am surprised that it has not hit the Quilting World. Maybe it has but I am blessed and do not need any supplies for a long time.
OK enough of that depressing news – I have had enough of it by just trying to purchase a chair. Just let us stay on our 5 acres where we are well protected and make a short trip every now and then. No shopping because there is nothing available to purchase!
Goals from last weekfor To Do Tuesdays!
Continue with Personal Fitness and Attitude Goals√
Drag out Stonefields Pattern – Sections 7-10 need to be prepared.√
Quilt my Autumn Leaves Quilt Top that was one of the first quilts I had made in 2000.√
I had some life interruptions last week that took 2 days so I am a little behind. I will be quilting Autumn Leaves today. The backing is ready and I have taken the time to make sure that the quilt will not be out of square! I was a beginner when I made this quilt in 2000 timeframe.
First problem Identified! Another well know beginner mistake foundI still have a problem trailing off from the seam line!
I understand that these are little errors, but they really can ruin a quilt top! It looks much better now. The border was done at 5 1/2″ but after quilting I plan on reducing it to 5 inches unfinished, 4 1/2″ finished! I am not sure exactly how it will turn out because of the button hole hand stitching, but I will do my best!
The top is looking much better and I love the backing that I picked. The green is Kona Bay fabric from 2000! I loved it at the time, but never could figure out what to do with it! Now it has a home on the back of Autumn Leaves quilt!
Autumn Leaves CorrectedBacking for Autumn Leaves
Santa Fe Trail Block 4 is completed. I am following Melva‘s Quilt Along!
Block 4
I am almost finished with Block 10 of 16 for A Bountiful Life. Just need to do the flowers and a few stems.
I will make another attempt at Stonefields, but no promises hard and fast for me on this one. Depend if I can get excited about it again. We have Thursday and Friday filled with Doctor Appointments again, so that takes care of 2 days. If other days are peaceful and quiet, I just may reach my goals.
I hope everyone is looking forward to some celebrations for the 4th of July! Maybe next year our lives will be back in order and things won’t be so unpleasant. This one is difficult these days!
Greetings to all! We are hoping for a break in the weather this week. Rain today and 10 degrees cooler with rain through Thursday. I certainly hope their predictions are accurate!
I had my Endoscopy on Wednesday. Same diagnosis as 2011 – Gastritis and Gastric Polyps and this time he took a biopsy. Should have the results by Tuesday. No Ulcer which is good. Clay and I are enjoying a full week of not one appointment with a Doctor. Next Thursday he will have his first year Echo Cardiogram and Friday he will get a Rooster Comb shot in his left knee. Then sometime in July there might be a trip to the Gulf Coast for a much needed time away! We are Ready!
I am slowly getting on top of the UFO’s. Here is my progress on Block 10 for A Bountiful Life. The stems and yellow flowers will tone down the wild green leaves.
Block 10 A Bountiful Life
I finished Block 4 for Santa Fe Trail.
SFT Block 4
The fabrics are I am using Eliza’s Indigo by Betsy Chutchian for Santa Fe Trails. Here are the first 4 Blocks.
Life is interesting isn’t it? Well, nothing really new here other than I am trying to really get things finished. Still missing my outside walk, but am enjoying the ‘bike to nowhere’ in the house for 30 minutes. Today was a day to go to lovely San Antonio and that took up the morning. The weather was pleasant due to a mild cool front and light rain in the area during the night. But that won’t last long – because the high heat and high humidity will return tomorrow. The happy thing is that we probably will only have MAYBE 3 more months of the hot stuff and MAYBE have a Fall this year!
If you have time – check out one of my latest posts here! It is an interesting take on how the quilting world has changed since 2000, Quilt Shows, and a new friend’s antique quilts made by her Grandmother! She is a newbie to quilting and I am teaching her all of my bad habits! LOL!
It appears that I missed last week reporting, so I am going to pick up from my 8 June 2021 post and there and go forward. I will be out of commission for 2 days as I will be going to the Gastrointerologist for a quick nap in the early morning tomorrow. It is called an Endoscopy Nap! Then it usually takes the rest of the day to get over the Twilight sleep and then sit in the Sun (working on D and Tan) on Thursday to wake me up!
