Finished My Second Round Robin Committment And I am glad! I got two RRs at one time and here are the results. Hope you are happy ladies!

Round Robin Done Now I just have to wait for mine to come home. It is in Kansas then to Michigan and home. Here is my last round.

I Know This to Be True I have a naughty inner child that I struggle with. She makes me proctastinate. She tells me that what I want to do on my quilt is too hard and it won't be right so find something else to do, something better. I struggle with her and she wins and keeps me from working on things....but then I push her down and quiet her and go ahead and try. I succeed....until I try something new and the struggle begins again. How do I quiet her forever?

Stashbuster Retreat Weekend It was virtual retreat weekend. I went to meet with the English Street Quilters yesterday and took my 7 Sisters top. It had several spots that needed repair and I managed to get it all done. Now to baste it then quilt it.

Today I worked on the RR from my feedsack group. I am half way done. A few more hours and I will be done!

The applique plan



This is what I plan to add to the feedsack RR.



















Here is a shawl I am knitting on my Serenity loom.

Six Degrees of Separation Are you familiar with this theory? Someone sent an email to a yahoogroup asking if they could help them find 2 people by forwarding the information to everyone they knew. The thought being those people would then send that on until they ran into someone that knew someone that knew one of them. I accidentally happened upon a lost friend because of blogs. Can it happen again?

Do you know this person? I met her in Neuchatel Switzerland while I was going to school there in 1983. Her name is Beatrice Ruesch and she is Swiss-Indonesian. At the time her family was living in Engelberg Switzerland. If anyone knows her, or know someone who knows her please let me know.

I seem to be stuck I have plenty I want to do in my sewing room but I can't seem to get in there. I have been plopped on the couch in front of the TV. At least I picked up my knitting and have been working on that. I did work on my round robin row a bit in front of the tv but the next step requires ironing, gluing and fiddling. This is a new technique I have not done before. Is that what is really keeping me away from sewing? Fear of failing? I just need to get over it! Just Do It!! Thanks Nike.....

I had signed up to make 12 - 12", 9" and 6" churn dash blocks. My friend Beth helped me to see it was ok to drop out. Two thoughts behind this action were the pressure of a timeline looming when I had lots of other things I really needed to get done and the recent bad taste in my mouth with swaps. One of my WHIMMS is to make a multi size block quilt. This would have moved me toward that goal. Seriously....I need to get my UFOs going again.

DH Update We went to the doctor on Thursday the 10th. We met with the PA for the Infectious Disease doctor. They were very happy that he would be able to come off the IV antibiotics and asked us to come back today (14th) to remove the PIC line. They tried to get the doctor's permission to do it that day but it was his day off and they could not reach him.

As usual I had my list of questions. The nurse mentioned oral antibiotics. The red flags went up immediately. The hepatologist's goal is that he is totally off antibiotics. I asked about how long he would be on them. How they would know he was done. Etc. We were at a bit of a quandry and the nurse and PA left the room and came back several times. They had no good answers for us. They suggested we come in early Monday and catch the doctor and ask him.

So bright and early we got to the doctors office. He said there would be no oral antibiotics. He said everything looked good and they would tell the Hepatologist that dh is clear. So now we wait 2 weeks and he should be made active on the list. I got a little teary eyed at that point. Partially happiness, partially fear. Now comes the wait for that phone call. To come and get a liver. Fear of the unknown. We are not done.....

I Need Focus. I have goals set to finish UFOs. I had them set last year too. So what do I work on? Other peoples stuff. Let me explain. I am in a few Round Robins. Those are time bound and I have to get them done within so much time. Right now I have three others rounds at my house. I plan, design and belabor each one. I want them all to be nice. And this planning takes time. If I didn't have these to work on I feel I would be less distracted. I am in 3 swaps. Two will be done once these 3 pieces go out the door. The last one will end in December.

So I am feeling sort of stuck right now. I want to machine applique on an RR and use the blanket stitch. I am researching techniques to make sure it looks good...ie procrastinating. I have the stabilizer cut and just have to cut the fabric out. I bought a magazine Saturday that had just the article I needed. I figure if I spend a little time each night on it I can get over the hump on this one.

