TURNED THE CORNER

I feel like I turned the corner yesterday.  I hope the worst days are over now.  I did not take any pain medication in the day time, though I was certainly not pain free.  I was able to sleep on my side last night for the first time.  When you are not a back sleeper, having to lay on my back so much has been hard to deal with.  I still am not allowed to bend or twist and still am in a back brace when out of bed.  The brace drives me nuts!  There are lots of things I cannot do for myself but that will come with time.

I finished stitching the first wool block a couple days ago and am sharing that with you today.

This was just a quick photo taken on my bed.  I am using cotton thread to stitch the wool parts to the cotton background fabric.  Lots of blocks left to stitch.  I will not be setting the world on fire with fast stitching for a while yet.  I am just happy to be able to start getting back into some kind of sewing.

Thank you so much for so many well wishes.  It means a lot to me to receive so many nice e-mails.  And the packages with magazines, patterns, handmade items, etc. have been such a treat.  I hate days when all the mailman brings is advertising or a bill!  I did a little online shopping and am waiting on packages to arrive.  I can't get out to a quilt shop or show but I can still shop from home!

Have a great day and come back soon.

Karen

THE BIG "S" AGAIN AND WORKS IN PROGRESS

This will be my last post before the Big "S".  I am having a second lower back surgery and will be out of action for a bit.  Not something to look forward to but necessary.  As soon as I can sit at the computer, I will do a short post but probably will not be able to answer e-mails right away.  I can tell you that I am not looking forward to surgery one little bit.

I thought I would leave you with pictures of works in progress.  I am putting them away for a short while and will probably do just hand stitching as soon as I can sit comfortably in the chair.

Whoops!  This is not a work in progress.  I put out the January stitchery this morning.  I need to get the duster out and get rid of the cobweb.  It is hard for me to lean over as low as this contraption sits and I can't see the cobweb except in the picture.  LOL!

I finished part three of the Raggedy Ann & Andy stitchery project.  I am behind as part six came out a few days ago.  But I have the next three parts traced and ready to do the embroidery on.

I am just beginning to add the wool applique to "Soot & Ashes".  This project was on Cheri's blog in the fall.  There are two vines with leaves & flowers to add and some other border things.  All will need hand stitching.  This is a smaller size quilt.  I used Civil War reproduction fabrics for the blocks.

I know these are snowmen heads but don't know if you can tell that.  I have embroidery to do around the inner border about "Let It Snow" and buttons and snaps to add for the eyes & mouths of the snowmen.  The carrot noses are wool and will need hand stitching.  I used the "Fruit Cake" line of fabric.  I am not big on using Christmas prints but these have a "grunge" look to them.  In fact, the somewhat solid looking fabrics in the line are called "grunge".  I don't have many winter quilts so this will be a good addition.

Even though Christmas is over, I am still working on Christmas quilts.  This is a work in progress from a Nativity pattern by Cheri.  Her quilt used wools for the applique but I used cottons instead.  The pieces are fused on and will need machine stitching around the edges.  I have another Christmas quilt that I will be doing hand applique.  I don't have time to hand applique every quilt I want to make, so this being prim style, I used a quicker method.  I have the words traced on that will need hand embroidery.  The quilt will get a pieced border after the stitching is all done.

I changed my header photo to the Snowbound quilt.  I have shown it on my blog more than once but it is my favorite winter quilt.  I put it out today for display.  I need winter quilts and want to concentrate on adding more to the mix.

Our December was the coldest on record for Florida.  Now we are above average in temperature.  It was 80 degrees when we were out earlier this afternoon.  Hope all of you are staying warm and toasty and those in the Southern Hemisphere not too warm!  I'll be back with you as soon as I can.

Karen