Framed!

I got the borders on my Buttercream & Figs quilt yesterday, and I just love the effect.   My sis-in-law didn't pick the specific fabrics, but she suggested the Moda Winter Rose line and she was right on in her prediction that they would work.

I have to chuckle about my SIL - bless her heart.  We started quilting together in 1996.  When we would go shopping, she had very strong opinions about the kinds of fabric that she liked and would buy.  No dots, no stripes, no paisleys!  She bought a lot of small matchy-matchy calicos, while I have always liked a lot of texture and pattern in my fabrics.

But in the prevailing years, she has worked part time in 2 different quilt stores and now has an excellent sense of colors, fabrics, patterns and putting things together.  I trust her opinion now very much and see - she proved me right once again!  I'm completely in love with this quilt and its new borders!

Quilting funk

I'm still in kind of a funk after completing the "red monster" quilt.  I just can't seem to get enthused about the project I thought I wanted to complete next.  It's on my design wall, but it's not 'popping' for me.

I took another quilt top to the shop where my sis-in-law works to get opinions about the border fabric I had.  I wasn't really thrilled with the fabric, but I didn't especially want to buy any more fabric for this quilt top.  Well, the consensus of the 5 quilters who hovered around my quilt top was that the fabric I had did nothing to enhance the quilt, which is what I suspected all along.  My sis-in-law suggested a new line of Moda's they'd just gotten in, and I found 2 fabrics that I liked really well with my top.  Again, the consensus was that they were it!

So more fabric came home with me - what the heck, I've already blown my "Great Fabric Depression" resolution for the month.  But I am excited about getting this quilt top finished and to the quilter.

Now borders are one of the other chores that is not a pleasant task for me, so no guarantees on how long it will take me to get them on the quilt!  I did get 2 sides of the first border done, so some small progress is being made.

Great news!

I had my shoulder treatment yesterday.  The massage therapist said my shoulder was "like iron" and "super strong."  After today's treatment, he said that we're pretty much finished, and that he has brought me back to where he thinks I need to be to do the things I want to do.  He told me to continue to push myself, and I'll see him again in 2-1/2 weeks.  I can always go to him immediately if my shoulder pain returns, but for now, I think I'm cured!  This is so incredibly awesome!!!  I never thought I'd be pain-free again.  It's been 4 months of agony, but now I have hope again!

This weekend I'm planning a 1-1/2 hour kickboxing class on Saturday, followed by a long bike ride on Sunday.  My girlfriend thinks I should try swimming again as a real test, but to be honest, that terrifies me.  We'll see!

It's been a busy week and I haven't been in the sewing room for a couple of days.  I'm hoping to get some time in there this weekend and pet the fabric.

Triumphant return!

I returned for my first kickboxing class last night and I felt like a celebrity!  Everyone was so happy to see me and gave me hugs and it made me so happy to see my friends again.  Even my favorite goofy instructor came running from across the room and gave me a huge hug - and I've never seen him hug ANYONE before!  It made me feel so good to be back.

And boy did we sweat last night!  The shoulder is a little sore, not unbearable.  The thighs are screaming from all the lunges we did last night.  But it's a good kind of sore!  Yay!  I am so happy to be back to doing something I love!  Next class will be Saturday, as I'm sure I will be too sore after my treatment tomorrow to attempt to go to class.

Can't get in the groove

I typically only work on one quilt project at a time, at least I'm only piecing one project at a time, although sometimes I will cut out another to prep for later.  Like the current project on my design wall - Allemande - which I cut out back in January when I had bronchitis and only had the energy to sit and cut, cut, cut.

I am actually not "feeling" this quilt - it's lovely, but I just can't seem to hit my stride in piecing it.  Plus, it is too large to put up on my design wall, so that is always a creative hindrance as well.

So this weekend, I was doing some cutting - trimming up some half-square triangles for my orange & cream quilt, and cutting out Anniversary Stars from my Moda Rhubarb & Ginger FQs.  So much cutting, that my left forearm is quite sore from all the ruler-holding!

