Happy Thanksgiving

 I spent the beginning of the week making masks for the household of my oldest daughter and also one of her older half sisters.  Last night, I cut out a mask for myself and will probably finish it up today.

Truthfully, I'm not sure how today is going to go for me... this will be my first solo Thanksgiving EVER and the first one in over thirty years without my dear husband.  I think our kids in Texas want to video chat sometime this afternoon and the daughter in Wyoming might do the same - plus a nephew said that he was going to call me today to let me know his weekend plans.  I was invited to a granddaughter's home for dinner today, but declined because I'm just not ready - and the governor said no more than two households are to gather and I would be the third or fourth -- umm, no thanks.  They'll probably be ok since they ( her parents and maybe in-laws or close friends) are together quite often, but since I haven't seen them since my husband's funeral five and a half months ago, it's not a good idea.

My youngest half-sister passed away this past weekend - only 54. Her oldest son is the one who said he'd call today to let me know if he decided to come home to Michigan over the holiday weekend.  He's been handling things concerning funeral, etc. from his home in Washington, D.C. but would really like to 'touch base' with his three younger brothers in person.  With the Covid numbers being on the increase here in Michigan, he's been a little hesitant about coming now, but I think he feels he should - he just won't take the risk of flying and hopes he can find a car to rent.

The weather here is YUCKY... no white stuff, thank goodness, but plenty of rain.  I have wreaths and a cross to place at the cemetery and would really rather wait another day or so before I go - guess I'd better check the weather forecast.

Anyway... no quilting in my near future, although I have a top and backing hanging out on Moe's frame for when the urge hits... just a simple, small quilt, probably baby quilt size that I pulled from my rack of WTBQs (waiting to be quilted).

I bought two turkey 'tv dinners' and a package containing two slices of frozen cheesecake the other day.... one of each for today's dinner and the other for another night.  I have frozen veggies and fresh potatoes to add to the turkey and dressing dinner, if I want.  

I hope you all have a Blessed day with lots of turkey and pie and family/friends.  Enjoy what you have while you have it.

Take Care...

Stay Safe....

ttyl..........

Just to let you know I'm still alive

 I can't remember the last quilting I did... oh yeah, I finished grandson's Buffalo Check quilt.  Life just hasn't been very conducive to quilting for me right now.  Maybe after the new year I can get back to it.

The past two Wednesdays I had medical procedures done ( and I obviously survived).  The first one was a colonoscopy (no cancer!) and this past week, it was surgery on the nerve that goes from my left elbow 'funny bone' down to the ring and pinky fingers.  There was lots of scar tissue ( dr. said it happens to some people) that had attached itself to the nerve and it was causing my pinky finger to feel  'numb'.

And, of course, before medical procedures, you need to be tested for COVID-19 - I passed (obviously).

Along with this 'stuff', I was trying to finish Christmas shopping and had planned to get gifts wrapped before the 'funny bone' surgery because I didn't know if I'd be able to do it afterwards.  And, I was also stressing out over the placement of my husband's and my headstone.  I don't know what happened - or why it happened, but, for some reason, when they poured the foundation, they only did it on my late husband's plot.  As soon as I saw what had happened, I started making calls and politely 'raising hell'.... it still took at least three weeks for them to correct the error.  I haven't been out to check on it myself, but my brother was there and took a couple of pics for me to let me know it was finally corrected.  I will try and go sometime this week - I'm waiting for the wreath that I ordered for my grandparents and the 'floral' cross that is for my husband's plot to be ready for pick up later today.  Tomorrow, I have to take our cat to the vet to have his infected ear treated - and sometime this week, I hope that someone is coming to install the ice maker in my new refrigerator -- oh yeah, that was happening in between the medical procedures.

The bandage wrapping is off my arm now and I started working on masks again yesterday - Christmas themed ones for my former step-daughter in the Detroit area and my daughter in Texas (and their families).

And if that wasn't enough for my 'plate', I have a neighbor stopping by this morning to talk about replacing the flooring in our small bathroom - good bye nasty carpet and hello vinyl plank.  I'm hoping I can afford for him to extend the plank out into the area outside the bathroom and the doorways to two of the bedrooms.

So, I think you can see why quilting has not been on my radar lately.  I'm sure there are several of you who have been waylaid by one thing or another ( or several) thing(s).  This year has really been a hard one for so many.

On the good side, our weather has been weird, but in a good way as far as I'm concerned.  It's November and we've had a few days with temps in the 60's and no snow to speak of.  The high winds blew out the pilot light on our hot water heater a couple of weeks ago and I had to call for a serviceman to come relight it for me -- BUT when the high winds started again just before my 'procedures', I still had hot water to shower with.  AND the fridge didn't completely die before I could replace it. And a package that the carrier said was delivered to me on Tuesday was brought over to me on Friday by one of my next door neighbors - pumpkin pecan waffle scented candles from Bath and Body Works... house is starting to smell sooooo nice :).

Well, I guess I'd better get dressed and walk Buddy before the neighbor gets here.  Just wanted to let y'all know that I'm still  alive -not kicking so much but I'm working on it lol.

take care....

Stay safe...

ttyl....

Hello Remember me??

It's been more than a month since I last posted, but it's been a busy time.  I was making masks for several family members and going to dr or doing "Something".  

 It was over a month that the quilt sat there waiting to be finished.   I had been working on it, but when I couldn't go more than a few inches without the top thread fraying, I gave up for about a week.  I had changed needles, so I was pretty sure that wasn't the cause but couldn't figure out what was.  Then, it dawned on me that I hadn't oiled the bobbin area lately.  So, I applied oil and no more frayed thread.

  November 1st, I finally finished the quilting - Buffalo Plaid Wolves by Lorna McMahon ( question to myself - did I spell her last name right??). 

I had decided right from the beginning that I would try making a wide binding.. wish I could remember where I first got the idea, but I've searched and searched with no luck.  I knew that I needed to cut the strips at 4.5" and that I needed to trim the batting and backing to 2" beyond the quilt, but that was all I remembered.  

When I started stitching it down to the quilt top, it went fine until I turned the first corner.  I went about a foot beyond the corner ( down the next side) and then stopped to check the miter on the corner.... wait!!  something's wrong... that doesn't work!!  What did I do wrong!?!?!?

Back online to do some more searching... finally found something on allpeoplequilt.com...a download that shows just how to do a wide binding.  Their example wasn't as wide as mine, but it still worked.  I was turning the corner right and the corner of the quilt top, like you normally do when binding ( stop, flip the binding strip back on itself and then align the binding with the edge of the quilt top)... NOPE!  you have to flip the binding strip back on itself so that the fold is on the edge of the batting and backing.

 So, here's the completed quilt laying on our neighbor's 'hill'.  I'm so glad that this is done and I can get on to working on other Christmas gifts.