Why do I do this to myself?? LOL...

GASP That is what I heard when I took dh to the doc on 12/27. Actually I had stepped out to the public restroom as the doc's office did not have an RR. I was standing at the sink washing my hands, heard the door open, turned to see the clean lady backing out as fast as she can. I noticed she was looking at the sign to see which room she had entered. I said, don't worry I am a woman. She had her hand on her chest and was mumbling something about it being a long day, etc. I always chuckle at these events. Afterall I am 6' tall and I have very short hair. I am sure it didn't help that I was wearing my husbands fleece jacket either. Oh well...made me laugh.

While I am on this topic I will tell another story along the same lines. I was in Walmart buying groceries for the Holidays. I heard a woman say sir, sir, sir. She got louder and more demanding as she repeated herself. I am sure anyone would have looked. I turned and without missing a beat she asked me to get something off the top shelf for her and that everything she needed was always on the top shelf. She then said....you are a ma'am aren't you. I assured her that last time I checked, I was. Again, wearing dh's jacket. I either need to get a more feminine jacket and/or get a bow in my hair!

DH Update All the labs are heading in the right direction. His next appointment is this Thursday, the 10th. Antibiotics are scheduled to be done on the 14th. I just spoke to the doctors office and they are ordering an MRI/CAT scan (what is the difference?) to see if the infection is really gone. If it is then he is done. Have to wait two weeks to be made active on the liver transplant list. He is definitely making progress in the right direction. They said the scan can be read the same day it is taken so we will have a very quick answer once that is done.

Quilty content I have three RRs that I am working on. I have made the design for one and am cutting out the pieces. I chose a design for another one and have to look for the fabrics and sketch out my plan. The last one tbd.


Possibilities. In person the maroon is too dark. I like the all white as a replacement or a pieced white and maroon border. How would you piece it? With either of these I think the blue can stay.

Small Round Robin Came Home

I made a 6" center and mailed it around to three other ladies. Tell me what you think....honestly....

2007 What a year. I finished 4 UFOs but had lots of small projects that were started and finished along the way. I did add one UFO to my list this year. It is a baby panel that I practiced FMQ on. I will add binding to it and probably give it to my dd. Not sure why but she wants it. There are 2 RRs out floating about that will come back to me this year. When they do they will go on the UFO list which will put me at 9.

2008 My goal is to complete all 9 of those UFOs. I think I can make it. They are all at the quilting stage so just need to pick one and go to town on it. I am not officially "No Buy" this year but do plan to practice self restraint....as much as possible! :D

Non-quilty goals. I would like to get 10 more pounds off. In order to do this I will need to add excercise. So I will keep it simple...add exercise. Will see how that goes. My other goal is organization and anti-procrastination. When something needs to be done I will not put it off more than a week. On the organization front I am a FlyLady follower. I will complete her challenges that she issues each day and add several 15 minute decluttering sessions per week.

That's all for now. Happy New Year to you all. I wish you health and happiness.

What I Have Been Up To I have been on vacation since the afternoon of the 24th and go back the 2nd. I had lots of things planned and of course didn't get to all of them. I did sew though! Yeah! I have added a row to a round robin as you saw on a previous post.

I completed my part on two Round Robins from the old Quilting 4 Pleasure webring. You can see the pics here. If you want to be surprised Liza and Sharon then don't look!

I did blocks for a 12 days swap last year. I didn't get them all embroidered so asked the participants to send them back if they wanted me to finish. I completed DrBeth's and then I had also made 2 extras for some gals that were in a 12 day swap where all the participants didn't come through. Those just went off in the mail today. The pic doesn't have the writing norembroidery on it. I will see about taking another pic of the block.

Finally, I am adding a round to a feedsack RR I am in. I have makers choice and it is the last row. I have been doing a lot of searching and planning for this round. I have my plan and am executing. If I am lucky it will be done this week and off to the owner by Saturday.