Last night it was blissfully quiet at home, since my DD was spending the night at her cousin's house.  But could I sew worth a darn?  No!  I wasn't able to cut because of the pain my arm, and try as I might, I kept sewing the squares of Allemande together wrong!  Don't ask me how, but when I took one piece apart for the THIRD TIME, I decided I just wasn't meant to sew right now.  Does that ever happen to you?  Maybe tonight....

Yeah, well, um....

My commitment to the Great Fabric Depression didn't last long.  And although technically neither purchase should 'count' because one was a ONCE IN A LIFETIME (snicker) quilt show purchase and the other was a kit I preordered back in May, I've still fallen hard off the wagon.

Well the least I can do is share my fabric porn with you.  I know DARLENE is anxious to see what brought me to the dark side....

Huge news!

My shoulder hurt slightly from my bike ride on Saturday. I rode again Tuesday morning. Still, very minimal pain, like a 1-2 on a scale of 10.  I even made it up 2 hills that I normally have had to stop and walk my bike up - yay me!

The ART therapist was very pleased that I responded so well to his first treatment with me.  I have 4 problem muscles and they all held the treatment very well.  His tests of my muscle function hurt my shoulder slightly.  Then he applied his treatment, which was so incredibly painful, but afterwards, I could move those 2 problem areas with no more shoulder pain.

He told me to continue to test/stress my shoulder so we can pinpoint what work needs to be done.  I asked him if kickboxing would be too taxing to try, since it is pretty jarring.  First he said "Well, I don't know" and my heart sank.  But he went on to say for me to give my muscles a few days to recover from the treatment, and then ideally to see him 2 days after my class so we can see how I'm holding up.  So I have his blessing to go to kickboxing class next Tuesday and then he will see me for a treatment on Thursday. I am so excited, I can't stand it!!!

Sad

I got my email this morning with final instructions for the Danskin Triathlon - materials pick-up and bike racking.  It hit me like a ton of bricks that I won't be doing the race.  :(

I took a 40 minute bike ride on Saturday and although I did really well for not having ridden in over a month (and I made it all the way up the hill coming home for the first time ever!), my shoulder is hurting.  So I feel like all my progress went down the tubes.  I have another ART treatment tomorrow, so hopefully he can fix me back up again and get me kickboxing!!!

Altogether now, 1-2-3

I got all the borders finished on my red, black & cream quilt, so the monster top is now complete!  I'm very pleased with the way it turned out.  Now I just need to take the vacuum to my sewing room floor tonight because it is loaded with tiny bits of black, red and white threads.  I've never had a quilt shed so much, but I'm guessing because there are so many tiny pieces to this one.  I have threads on all of my clothing too, it seems, since my ironing pile is next to my ironing board.  My lint brush will get a workout as well!

Next up in the rotation is this quilt using Moda's Faded Memories line of fabrics.  The pattern is Allemande by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.  I have all the smaller pieces assembled, I just need to arrange and sew the rows together.

I truly love the luxury of a having a whole design wall in my sewing room.  I love being able to lay out the pieces, and then when I ride my stationary bike in the morning before I go to work, I can look at the design and see where I need to move pieces.  Many pieces got moved after this morning's ride!

Your cheatin' heart...

Today is day 10 of the August Fabric Depression.  Ten days is the longest I've been able to honor a "no buy" commitment so far this year (and I think I've made one every month except one) - yay me!  HOWEVER, I got an email from the Fat Quarter Shop that the kit I reserved on May 31 is now in stock and shipping.  Yes, technically it was a preorder and not an August purchase, but it's still fabric coming into the house.  Oh the guilt!!!!!!!

Perhaps this bloggy confession will keep my checkbook closed when I go the APNQ quilt show in Seattle tomorrow.  Stay tuned!

Another shoulder update

I went to my new massage therapist yesterday - I really liked the lady doctor that I've been seeing, and was really hesitant to change but I did it because of the insurance - heck, I'd rather pay $20 than $55!  It turns out I REALLY liked this new guy. Here's an article about him and the tecnique he is using on me.