These were my goals for the last two weeks:
Continuing working on Dresden Plates √. Completed 9 more
Load RWB Log Cabin quilt on long arm and quilt it. √. Quilted and binding is on
Work on binding for Autumn Jubilee.√. Finished Binding
Work on A Bountiful Life Blocks.√. Worked on Leaves
Continue with improving my Vitamin D levels and staying on the Cluck Cluck Diet.√. Done
Look through the windshield of life and not in the rearview mirror – Yesterday is gone.√ Done
Progress Report on Projects!
Dresden Plates – Only 70 more mini Dresdens left to applique to the background grid! YEA! Maybe this will incentivize me to get with the program! I wonder if I could work on them while napping in the morning! LOL
Dresden Heaven Plates
A Bountiful Life. I kept looking at the leaf fabric and wondered why I chose that fabric. I toyed with the idea of just throwing that one out and starting over until I laid the flowers over the area where they will be and realized that I chose that color (probably in 2018) because the yellow flowers will tone down the wild leaves! Whew! Beginning to get excited about finishing this block. The next block is a fun block and will go faster!
A Bountiful Life Block
Autumn Jubilee. Completed, just needs a label!
Autumn Jubilee
Red, White, and Blue Log Cabin is quilted and the binding finished yesterday! It also needs a label!
Log Cabin Quilt Front Back of the quilt
Cluck Cluck Diet, Vitamin D, Sleep pattern, and attitude are all under stable control. Another group of personal goals DONE! Clay said I could hang around another 25 years! Whew!
Drag out Stonefields Pattern Sections 7-10 need to be prepared. *
Quilt my Autumn Leaf Quilt Top that was one of the first quilts I had made in 2000.
*Stonefields Pattern has 121 blocks but there are some of the blocks that I do not plan to make 121. I will need to review the remaining blocks and select the ones that appeal to me. Then I will need to figure where I am as far as a setting would go and begin preparing the blocks and finish this quilt top. After all the blocks are complete, there will be more work on the borders. I visualize a completion date of possibly October 2021. We shall see, but at least Stonefields has made it back on the goal list!
**Autumn Leaves – Made in 2000-2001 timeframe – one of my first quilts! I would love to hand quilt it, but I have others that will be hand quilted – This one will be done on my Long Arm.
Greetings to all Traditional Quilters! I did a post regarding how our quilting world has changed. Check it out here!
Now on how I am doing with my hand work in the last 3 weeks. Not as fast as I would have liked to but the Vitamin D is kicking in and I am now getting a great Tan sitting in the sun 15 minutes each day. So here goes with progress!
Dresden Heaven now has 35 plates sewn to the background! I chose to work on quilting my UFO stack of tops to be quilted rather than working on the plates. I will start on them after I go take my “nap” on Wednesday at the Endoscopy Table!
in the meantime Autumn Jubilee is a finish! Binding and all! I love this quilt even with the bottom left corner. Humbling to have to show you Boo Boo’s. LOL
Next on the list was the Red, White and Blue Log Cabin Quilt. I am now sewing the binding on. Hope to have it completed tomorrow. Today was another busy day.
Quilted
A Bountiful Life. I have not progressed a lot on this block. Now my thought is to ditch it and do it over with different leaves. I selected the fabric a few years back. Must have been a day before Cataract Surgeries because I do not like it! Time will tell what happens on this one. Either the trash can or finish it.
Again Check out my previous post from this afternoon. Lots of goodies in it!
Hugs, Nanette
This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piercers 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.
Happy Father’s Day and a Happy Summer Solstice Day tomorrow, one of my favorite days when the LONG days begin their journey to normal days! I certainly pray that Texans vote to do away with Daylight Savings Time (DST) in November! Fingers crossed!
I have been working on just about everything but mostly attitude and gathering as much Vitamin D as I can by sitting in the sun 10 to 15 minutes each day and using the Sun Lamp – AND it works! I have decided for the time being to post when I have something to show or say yet keeping up with To-Do Tuesdays, Slow Sunday Stitching, HQAL, and PHD 2021 and other Linky Parties (see below) for the time being. Life has begun to get back to a more relaxed and restful time for me. I am still working on my UFOs and making some progress!
