Just a Little Update

It's been too long since I've posted to this blog, and a few of you have expressed concern about my silence. It's mostly been a matter of much to do and very little of it is related to quilting. 

So I'll make it perfectly clear. My lack of blogging has not been due to any post-radiation fatigue. Though I was told to expect fatigue one to two weeks after treatments ended, it just never happened! Perhaps that's due to following the radiation oncologist's suggestion to maintain strength by eating lots of protein. Not being much of a meat-eater, I made a concerted effort to begin every day with eggs and sausages. I also happily ate my hubby's wonderful, from scratch, refried beans which I eat like pudding. I guess it worked! Pretty much since April 12, when radiation ended, I've been feeling 100 percent my chipper self, full of energy and resuming usual activities. Oh, and for those who are curious, as an insurance policy against the return of the breast cancer, I'm taking a daily prescription drug for the next five years - Arimidex. Side effects include hot flashes and weight gain, among others. No one would be pleased about those side effects, but it in the big scheme of things, I'm not complaining.

My first happy obligation has been to make a couple blocks for Carla, our April quilter in the Mid-Century Modern Bee. She wants to make her own version of the Green Tea and Sweet Beans quilt, so she left it up to us as to whether we wanted to make pieced or appliquéd blocks for her.

I chose appliqué, and designed this six-petaled flower on my Macbook using Pages software.

My favorite hand appliqué method is back-basting needle turn appliqué, because all the prep work is up front. It makes for a completely portable project.

back-basting, viewed from the back

The front, ready to be needle-turned appliquéd.

This flower is on a background of Architextures fabric. 

6" block 

I used YLI silk thread for the hand-appliqué so that's why you can't see any stitches. They practically melt into the fabrics.

This flower is made with Heather Mulder Peterson's Seaside Cottage prints, and one Anna Maria Horner print.

6" block

These went out in the mail this week.

That's not much sewing, but I have definitely have ideas, plans, and a long to-do list. In the meantime, these quilty-related doings are coming up:

• Representing myself as the instructor for "First Time Quiltmaking" at The Lifelong Learning College open house on Saturday, May 4. During the open house, I'll have a table of quilts and information to promote two series of five-week beginner quilting classes I'll teach in July and September.

• Making plans for and leading the next Central Florida MQG meeting on Monday, May 6. We're continuing a "Make it Modern," series and at the May meeting we'll focus on modern design.

• Working on magazine story ideas! I'm pretty excited because I've again been invited to freelance write for American Quilter magazine. That means I come up with story ideas, including photo possibilities; do some preliminary research; and then pitch ideas to the magazine's editor. If the topic meets with the editor's approval, I start delving deeper, interviewing, writing and re-writing. Since I pretty much thrive on everything related to quilting, particularly modern quilting, this opportunity is a no-brainer. I can't wait to pursue the ideas that are keeping me sleepless, from about 3 to 4:30 a.m., every day!

Yep. These days, everything is about appreciating and reveling in life, and digging into the things one loves. Linda