Thursday, June 28, 2007

Update update

I've been meaning to write all week but thought I'd have some news by now. My time with my mom was good considering the circumstances. She came through the biopsy well, although she was feeling very worn out from the anesthetic. She is still having a lot of trouble breathing but she seemed to have a bit of a respite from the constant coughing while I was home, which was a relief for her. The doctors told her she would have the results yesterday but they weren't ready for some reason. The waiting right now is pretty hard, but even worse is knowing she's having so much trouble breathing and the cough is back again.

My brother and his family will be there this coming weekend and for a week, so Mom will have plenty of time with grandkids to cheer her up and my brother and his wife can make sure she's taken care of when needed.

I have other things to post about: UFOs, insane crafting ideas, lessons in the importance of measuring twice... Those will come soon. This coming weekend is a long weekend (Canada Day!) so I plan to relax and work on some stuff.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Follow up post...

My Mom:
I meant to update on Monday evening but time slipped away. Thank you for praying for my Mom and your encouragement.

Mom is doing really well. Initially they had planned to do a surgical biopsy and attempt to remove one of the tumors. Just before she went in for surgery they changed the plan and opted for a "small incision" biopsy instead. They did not remove the tumor but did take samples for testing. She will get the results of those tests a week from today.

I will be going home to Saskatchewan today to help out while she recovers from the anesthetic and the incisions (and to keep her from doing any gardening or baking!), so I will know more first hand when I'm there.

The rug:
Thank you for the nice comments. I would like to do a tutorial, but it will have to wait for next week (or so). I will be thinking about it in the meantime...

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Braided Rag Rug

I've been working on a bunch of different projects the last week or 2 (or 8) but don't seem to be finishing much. Or posting pics of WIPs. Or updating... sigh.

Well, if anyone is left (hi!) this is the latest in the recent bout of "I think i'm turning Amish*" crafting that has taken over my life:
P6090002_2
Braided Rug
Materials: 3 old sweatshirts and 1 pair of (really) old sweatpants
Pattern: Wing It, by me. (i.e. No pattern) 4 strand braid, laced in an oval.
Dimensions: 23" x 30"

I've had the idea in my head for quite a while but finally tried it a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed this project. The sweatshirts/pant strips seemed to naturally fold inside out for most of the way, as I was folding as I braided.
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*I mean no disrespect to the Amish people, nor do I assume I know anything about them. I'm using the term as a generalization and in an attempt to be funny.

I've been fairly preoccupied and stressed lately. You see, a month or so ago (around Mother's Day) my mom found out that she has lesions (?? terminology and I are not close friends) on her lungs. My mom is a breast cancer survivor. She went through surgery and treatment about 13 years ago. We always knew there was a possibility that more cancer could turn up, but after 13 years you kind of figure it's not going to. She will have a surgical biopsy this coming Monday (the 18th) when they will try to remove one of the tumors (again with the terminology). We are hoping this will ease her breathing.

If you, dear reader, are so inclined, please consider praying for my Mom and the surgeons and all of us that day and the coming weeks. I plan to go to help her out when she gets home from the hospital, so I will be there from about Wednesday through the weekend. I plan to bring knitting to help with the restless nervous energy. So I'll be back with (hopefully) an FO and maybe some WIPs and an update at that time.

Thank you in advance.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Bunny Baby Quilt

As I mentioned in my last post, I have suddenly developed this interest in quilts. I don't know what brought it on. When it started, I had this image in my mind of a baby quilt. I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like and set out to find a pattern for it. I couldn't find what I was looking for, so, as I usually do, I winged it, hoping that it would come out alright.

bunny baby quilt

It did. This is exactly what I had pictured in my mind. ahh. (The pictures of the whole quilt don't seem to do it justice. I'll try to get better pics soon).

close up bunny quilt

I found a picture of a bunny that I liked, worked some *cough cough* magic to get it the size I wanted and cut out my applique piece. I may have cheated here a bit, as the applique was done by machine. I don't think the intended recipient will mind, as she is 4 months old and even if she disapproves her grasp of language with which to verbally assault my quilting skills is limited at best.

binding & backing baby quilt
(I love the way the binding looks! who knew I could be so enamored with a project that is so pink?)

I backed it with a fleece blanket from W*lm*rt (rather than with batting and a backing) which I thought would be simpler. Turns out, it wasn't. I didn't realize how much easier it is to hand quilt with batting and a backing until I started to hand quilt the placemats for my mom (in the middle of working on the bunny quilt). But, it was too late to change my mind on the bunny quilt, so it is backed with fleece. I like it, it is cozy, but it was a bugger to hand quilt. Can you say "sucker"?

baby quilt hand quilted

The stitches aren't as even as they could be, nor is it as precise as it should be, but in the end, I'm very please with how it came out. I have plans for another one for my other baby niece, but I'm re-thinking the fleece backing. My fingers are sore from this one.

I am still knitting and spinning, just not necessarily finishing a whole lot of stuff. I need more time to just sit and knit/spin/sew. Why does my work expect me to be at work for the hours I'm paid?

Monday, June 04, 2007

F.O.*: Quilted Placemat

A few weeks ago, out of the blue, I started to become obsessed with the idea of trying my hand at quilting. I had never been interested in it before, but suddenly, with no warning, I was making a quilt top (yet to be seen)...

This is my first completed* quilted item
P6040001

*1 of 4, so not technically a completed item, but still...

P6040002
Machine pieced and hand quilted.

P6040006

Am I turning Amish?