I found a local quilting buddy whom I am now teaching how to quilt. She loves it and just soaks up all I can throw at her. And for a bonus – she and I are 100% Trump Conservative and we have many life experiences that are so very similar. How blessed I am that we connected. The time goes by so quickly when she comes over and it is so much fun and fulfilling when I can share what I have learned in my quilting life. I have really missed teaching and sharing with other quilters. Yesterday when she came over she brought 2 of the most beautiful antique quilts that her Grandmother had made that were in pristine condition! A postage stamp quilt hand made with 1″ squares, and a Cathedral Window Coverlet. What Heirlooms to have from a Grandmother, Jean Shelly! Her granddaughter Lois has taken immaculate care of these quilts. Jean lived to be 103 and passed away in 2018. Lois was so blessed to have her in her life!
Cathedral WindowsPostage Stamp Quilt
Which brings me to something that I realized the other day. When I started quilting in 2000, Three color quilts, hand applique, and hand quilting were extremely popular (called Traditional Quilting). It was around 2003 that the Kaffe Fassets of the world were just beginning to break into the Quilting World with their wild artisan fabrics. Kaffe was one of the first Artisans to cross over from Art to introduce Contemporary quilting into the Traditional Quilting World.
Starting in 2004 the long arm quilting machines and sewing machines with digitizing capability entered into the Quilt World. These three changes had a great impact in Judged Quilt Shows. Changes included, but not limited to, “the backing had to be fabric that blended with the quilt top” (no muslin backings please), Quilts were judged on the quilting and the Judges preferred that quilting be done by a Professional Quilter. Therefore, quilts was judged on how well the Long Arm Quilter did rather than how complex the quilt top was and the work that the Quilter had accomplished in making the quilt.
It became more difficult for the Traditional Quilter to compete for those valued Ribbons. It has taken about 10 years to weed out the Traditional Quilter who wants to enter Quilt Shows and be able to compete with other quilters. They spend hours in making their quilts and they are more difficult quilts that can be very time consuming and expensive to make. Therefore the desire to enter their creations in the shows has diminished. So Sad! In fact, you will hardly find any quilt in a show that has been hand quilted these days, if any at all. The Categories for Hand Applique and Hand Quilted Quilts are GONE!
To add to the demise in Traditional Quilters, around 2012 or 2013 the Modern Quilters came into being in the South Texas area with their Improve (Better known as Improvisational) quilts. They brought the ideas of making the patterns very simple just slapping any color of fabrics and any shape together and calling it a quilt. Personally they give me Migraine Headaches. In 2017 Clay and I visited the Dallas, Texas Quilt Show. I had wanted to enter a quilt for 2018 Show, but after I saw the quilt that won Best of Show I could see the writing on the wall! This is what won. (Oops I feel a Migraine coming on)
Best of Show Dallas Texas 2017 Quilt Show
If that is not wild enough for you how about this one? Looks like a messed up mind to me!
Call me old fashioned or out of touch with the In Crowd, but I prefer to be labeled as a Traditional Quilter. I am one who does not use glue, starch, nor do I quilt my quilts to death, and last but not least – no paper piecing. I can make a quilt and not cut off points just using good old meth and a great ruler! I have a few Jelly Rolls, but I would bet that if I make the few quilts that I purchased them for that the strips will not be a perfect 2 1/2″ wide! Any takers?
To really understand my position on Traditional, Contemporary, and Improve, I started my quilting journey in 2000 watching the “young” Alex Anderson when she was on PBS each week. I taped her shows and learned about all the wonderful quilt Designers and their specialty techniques. In other words, I arrived at the tail end of the last of the Traditional Quilters. I thrived on all I could learn through books, other quilters, and some on-line courses. It was wonderful. Those Designers are now gone and if any of them are still active in Quilting it is very few. They were experts in Traditional Quilting.
Now about the fabric colors currently available to Quilters. The popular ones are the orange, aqua, teal and pinks all of which are not my colors. Of course now that we are close to the 4th of July there are a lot of red, white, and blue colors of which I love to see. But I have had my fill of RAINBOW COLORS! I love Reproduction fabrics and all Batiks as they make beautiful quilts. Kaffe Fasset is still around and in 2007 I did make a quilt from his fabrics but gave it to my Cousin to finish – it was just too busy and loud for me. I currently have 2 fat quart bundles that I will be using someday to make a quilt called Lollypop Trees by Kim McLean (unless I get a wild notion to sell the pattern and fabric – it will depend on how many Migraines I can handle).
