In Deep

The phrase "I'm in too deep," comes to mind as I look at all the projects I've touched in the past week. Keep in mind that until Monday, when I finally reached seven days of rest, I couldn't do what I wanted to do - use my sewing machine.

Instead, I found everything else that might keep my hands busy.

This huge cone of Sugar and Cream yarn was given to me by a friend who was doing some purging. I happily accepted it because I love my knitted dishcloths. I've made a couple of them this week.

In the sewing room, I did a lot of rotary cutting while putting on my weight on my good (right) leg.

I started by cutting out what I could of daughter Jill's "Moroccan Tiles" quilt. I don't have all the fabrics yet, nor finalized what goes where, but I made a good start at cutting 32 blocks.

Two free quilt patterns caught my scrap-lovin' eyes!

After seeing Debbie's (AQuiltersTable) "Plaidish" quilt, I was all over downloading this design by Erica of KitchenTableQuilting. It makes a 64" X 82" quilt. I used mostly scraps - like 80 percent - having to go into yardage pieces for dark values. But I was happy to cut those up because I seldom use dark fabrics in my quilts anyway. This is the whole quilt, ready to be pieced.

The second free design comes from Kelly at MyQuiltInfatuation. She called her finished string-pieced quilt "Fractured Horizons." Cutting green and blue strips made a really nice dent in my scraps.

I'm saving these two cut-out quilts to piece when I'm away from home, sewing with Big Cypress Quilters or Central Florida MQG.

This past week was also a good time to assess where I am on projects, and do some online fabric ordering to keep those WIPs in progress. Four shops earned my business for quilt backings, and challenge fabrics. I'm still doing admirably well at not buying fabric unless it's needed.

With only four different fat-eighths of fabric to work with for the 2020 QuiltCon Indah Batik Challenge, I had to order more. As I said in a previous post, I'm not a fan of batiks, but once I saw the palm print, I succumbed.  When the order arrived, I washed it right away, and started cutting and sewing. Attempts to design something using EQ8 were a wasted effort, so I began without a plan, deciding only two things: 1) I wanted to feature palms in my piecing; and 2) I wanted to use my Hex 'n More ruler to cut jewel shapes. Here's a look at what I've done.

For this week's #onethingwithAmy on Instagram - Amy challenges everyone to choose one thing to accomplish between Monday and the following Sunday - I've decided to pull out my Cascade quilt top, completed in May, and get it sandwiched and basted. I haven't started yet, but today's the day I'll rearrange my sewing tables to create a basting surface. I'll be sandwiching this quilt using that Lava Lamps 108" widleback as backing (top of picture); Quilter's Dream Request Loft Cotton (left); and lots of one-inch safety pins (tin at right).

Back in March I decided to let my hair grow. For whatever wild notion, I wanted a change. But gosh, it takes a long time when you've started with really short hair! At the end of June, for the first time ever, I had my hair chemically relaxed to remove the curl. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't done it because now, like everyone else, I must use a blow dryer and brush roller to get some lift. Yesterday was my first haircut since April 17. I'm liking it a little more since having a moisturizing treatment, followed by the wash, cut and style.

I must say that overall, I'm feeling like myself again. Thursday is my follow-up (since the August 12 angiogram) with the doc, and I'll have an ultrasound of my right leg to determine if it needs the same treatment as my left. Of course, I hope not, but I'm prepared to hear that I do. 

In one day, I started and finished listening to "The Perfect Wife" by Blake Pierce. It was so engaging! Though on first review it seems like another stereotypical psychological thriller, this one kept surprising me.

The reader meets happily-married Jessie Hunt who has just relocated to Southern California with her husband of almost two years. They're meeting neighbors and have joined a club, while Kyle begins works in a new position and Jessie starts her last class and internship to become a criminal profiler. But everyone has secrets. This is book #1 in the Jessie Hunt series, and it certainly won't be my last!

Linda's Score: 4.5/5
Linda