43+ Years

On a Friday in August 1978, the house was sold, the divorce finalized, and the rental truck packed with all my worldly possessions.  He got the cats; I got the kids.  On Saturday and Sunday I drove the truck from El Dorado, Arkansas back to Nashville to be close to my aging parents.  Monday morning I started my new job as a specifications typist at an architectural firm.  This dapper dude popped into my cubicle to invite me to the company canoe outing on Saturday:

Unfortunately I was not able to accept the invitation.  The following week I invited him to have dinner and meet my boys.  Unfortunately he was not able to accept the invitation.  We started having lunch together and that was IT.  We took three years to be sure it was the right thing, then we tied the knot on September 5, 1981.

He has been my rock and has gone above and beyond the call of duty in my recent confinement.

Scant Quarter

Recently Diann/Little Penguin Quilts posted that she was flummoxed by a "scant" quarter inch so I thought I'd tell her (and anyone else reading) how I handle the scant quarter -- with my ruler!  

But first, just what does "scant quarter" mean?  Sometime way back in my 25 years of quilting I was told it means about 2 threads less than a full 1/4 inch.  That would account for the stitching thread itself and the distance of the fabric as it is pressed back around the thread in the seam. (I wanted to insert a drawing at this point but I've forgotten how to do that 😕).

My solution:  Don't deduct 2 threads from the seam; add 2 threads to the cutting!  Make sure the line (which is about 2 threads wide) is fully ON the fabric, not bumped up next to the edge of the fabric.

(I exaggerated the position of the vertical line in this photo to make sure you could see what I mean.)  Hence, I'm adding the "scant" to my fabric, rather than taking it away from the seam!

Of course, it's also important to be certain I stitch an accurate quarter inch seam. I don't know about you, but focusing on the edge of a presser foot or following a groove on the needle plate is hard on these old eyes. So I set up a very basic seam guide.

I use a piece of a Sewing Edge strip which is about as thick as two layers of fabric so I can keep my fabric in place with a finger resting on top of it.  And it's not in the way if I need to sew something with a wider seam allowance.  It works on both metal and plastic.

There is a variety of tools to help set a seam guide.  I have found the best have a hole for the needle so that the guide can butt up against the tool when held in place by the presser foot. 

With the needle in the 1/4" hole, I drop the presser foot to hold the tool straight, then put the purple strip in a place that will not be disturbed if I need to remove the needle plate (or access the bobbin as is the case with my small portable machine).

All of these supplies should be available at your local quilt shop, but if not, there's always Amazon.

I hope this helps!

And Then This Happened

Sorry I've been absent for a while.  Just haven't had anything exciting to say.   My goal this month is to think positively and find positive things to post about.  But, first, I'll explain the reason for my absence.  As they say -- "If it weren't for bad luck ..."  

In mid-May I was feeling well enough to go to a Devo sew day.  Sitting on my borrowed old Rollator, 

I adjusted my sitting position and a front wheel broke off, throwing me backwards onto the concrete floor.  Thankfully no one would let me move until the pastor, who is also an EMT, checked me out.  It didn't seem that there was any direct injury, but I've had increasing difficulty walking ever since.  (Couldn't have any relation to my lack of exercise ... 😏)  Hopefully the recent series of CT scans and MRIs will help the medical community get me back onto the road to recovery.

The good news is I've been able to return to Devo twice, and even went to church on Sunday (it was Hawaiian shirt day).

I Married A Gem

We had a new hot water heater installed last Friday and while the plumbers were here we had them install some shut-off valves in the ceiling above the fabric shelves in my basement studio.  Since I was not yet approved for stairs, my husband took it on himself to move the base cabinets that support the ironing board and to remove a couple of shelves in the area.  He borrowed two long tables from our church to have a surface to put the fabric on.  

Note that he not only carefully kept the color-coordinated stacks intact, but he made certain to keep them in the same order as they were on the shelf!

At Monday's PT I was approved for stairs so I ventured down the 16 steps (with assistance) to assess his handiwork.  I am still not stable enough to help with restoring order, so while he labored I sat amd stitched two more blocks to add to the design wall.  The first time my foot had been on the pedal since the end of January.  It felt SEW good!!!  But I was wasted by the time I climbed back up those 16 steps.

Thank You!

 Thanks to those who responded to my special request yesterday! All of you had great suggestions, some new to me and some I had just forgotten about.  I'll share my list when I get it prepared for our guild's newsletter.

Also, a big thank you to those of you who have checked up on me and cheered me on in my recent confinement.  My last scheduled PT is this morning but I think we'll ask for more, even if we have to pay out of pocket.  I need to be more diligent about exercising at home, too.  I can walk without assistance, but my balance is still iffy.  Good thing I wear step-in shoes; I can't bend down to tie yet.

On the home front, we survived last week's storm without incident, though the dock was almost completely submerged by the extra rain.  The birds are going through the sunflower seeds in about two days.  We have had a raft of the most beautiful gold finches, tons of house finches, the occasional titmouse and chickadee, plus a gorgeous red-headed woodpecker who was on the feeder as I just looked up.  The rhododendron are blooming along with this beautiful yellow iris.

Hope y'all have a blessed week.

Special Request

 Can any of my readers (the few that remain) suggest web sites that offer free patterns, either block or whole quilt?  I'm trying to make a list.

Thanks!

My Own Bed!

The rehab staff did all they could do make the residents feel at home.  I had beads for Mardi Gras and a bunny on my door for Easter.

Nevertheless, after two months in hospital beds, we opted to sleep in one of the guest bedrooms with twin beds at home because the path to the bathroom is shorter than our bedroom.  Two weeks later we have finally returned "home" to our own bed.   I can't describe the excitement (and relief).

I am definitely improving at home, but still have my bad days.  PT 3 days a week tends to wear me out, but is definitely helping.  Next Monday we are making a big batch of chili to "thank" the PT staff for all they did to help me get out of there!

Still no sewing, though, even though I have my travel machine available on the main floor of the house.  I did go to Devo on Tuesday for a couple of hours and help make kits for our November "sew day" by ironing which I could do while sitting in the wheelchair.  Even though it was great to get out of the house and see everyone, I was exhausted by the time I got home.

On another front, it appears the geese couple have returned to the nesting spot on our bluff overlooking the lake.  She had built a nest there in April 2020 ...

...but a late May freeze caused her to abandon the nest.

There was no further activity today, but we're hopeful.