What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 

Two walks at Illinois Beach State Park this weekend were good for my body and my spirit.  

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In the studio:  two finishes!  

I signed up for the guild mystery ...

YES -- the walker will be adjusted, and YES -- the height is often the problem. DH instructed me to pay close attention to that little detail. That's why someone needs to drop it off so it is adjusted to her, and I MUST call today to make that happen!

Well, this is the third time in a row that the FitBit has died. There was no warning; it just died. That means it is definitely time to replace it. Maybe later this week, I can make that happen. I might wait until next week when I have a maintenance appointment ...

Left:  mertensia (Virginia bluebells) in the back garden.  I have sorely neglected said garden this season.

I signed up for the doll quilt swap hosted by Lori at Humble Quilts.  The instructions were simple:  make a small quilt using Civil War reproduction fabrics and a traditional block.  Participants sent to one person and received from another. 

Here's what arrived yesterday.  Debra from Colorado used a block called Old Maid's Puzzle (there are several blocks by that name).   I really like the pop of red.

The ...

Quilting

Oh my --- I do not want to get old. WAIT! That's not right. I guess I don't mind getting old because the alternative isn't great. But I want to get old gracefully, or as gracefully as I can manage. I want to get old by maintaining my body as best I can. And I want to get old by keeping my brain active and asking questions, being curious, and having a purpose each day when I get up! 

Can I control those things? Not 100%, but I will do my darndest to make that happen. I guess ...

Stevens has been sitting in a wheelchair just across from the nurse's station so he can see and react to people going by.  He can hold a spoon or fork to feed himself and he can grasp a cup to drink.  

 S is getting more alert.  His appetite is good.  I will learn more when I meet with the care team this week.

My friend Donna won the quilt I donated to the raffle.

I'm sure the club treasurer will have a glowing report at tomorrow's board meeting. 

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These are 8" (finished) blocks so the pieces were a bit fiddly to cut.

 Stevens had laprascopic surgery on Friday afternoon. The results were good.  "I went from one end of the bowel to the other," said the surgeon when he called me, "and there's nothing there."  It's taken S all weekend to recover. He was half-awake when I visited Saturday morning and asleep this afternoon.  Thanks again to all of you for your concern and support.

The thirteen Lake County Round Table P.E.O. chapters held the annual Founder's Day luncheon on Saturday.  I'm round table president so I was the emcee.  This was the second year the ...

 March ended like a lion. On Monday Stevens woke up vomiting. Paramedics took him to the ER where, after many tests, they found a bowel obstruction.  No surgery required but he is still in the hospital. I visited yesterday. He perked up when he saw me.  Not sure when he will be discharged and to where.  More discussion with hospital social worker and a care consultant today.  (The hospital is in the same complex as the clinic where his doctor's office is, so his own physician has been to see him.)  Meanwhile V was so helpful. While I was ...

Oh yes - my gluts! I don't think they are strong at all. They should be, but I don't think they are. The biggest issue is the imbalance - hamstrings are too tight, glutes are not strong enough, and other fun things. You would think for all the spin classes I do, this shouldn't be a problem, but it is. The truth is in doing some exercises and seeing how much weight I can lift. Together, my legs work as a great team, but individually? They are wobbly and unsure of themselves. This just goes to show how a ...

Two beautiful days this weekend got us out for a walk at the state park and a nearby forest preserve.  

The dogwood is really red.   

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I made eight 9-patch blocks in yellow for the March Rainbow Scrap Challenge.   I have a pattern that will use eight 9ps in each color.

Oh gosh—I messed up that link again!!! I went back and fixed it. I try to be very aware when copying links, but I don't remember having to be this careful. Sigh. So here are two more of the 50 Ways to Keep a Quilter (and her family) Happy While on Vacation! Enjoy!!!!

Here is that one again, so you don't have to return to yesterday's post. 

And here is the series's next one (37, 36, 35, 34). 

Hopefully, both work! I double-checked that the https:/ was included in the link, but it seems to ...

Yesterday was such a different day from the past month. I puttered all afternoon, but I also got some sewing done. OK, I mostly sewed and didn't putter much. I'm good as long as no one can see the mess on the screen. The camera faces a wall, so there is plenty of room in front of it to stash the mess! 

With everything going on, I haven't been reading much lately. However, I recently received notifications about two ebooks that I had let lapse without finishing. I accepted both—more on that in a minute. I ...

This year's theme is, obviously, India.  

The corridor to the greenhouses featured this display. 

It is impossible to take a bad picture of an orchid.  

The peacock's tail was all orchids. 

Stevens ...

Still no walking, but we did get out Sunday afternoon for the Lake County Symphony Orchestra's winter concert at the College of Lake County.  First act:  Bernstein's Chichester Psalms. Second act:  Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.  Ode to Joy in the fourth movement was performed by a combined choir (Northern Illinois University and local chorales).   Wonderful music just fifteen miles from home and $30 per seat.  

It was a full house with open seating, but we had seats in the ADA accessible row.

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In the studio:  Closet Maid wire basket units hold a lot of fabric.  Unfortunately they are ...

The weather cooperated Saturday morning for the spaghetti dinner delivery.  All our "customers" (neighbors mostly) were appreciative.  We had two of the dinners ourselves -- tasty!  

Saturday afternoon I went to the last hours of an estate sale.  The advertised German nutcrackers were long gone by the time I got there but I got a nice office chair on wheels for $7.00.   The seat-lifter on the Steelcase chair I've had at my sewing machine ...

The Quiltville FB group has photos of many versions of the design with different colorways and different sashings or settings or borders.  I'm going to stick to the sashing as patterned but I may do something other than the checkerboard border.