At the show we met Artisan Barbara McCraw and were in awe of the beautiful quilt she had made depicting her family heritage! The quilt was titled “Family Reunion” and it won First Place in Masters Category, Viewers Choice Award, and Fine Artist Award for Hand Needle Work!!! NOW this quilt should have been chosen by those Judges as The Best of Show instead of the quilt shown above! The work that Barbara put into this Heirloom was absolutely exquisite and absolutely perfect!!!! An Artisan doing Traditional Quilting! This is a picture of the cover of her book called “My Family Quilt – A Sentimental Journey in Applique”
Sometimes walking down memory lane is fun and going to Quilt Shows has always been exciting to me, but after seeing how our craft has changed, this particular show proved to me that a “traditional quilter” needs to just stay at home and enjoy making her quilts and forget about competing in Quilt Shows. I will be saving lots of $$$$$ by NOT sending out my 4 Quilts designated for Quilt Shows to have them Custom Quilted! End of Story!
Back to the life as it is in 2021. Jaydee is really making great headway on her Civil War Bride quilt. Her hand quilting is perfect. I love the echo quilting she is doing – it really makes the applique stand out. Great work Jaydee!
I began this post early this morning and just now finishing it. I will be doing some more posts on where I am in my projects! We had a wonderful visit with my step-son Ricky whom I love dearly along with his brother George. It was a great day for him to come visit on Father’s Day. He always gives the best hugs and gave one to Clay for Father’s Day.
And a Happy Tuesday to all! It is summer hot here in South Texas now – reaching into heat index’s of over 100! I will be sitting in the sun about 15 minutes each day to supplement my Vitamin D with a fan on me, but it is worth it as each day I have more energy, no depression, sleeping well, and motivation to quilt on my projects! YEA! Life is getting better.
These were my goals last week.
Be happy for all that we have and forget about the bad! √
Sew the binding for Autumn Jubilee √
Load and quilt another quilt (May be my Red, White and Blue Log Cabin) ↓
Work on Dresden Plates (Applique) √
Work on A Bountiful Life (Applique) ↓
Stay on my special diet! √
Happiness has found me again thanks to time in the Sun and more Sun Lamp time! ☀
I have the binding sewn and ready to hand stitch for Autumn Jubilee
I did not get my RWB Log Cabin load, but it will be done this week. It is a smaller quilt and will not take long to complete it.
Patriotic Log Cabin – Moda Stars – Flimsy
AND finally I am beginning to make progress on Dresden Heaven! Amazing when one has energy, creativity, and drive to work on hobbies! I have a total of 26 completed (without the circles) and only 79 small ones to finish! I believe there are about 10 larger Dresdens to applique when those are completed, but the end is getting closer to completion. The push is on as I am working on this project during the day to get it finished!
26 of 109 Dresden Heaven Plates!
I am sticking to my Cluck Cluck Diet and not straying anymore! It just is not worth it.
Goals for 7 – 14 June 2021
Continuing working on Dresden Plates
Load RWB Log Cabin quilt on long arm and quilt it.
Work on binding for Autumn Jubilee.
Work on A Bountiful Life Blocks.
Continue with improving my Vitamin D levels and staying on the Cluck Cluck Diet.
Look through the windshield of life and not in the rearview mirror – Yesterday is gone.
Have a great week stitching and enjoy what you are doing! Take time to sit in the sun for 10 minutes if possible each day! Vitamin D – The Sunshine Vitamin!
Today is 6 years that we lost Darryl to Cancer. He was a very unique guy! I remember the time I first met Darryl Scott Cook! Clay had contacted me on the 3rd of June 1996 thinking he had found a ‘pen pal’ from Harlandale High School in San Antonio, Texas. (Clay and I grew up together and graduated at the same time but never dated.). Around the end of June 1996 Clay flew to Sterling Virginia for a visit. Before he left, he introduced me to Darryl on a phone call! That was my first memory of Darryl! He was so funny and so very easy to talk with, just like his Father. He spoke about the change in Clay since he had connected with me in early June and how intelligent his Father was.
Through the years Darryl provided us with so many laughs with his antics, as he was just a fun person to be around because you never knew what he would say or do next.
Clay told me that he was really something as a child – he loved to get into something that he was not supposed to and then blame it on his Sister. I bet watching Darryl in action was something else.