Update on health at the Harris household. DS is fine. I am super watchful and nagging him to take shots. I guess this is how it has to be. DH is a little confused today. This is a side effect of the liver disease. He won't take the meds they gave him for this. I tried to push it on him...no go. Otherwise his health is fine and everything is going in the right direction healing and lab wise. Next doc visit on 1/10 then we wait to see if the infection is gone. Thanks for all your support this year. It has really meant a lot.

Christmas Sewing I finished this feedsack RR I am in. I have one more to complete in this swap and I am done done! Yeah! My addition was the blue stripe, the white stripe and the rail fence row. The guideline was 4" but I needed to add the blue and white to get it to the right size. I added 7" total.

I Sewed! I wrapped all the gifts. I decorated as much as I am going to this year. I have grocery shopped. So when all this was finished yesterday I went to the machine and I sewed. Of course I became quite interesting to dh as the calling of my name began soon after. Once he was settled I managed maybe an hour or so.

I am working on an RR for a friend from #quiltchat. Her RR is a gorgeous red, white and blue all in feedsacks. My addition is squares and rectangles. I added a 1" blue strip all around then a .5" white strip. I was going to add a checkerboard but have changed my mind to use 4" strips, alternated so they will have sort of a rail fence look to them. I will post a picure tonight. I hope to finish it today so I can move onto the next project.

Merry Christmas to all! Hope you have an enjoyable time with your family!

My Son Is Home He got home yesterday. Still very tired. He tried to talk me out of his going to school today. He really needs to get his makeup work so he can catch up over the 2 week break. He will live! This is a short day for them so he can get home extra early for a nap which I am sure he will need.

My vacation starts on the 25th through the 1st. I have big sewing/quilty plans but the obligations are already piling up. Oh well....such is life.

I have been blogging for one full year today! Happy Anniversary to me!! LOL! Not sure if or what I will do to mark this milestone. I think I should send one of my UFOs to each person that posts and let them finish them then mail back to me! No? Really? I will let you...honest! OK how about this? You send me fat quarters?? Still no?? Well had to try. Post and surprised! Evil grin inserted here.

I Don't Know If I Should Laugh or Cry My son and I spent all day in the ER yesterday. He has been a type 1 diabetic for 5 years now. Once in a great while he gets the idea that he is superman and thinks he doesn't need to take all his medicine. So he is now admitted. He is doing okay. I did cry in the ER when I was talking to Beth about what I needed to take care of but quickly pulled it together and got friends to pitch in. He will be in at least until tomorrow. So...

DH had his PICC line stuff changed out yesterday. He called me when I was at the ER and told me home healthcare did not take his blood for labs. I called the doctors office and said "I need you to manage this because I just don't have time to keep up with it all". They are "taking care of it".

Quilty things.....I thought about taking my Seven Sisters quilt with me to work on in the ER....does that count?? I am fine...really. Just need to get this all behind me...soon!

Zoe died yesterday. Her quilt did not arrive in time. She fell into a coma and then slipped away shortly afterwards. I offer another dear chatter in our room many gratitudes as she sent a quilt in the name of the room. She said Zoe knew we all loved her and that is what matters. While I know this is true I am still a little saddened that I didn't get the quilt to her in time. We will miss you dearly Zoe.

Love Quilt is Done and in the Mail! I vowed to bind that quilt last night and I did. My too tired too busy excuse started to wear on *my* nerves. So around midnight last night I put in the final stitch. I had to get this done. Poor Zoe's health continues to fail. I will be crushed if we lose her. I will be devastated if she doesn't get this quilt and we lose her. Again, prayers please for Zoe (Glenna is her real name) that she gets her much needed lung transplant. (The picture is cloudy because my camera was in my very cold car and the camera clouded up)

I have to share the tote bag was perfect! The quilt fit totally into the bag and worked as I had planned! VBG!!

Mark Update Got a call from the infectious disease doctors. They got the labs back (except one). They said things are looking good. His platelets are high (good) for him. 96 where they were 41 or less in the hospital (a normal person is over 150). Other labs look good. The one test that will tell if his infection is going away is not back yet but they can deduce from other tests that is probably is. Good news!