First let me say that my shoulder hasn't really been hurting me as much since I've had my first 4 treatments. I've been doing things in the last few days that I subconsciously haven't done in MONTHS, like opening doors with my left arm, picking up my purse - simple things but things I had been avoiding because I knew it would hurt me.  Now I'm doing them again without thinking because the constant pain is no longer there.

Anyway, he tested my arm to identify the areas of muscle weakness and limited mobility.  Then he proceeded with the deep tissue massage, concentrating on a HUGE lump of scar tissue in my armpit.  OUCHIES.... Pain oh - the pain!  But afterwards, he retested the strength moves and found much improvement. With this treatment, the results are immediate.

Then, while still in his office, he asked me what I could do to recreate the shoulder pain.  The only thing I could think to do was to try and lift a weight.  Remember, I hurt myself significantly the 4th of July weekend lifting a 1 pound weight over my head during a water aerobics class. So we went out to another room and he handed me a 5-pound weight. I lifted it over my head. NO PAIN! OMG, incredible.

So my assignment from him is to try and do something that will recreate the pain, so he can see how my shoulder and supporting muscles are affected.  I talked to him about kickboxing and also about riding my bike, and he thought the bike riding would be a good test. And since I'm seeing him again on Tuesday, he can fix me if I get hurt again.

I feel like such a burden has been lifted. I finally feel like I'm going to be okay again, and he assures me that I will. It may not take the full 6 treatments either, but either way, I'm just thrilled to have found something that seems like it will work for me. I don't want just to be pain free, I want to be active and get back to my exercise classes again.  I'M SO PUMPED!!!

Run for the borders!

I decided I would cut and assemble all 3 borders before I start attaching them to the red quilt.  I think it will speed things up that way.  I have the first border of half-square triangles all assembled.  I have the 2 long sides of the second border assembled and the short sides won't take much time at all.  And I have all the pieces for the final border cut, grouped and ready to assemble - all the fabric choices are made, so it shouldn't take me long at all to get these puppies on my quilt!  Maybe I will finish this weekend?  Stay tuned!

I really want to put flannel backing on this quilt, but since I am making it larger than planned, the piece I have will no longer fit.  I did find a really great flannel that is red flames and I think would be very cute with this quilt.  In light of my August "no buy" commitment, and also because the store where I saw the fabric always has 25% off all fabric on holidays, I will wait until Labor Day - September 4 - to make the purchase, then I can't wait to get this one to my quilter to see what she can do with it!

Stage 1

I completed the center portion of this quilt over the weekend.  This is the largest quilt I've worked on in quite some time - it takes up ALL of my design wall!  Stage 2 is a row of black and cream 1/2 square triangles, and I've completed sewing all of them together into rows, now I just have to attach them to the quilt.  Stage 3 is a row of 2-1/2 inch by 6-1/2 inch red, followed by Stage 4 which for me will be a row of 6-1/2 inch squares, making it 4 inches larger on each side than the pattern directs.  This is going to be one BIG quilt!!!  I think I'll definitely be over my 'red' phase by the time this one is complete!

Haven't cracked!

Made it through the first 3 days of the Great Fabric Depression without the urge to buy anything.  I did receive the FQ pack I ordered on July 31 in yesterday's mail.  Why did it make me feel guilty?  I didn't break my resolve, but I guess I feel like nothing new should be coming into the house....

I have only ONE row left of my black, red, cream quilt, so finishing the center of the top will definitely happen this weekend!  So cool.  It's getting heavy and I haven't even started putting borders on!

I also want to take some time this weekend to lay out my Buttercream and Figs quilt and decide if I want to add a final border to it.  I have three 3-yard pieces of some of the fabrics in the line and hope that one of them will speak to me and say "I'm the one - pick me!"

My new challenge!

Does anyone else think it's grossly unfair that these 12 shops should start a Patchwork Party on August 1 when so many of us have vowed not to buy?  Sigh.....

Button courtesty of a Peach Quilting.  Click here to go and get your own!