He had a kind heart (like his Father) and also had the Irish/Choctaw blood in him. Ready to fight, but never did. He passed at the age of 51 – way too young because he really loved life! You just could not be angry with Darryl for anything he said or did because of his personality!
We were blessed to have spent the last 14 months with Darryl before he passed. Clay and Darryl were able to bond together as Father and Son before he left this earth. He is with God and has been these past 6 years.
We both miss Darryl’s infectious laughter and funny ways! He was a blessing to all. He would want us to be at peace today and remember all the fun times.
Clay and Darryl Matching Shirt JacketsDarryl and NanetteFun Times in the Studio (Clay was recuperating from Neck Surgery)Nanette and Clay in the 3rd Grade – Still together after 25 years!
Happy Sunday! We are well into going through another month and this one will probably be a hot one here in South Texas. But we have had a great 5 weeks of rain! We are up to almost 15 inches of rain during that time and we are now out of the drought! Grass is so green and growing each day. We are praying that the rain is not gone for the summer!
For the last 6 months I have been trying to get caught up on all of my 2020 projects, but it seemed that the more I tried to do the less I produced. The first thing I began to notice was the tiredness, no desire to do anything (depression), and especially quilting. The idea of getting up in the morning and running out the door to walk was not in the cards! We figured it was due to the Potassium levels (Last year I really bottomed out and vowed to not let that happen again) and the stress of 2020. I tend to sweat profusely when doing my 1.5 miles each morning in our lovely humid and hot weather. But like an idiot, I quit eating my eggs and potatoes which supply me with the vitamins I cannot take for a month or more. Being a Celiac my diet is very bland and limited. I am only human though and keep hoping that if I try something new that it will be a food I can add to the Cluck Cluck Diet! This is just not going to be possible for me! So I will accept it and if I stray, the I will accept the consequences!
So I had to give up the outdoor walk last week and move to the indoor Exercise Bike because my Potassium had begun to drop again. This Thursday we had our bloodwork done (trying to get back on track from the idiot Chinese Virus with our 3 and 6 month checkups). On Friday we received the results! First of all, on 2 Jun 2021 it has been a year since Clay had his Aorta Valve replaced – great celebration because he is doing great! His bloodwork was excellent – but he needs to drink more water (the ex-heart doctor told him to cut back – mistake). On to my results. My Potassium was at 4.4 – very high for me – so the indoor exercise is doing its job along with lowering my glucose levels. I am still in the Pre-Diabetics range which keeps me off any medications! Yea for me as I was certain it had really gone up again! BUT ALAS, the negative news was the drop in my Vitamin D level! It has dropped to 30 (probably was lower) for some reason and that was causing the depression, sleep problems, tiredness, desire to do nothing and just sit!
About 10 years ago it had dropped to 18 which is a BIG NO NO! I started using a Sun Lamp and could get it up to 40 (have issues with taking replacements because of the things they put into the pills). The bloodwork gave me with the answer as to why I cannot get motivated to do any quilting much less anything else! I knew that I needed to try to find a replacement to increase my lives and I found a Vitamin D that has nothing in it but Vitamin D and Olive oil and will be trying that today.
I do believe that being low in Vitamin D has also caused my white blood count to drop along with the platelets being low. So now when the sun comes out I am sitting in my chair soaking up the sun for 15-20 minutes. Every 10 minutes in the sun will provide 10,000 IU (international units) of Vitamin D to me.
Due to all the stress of 2020, time fighting BAMC, Medicare, Clay’s Secondary insurance from last year, I thought that the depression and lack of interest in life was probably attributed to that. I knew something was not right, but had not thought about the Vitamin D – the Sunshine Vitamin being low again. I also track my steps each day and when walking I was tracking my VOX. I have always been in great shape for my age and all of a sudden in late December things started to change. Now I understand what has been going on and on the way to correct things.
Based on what I am going through I am thinking of all the Quilters who are experiencing the loss of their Quilting MoJo! And how about the children who had to stay home and not go outdoors? Think about it – the Federal Government locked everyone down and told them to stay home. A lockdown like this affects individuals mentally and physically! Freedom to come and go and be outdoors during the summer time (especially those who live in the North where it gets so cold and hard to exercise in the snow) is critical in maintaining our mental and physical health!
