Some weeks are like that

Remember that we weren't feeling well last Monday?  Well, it went downhill from there.  Rob had the flu, and it must have been one of the ones I was vaccinated against because I didn't get it.  Sydney didn't get it.  Rob was very sick.  I took care of him and quilted. 

I finished the baby quilt. 

It turned out perfect.  I did the hooked feathers from the Sally Terry class in the border. 

And one of the swirls in Wendy's book in the center.  You can hardly see it because of all that lovely cotton crinkling that we all love in an antique quilt. 

Anyway, the pattern was pretty simple.  I'd do some things different if I did it again and maybe re-draft the second border.  I made notes on the pattern about things I wish had worked differently.  But, for a baby quilt, it's dang near perfect.  Baby's are so non-critical about things that keep them warm. 

I also had plenty of sitting around time to pick out the rest of the stitching in the autumn leaf quilt.  I got it broken into it's individual pieces and and ironed and then repaired some holes.  There were a few small holes from picking out thread, I think.  I don't remember doing that this year, but remember, I've been picking out stitches on this one for years.  And, there was the big hole...the quilt was in the machine with the needle down and I rolled over it with my chair, pulling the edge and tearing a one inch hole around the needle.  I'd forgotten that until I came across it picking out stitches.  I cut the holes out of the back.  They were conveniently located in a five inch strip of the backing fabric.  So, I took the back apart, cut that section out, and put it back together a little larger so I could accommodate a wider border.  I have plenty of that backing in my stash (from at least 10 years ago).  Here are the pieces.  The leafy fabric on top is the border.  It came in the mail the other day.  When I saw it on ebay, I knew it was right.  It's been laundered and just needs to be ironed and cut. 

I had to make a patch for the hole in the front, but that was easy enough.  I had a little piece of fabric and I folded over some edges and opened some seams and sewed it in and you can find it...if you're looking. 

I had some oral surgery on Friday.  My doctor is worried about frightening people, so he's not big on giving details in advance.  Even when I was sitting in the chair and asked what we were going to be doing, he gave the vaguest of answers and cracked a joke.  So, it was a surprise when he finished and I found out I was on a liquid diet for a couple days and then soft and bland for the rest of a week.  If I'd known, we would have had steak for supper on Thursday night.  Anyway, that first egg yesterday was a wonderful thing.  For this week, I made pasta and rice dishes.  So many soft foods are pasta and dairy.  And, I have mild allergies to flour and dairy.  Yay, me!  Anyway, I was on pretty good pain meds on Friday and had promised myself not to try to machine quilt (although, a little codeine might do wonders for my creativity) and I had to promise Rob I wouldn't use a rotary cutter.  So, I hand sewed.  When I got in bed that night and the codeine was wearing off, I remarked on how I had sewn until my hands ached.  Just a warning.  Don't quilt and do drugs!  You can hurt yourself. 

Anyway, Rob was better on Friday and able to take care of me and he was even better on Saturday.  And, yesterday, he was up to walking his dog.  I spent some time sitting at the machine and practicing more new things from Wendy's book. 

Still working on those feathers.  Goal, irregular feathers.  It's harder than you think.

Everybody have a great Monday.  I've been off two days.  I checked my email yesterday.  It was horrific.  Maybe I'll need one of those pain pills when I get to the office.  Make the day a little...softer around the edges. 

Hey, I promised not to quilt on drugs.  Work is a whole nother thing. 

Lane