Thread Tales From A Scrappy Quilter

Lots of activity the past month or so.  The long awaited neurologist testing which would get me into a pain management group was a bust.   Pain management wanted to do a surgical implanted device!  No non-invasive treatments were offered.  But on a brighter note (this is bright?!) Ortho surgeon #3 has run tests and determined I do not have a bone infection...but my implant is loose.  This is a huge group, at a huge orthopedic hospital and has awards posted all over their building, including joint replacements from 2006 to present.   It was really nice being in a large hospital too, you go from their office to MRI, Lab, whatever.   Sometimes you needed appointments in the future, often they could see you within a few hours.   It took all day on each of my appointments but they get done. I am in limbo at this time.  Bone scans will tell a truer picture of what is going on inside there.  But statistics prove that bone ...

One of my local guilds, Golden Needles in Conroe, TX  had their show a few weeks ago.   You may remember that their show was scheduled for last year but Hurricane Harvey had other plans.  Our quilts were judged but never hung as the convention center was being used as a shelter.   Sad that those awesome quilts were never on display!   We were able to re-book for this year but only had a year to make new quilts!   Members still pulled off a beautiful display of amazing quilts, the entire show and live auction was awesome. Personally, My Fade To Purple got a 1st place ribbon and Gravity placed 2nd in the same Modern category - all sizes.   Yeah!   Gravity has finally shown in all 3 of my guilds that I am a member of that hosts their own show (modern is too small and no show) /  She finally gets to be hung back in front of my custom longarm machine.   I took it down last fall, it hung at Houston in the T...

I have been invited to participate in  Benita Skinner's online bloggers Meet and Greet .  You may want to meet other quilters and check out the fab prizes that Benita is offering  from her website.   You will find the links below. If you are not familiar with me, I am a professional longarm quilter specializing in custom heirloom quilting primarily for Judy Niemeyer / Quiltworx pp quilts and applique quilts but I am not taking new clients at this time.   I also offer computerized edge to edge quilting to compliment your quilt tops and usually have approximately a 2 week turn around time.  There are so many beautiful designs available to day. Here are few  recent custom  quilts: Suzie's Paradise In Blooms Lou Ellen's Glacier Star Lou Ann's Vintage Rose Sally's Lancaster  And some fun edge to edge designs: HMQG My 2 Fabric Bargello Jo Ann's Prairie Star QOV If you ar...

19 weeks.   4.5 months.  I'm not giving up.  Who would have ever thought this is where any of us would be after an elective surgery that everyone you talk to says how much better they are afterwards.  Knee Replacement.  My family has been very supportive helping around the house, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning.  Bob has been out of state so much and leaves again this week which does make it harder for me and for Mickey.  Mick starts back with college classes next week too. I can stand longer before I have to sit and elevate.  I am able to turn around edge to edge faster than the prior months.  It's still very painful.  Not sure I should even be doing it but I have to do something.  Doesn't matter what I do, food prep, shopping, sitting in a chair, or sewing machine or standing to try to do computer longarm designs or cutting fabric.  It all sets off pain.   I just can't stand very long or try to walk ...

I had a request to make quilted placemats for my oldest son.  They wanted a dog theme and washable for daily use. We didn't discuss in  detail about what that theme should be.  I started looking at patterns and really wasn't seeing what I wanted.  They have a black lab so just any dog wouldn't do! After much searching, I decided to go with a traditional quilt pattern from Quiltworx called Broken Daisy and use animal theme prints.   I needed really small prints for this one. This definitely was a labor of love.  I'm still trying to recover from my total knee replacement and having a very difficult time.  I learned to run the machine with my left foot.  I realized that it was not possible for me to stand to do all the cutting and trimming needed.   I ordered a nice adjustable height stool for my cutting table which is open at the bottom so there is space for my legs.  I had to do the same in the kitchen but it is more awkward b...

Lou Ellen has been busy clearing out lots of small quilts lately plus working on her very detailed quilts that she loves to make.   She stay busy!   These are all so cute.   Oh my gosh do I love that fur like minkee!  That was the longest plushest that I have ever worked with.  I need some for my granddaughters.     Cute fabrics too     These were made from the same fabrics, similar designs yet different.    It's always a pleasure to work on such cute quilts!   If you are interested in having me custom machine quilt or edge to edge longarm maching quilt for you please contact me or you can review more information on my website .     

OK, I did it again.   I'm running on exhaustion for way too long now.  My own projects are not getting done.   This makes 31 in the past 13 months... Not counting my project for myeloma or guilds large quilt projects.   Just quilting donation quilts.  At an average of 5 hours a quilt... that's 155 hours.   I worked Friday night and Saturday to get these 2 done.  Meanwhile my quilt that I already registered to show at Conroe is not even finished with the piecing.. .much less quilting!   But... when there is a need and everyone is in the same boat... you gotta do what you must do. I worried over wanting to custom quilt the veteran one  (Conroe is doing a presentation at this year's show to veterans) but I just did not have the time.   Can you believe how the pantograph ended up framing that center???   I could have spent hours planning something like that and it just worked out that way. ...