So, if you are one of the many who are not motivated and not sure why, have your Vitamin D levels checked. It is a simple blood test and it really is an eye opener if you find out that you need to either get outdoors, or take a supplement to boost your levels! This applies especially to anyone over 65 because as we age, we tend to have a difficult time in maintaining those levels.
So bottom line is that I will probably not accomplish as much as I want to, but it won’t take too long to start feeling a lot better. I am now just beginning to enjoy getting out of bed and heading to the bike to get my workout and trying to stay away from food that makes me ill. Eventually, my energy level will return and I can get back on track with my life.
This week included 3 trips to SA – Clay had hurt his knee about a week ago, so it was Doctor visit on Tuesday, Bloodwork on Thursday, and Radiology on the knee on Friday! He is doing fine, just having to be careful with the knee. They gave him a Steroid shot in the knee and was advised it was Arthritis! On the 23rd of June I am scheduled for my Endoscopy and make sure the tummy is fine, that it just does not like certain foods. Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) is one of my enemies that limits certain foods also.
So for Slow Stitching Sunday I have nothing to show, and not sure if I will have any progress on Tuesday, but I will try! I do know that the sun is going to be my best friend for quite a while! I am just going to quit being so hard on myself until Mr D and I have a better relationship!
Well, Happy Tuesday (Wednesday for me) everyone! A new month! Just think, in 8 months it will 2 January 2022! Maybe the next 7 months will be full of rain and a cool Fall for 2021! I have changed my exercise program to the indoor exercise bike – just too humid and warm for this 76 year old! I do miss the walk, but not the hot and humid weather of which we have more earlier this year with the rain! Absolutely no complaints on the rain. We have had close to 11.5 inches in the last month, so we are very pleased with having some beautiful green grass again!
It has been a year today that Clay had his Aorta Valve replaced. It is a great day in the neighborhood here and much to be thankful for! Although, Clay and I wish our country was not in such a downward spiral!
I have not felt well in May (my fault for trying new foods and problems with Polyethylene Glycol and low Potassium). So I am back on track and beginning to feel better by not losing potassium sweating my posterior off each morning! My glucose is also much lower so still not going to have to take medication for Pre-Diabetics. June is looking good for us.
New and Old Goals for 31 May through 7 June 2021:
Be happy for all that we have and forget about the bad!
Sew the binding for Autumn Jubilee
Load and quilt another quilt (May be my Red, White and Blue Log Cabin)
Work on Dresden Plates (Applique)
Work on A Bountiful Life (Applique)
Stay on my special diet!
I did get Autumn Jubilee quilt quilted but mistakes were made in the cutting of the backing and I had to load the quilt different and will never do that again! You can see the mess on the lower left corner! Grrr! It still is a pretty quilt and no one will know the difference when keeping warm under it!
Autumn Jubilee – Mistakes and all!
I have finished a few more of the Dresden Plates, but not going fast enough so am leaning toward spending the next couple of days doing only had work. If I really work hard at it I could get this project done a lot quicker! I am going to start cutting out the circles for this group and the first group that are completed and sew them on. Then it won’t be so overwhelming doing 105 at one time.
I was planning on getting this post out yesterday as I only had an appointment in the morning in Seguin to drop off my hearing aids for cleaning. Clay hurt his knee on Friday and I was able to get him in with the knee doctor in the afternoon in San Antonio. Dr Heckman gave him a steroid shot in the knee and on the 16th of June Radiology will take care of the Baker’s Cyst.
It was a good day as we checked off 2 appointments and 2 errands that required our attention and a no cooking supper topped it off! Clay had sausage from Bill Miller with Potato Salad and I fixed tuna and had some of his Potato Salad! But at 9PM we were headed for the bed! I mentioned to Clay that we could have gone to the coast for the day with the mileage I drove! LOL
I am not going to add anything new to my weekly goal as I want to get something finished instead of staying overwhelmed with the things that I want to do and what I call “need” to finish! We shall see – our calendar is empty until the 14th of June. I will enjoy the free time.
Please keep Susan in your prayers while she goes through her changes now in her journey of life. Thank you!
Have a wonderful week and enjoy stitching and life!
Greetings – to see what I have been doing (???) (Really?). Click here, and here! It has been a very slow slow month for me! Maybe June will be more productive!
Hey – I figured out how to highlight the links to my favorite blue! I switched them to “Blocks” instead of the Classic! Yea for me – brain is working today – And on a Monday at that!
