4/22/14

Something new

I really couldn’t help myself on this one.  I saw the actual quilt when Sally Collins was here and it really is basically the same block she taught me to make in class, except there are more of them.  . 

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And, it’s really cute.  And, really small.  The quilt size, finished, is 28 1/2” 

Yowza!

The blocks are 3 5/8” and finish at 3 1/8”

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Over Saturday and Sunday, I made all 13 of them. 

And, I have all the sashing sewn, and am cutting it down to the right lengths.

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It is 1 1/2” wide and finishes at 1” 

At bee on Saturday, they kept saying “once an overachiever, always an overachiever.” 

I’m surprised at how fast it’s going.  But, I really did spend all weekend working on it.  I barely came out of the sewing room and didn’t get to all my weekend chores.

This won’t be the final name, but I’ve come to think of it as the colonoscopy quilt because I got this far as a way to avoid the anxiety I’m having about scheduling the appointment with the surgeon.  I know, I know, it ain’t no big thing and the day before is by far the worst and the fasting is the hardest.

But, I’m still anxious and nothing that anyone has said has made me feel any better.  Except maybe Bonnie Hunter.  She had hers done when we turned 50, like I should have.  And, she approached it as something that has to be done.  Just a fact.

And, for me, it is a fact now.  Even though I managed to avoid mine, my sister had hers (dang her!) and now I have to have one. 

It is a fact. 

Today, I am going to call the surgeon.  That’s another fact.

Be well.  Have a good tuesday.  Wish me luck because really, this is the hardest part for me.  After that first phone call is made to schedule, I get real good at handling what’s going on in a very businesslike fashion, finding as many laughs in it as I can.  It’s just making that first call that’s hard for me.

The therapist calls it first step trauma. 

Well, it must be something.  It has a name.

Take care.  Lane

10 comments:

Auntie Em said...

Love your beautiful, tiny piecing. I've always been fascinated with Sally Collins' work.
As far as scheduling your colonoscopy, it might ease your anxiety a bit to not think of him/her as a "surgeon".
I have been putting off a call to the dentist because I don't want to hear the words "root canal".

Anonymous said...

Honest, the anticipation is the worst part. The good part for me is that I still have a husband because he had his first one years ago. 'Nuff said?
Lillian

Elizabeth said...

The first step is the hardest for me too. Making the call to go see the doctor about all of my tummy issues was put off for months and months and months. Right now, I am waiting for a call back from the GI saying that my insurance has approved my colonoscopy at their surgical center (rather than the hospital surgical center). It's been almost three weeks, which is really annoying. I have a follow-up at the GI doc today, which isn't going to be fun, but will be better than the last time, b/c the last time involved some really not fun stuff. My laugh out of all of this was that among other things they tested for giardia. I'm going to ask about the colonoscopy while I'm there, because I'm done waiting. Let's just get on with it. My sister, who is 10 years younger than I am (and I'm 10 years younger than you), has had four colonoscopies. People have them all the time and It's not really a big deal, especially to the medical personnel who perform the procedure all the time. But it is a huge deal to those of us on the receiving end. At least you've gotten an awesome quilt out of it! I love your colors!

Good luck making the call.

xo -E

Rebecca Grace said...

Lane, "The Colonoscopy Quilt" is a TERRIBLE name. You need to put a warning ahead of a remark like that -- I was drinking coffee, and it shot out of my nose and all over my keyboard. However, "First Step Trauma" might be an excellent name for your miniature quilt, because I think that's the kind of project that most quilters are too terrified to even attempt. Overcoming the fear of the miniature block, the curved or set-in seam, the free-motion quilting -- whatever it is, we all have that one hurdle that we've built up in our minds to be so much harder than it really is.

If you will be brave and schedule your colonoscopy, then I will not call to cancel tomorrow's mammogram (which I was actually thinking of doing, because the whole thing is so annoying and undignified and don't I have enough to worry about already without letting these medical vultures find something-which-most-likely-is-nothing and get me all worked up about it?). I will go to the appointment, but I will scowl at everyone and I will refuse to make pleasant small talk while my boob is smashed in their stupid machine. ;-)

Anonymous said...

Lane, the worst part is the prepping, they put you to sleep for the rest. You will not know you are fasting, cause you will be drinking so much. Don't worry. Just get it done. Love the mini quilt also the one that looks like a flag from a day or two ago. Send us pics of your yard. That is what I'm going to do. Want you to see all the hard work D and I have done. lum

Laura said...

A colonoscopy is not the worst thing that will ever happen to you, and colon cancer could be. Nobody looks forward to a colonoscopy, but the anticipation is worse than the actual test.

lw said...

I love the teeny blocks-- what's nice about the tiny quilts is that they don't take up a lot of space and you can decorate with several of them.

The way I get through things like your preventative medical test is to picture myself on the day after, to look forward to having it over, and not dwell on the actual test.

Russell1947 said...

Good luck!

Megan said...

Lane - I put off having a mammogram for some years - for no real reason. Not really. In the end, I woke up one day and told myself to just 'grow up' and invest in my health. So glad that I did. I'm sure you can do the same with the colonoscopy. Perhaps you could ask Rob to make the appointment for you? Who says you have to make that phone call yourself? You just need an appointment to be made: doesn't matter how that happens. Good luck.

Megan
Sydney, Australia

Unknown said...

Lane--My other half just had the procedure done. And, it's not that bad...easy for me to say. And, I agree with others--what a horrible name for such a beautiful quilt. Al though, next time we meet, I think we need to discuss your extreme OCD tendencies. I can't believe you finished this. Well, actually I can--you are Lane, after all.