Family and the Familiar

The day came and went. My 61st birthday was Tuesday, and as my birthdays usually are, it was uneventful. Honestly, I'm happy because I readily remember last year at this time! That's when I knew I had breast cancer, but had not yet had my lumpectomy and lymph node biopsy to know how extensive the cancer was, and what kind of treatment I'd need. It's good to look back on the surgery and radiation, and expect a healthy future. I can't even complain about being on Arimidex for another four years/two months. As promised, ten months accumulation of the drug now brings on seven to eight intense "power surges" each day, and a marked inclination to gain weight - an obstacle which I am determined not to allow! Each morning I drink 14 ounces of fresh vegetable juice that helps, in many ways. So, if hot flashes and a rigid diet are the worst I have to contend with, I remain positive!

So, Tuesday morning saw me going to a morning line dance workout at Exercise in Disguise, and in the afternoon attending the weekly Bradenton Quilters. Hubs and I went out to dinner, a rare occurrence for us. And later in the evening, I happily accepted calls from each of our two children.

During the day, I received cards, text messages, and emails, too, and friends Deb and Carla sent thoughtful gifts - a fabric gift certificate (Terra Australis, I'm waiting for you to arrive in the US!); and a quilting idea book from Carla which will come in handy when I'm stumped for quilting design ideas.

The book was wrapped in a cute piece of fabric, an idea I'll have to file away for my own gift-giving. Thank you both for these gifts!

In "I'm a proud mom" news, our daughter Jill has been named - and is being honored tonight! - as one of Kansas City's 2014 Most Influential Business Women! Read about it here.

We are both terribly proud of her achievements, not only for her business start-up, and student-peer education program (ReBEl), but for doing such a great job of being a wife, mom of three children, and a wonderful, thoughtful daughter. I just can't express how much we admire what she does.

Our lives aren't nearly as exciting, though that's not a bad thing.

Last Thursday I did a little teaching - an all day free motion quilting workshop with 16 women. It was a pleasure to share FMQ with them - and, to see improvement, encourage, encourage, encourage them to continue quilting.

Writing their name is a good way to begin, and students are always happy when it's legible!

This time, I also suggested that they date their first practice piece, and keep it for comparison later on.

When I'm not home in my sewing room, like when I go to Bradenton Quilters or Happy Stitchers, my portable project continues to be the EPP Flower Ball. I'm still basting fabric to 189 papers!

As time permits, I'm replacing pillows on the living room sofa and love seat. The four 20" pillows that came with the furniture coordinate too nicely. And, I was disappointed to zip open the commercially made pillows and see loose fiberfill on the inside. Not even a pillow insert! So, I'm remaking them by sewing a muslin pillow insert cover, stuffing each with the old pillow stuffing, and making a new pillow cover.

This weekend, when a JHittleSewing order arrived (it's where I get Aurifil thread) and 18-inch white zippers were in it, I finished two-sided pillow number two.

I used Carla's Liberated Cross tutorial to make eight blocks.

Because I like that center block fabric, and could fussy cut it, I sewed set-in seams to make it the focal point. Quilting is a series of double arcs. All four pillows - when I finish them - will have the same decorative corded edge I sewed with Laura Gunn's Painter's Canvas, in spice.

A new quilt is in the works, so I'm playing for the first time with my Quick Curve Ruler. Instead of buying a pattern, I am making rectangle-shaped blocks as instructed on the flyer that came wrapped with the ruler.

Since each rectangle shape finishes at only 3-1/2" X 7", it's taking a lot of cutting, sewing, and trimming to get the quantity needed for a decent sized quilt.

To make the quilt scrappy, yet within a group of specific colors, I cut into more than 100 different stashed prints to come up with the 160 rectangles needed. The solid curves are cut from Kona Snow.

So, if you're looking for me, I'll be in my sewing room. Or, I might be admiring the latest photo pinged in on my Iphone. Our Texas baby, the adorable Luke (John) - or LJ, as some family members are now calling him - is ten weeks old. It's the face of sweet innocence, isn't it? Linda