11/23/13

Ready for Saturday Sewing


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Yesterday I was up and out bright and early because I had physical therapy first thing. I'm usually up early, but not usually out early. Our weather is the best it can be for this time of year. Crisp, cold, and very clear. The mountains look beautiful when the weather is like this. Here's a picture of Mt. Hood taken from the dirt road that goes near our house.


Physical therapy went really well yesterday. For all the whining and moaning I did about it, I have to admit that it is helping. My knee feels better every day, and I actually had three pain-free days in a row this week. Yesterday, I was able to do more exercises than I've ever been able to do, including some squats and lunges, which would have been impossible when this all started. I still have a ways to go, but in the words of my therapist, I think I'm "gaining on it".

After that I came home and started sewing. Thursday, I did all the cutting for the Good Morning quilt.


There were lots of strips, squares, and fabrics, and so I pinned everything together and labeled it by going through the letters of the alphabet. When I ran out of letters, I started over again with AA, BB, and so forth. By the time I was finished, I was up to letter double I.


Then yesterday I started sewing strip sets together and began making the first blocks. Here are the first three:


I was off to a good start on the second three, but had to quit before they were finished.


The next set of strips will be from these two fabrics.


With the exception of a white on white polka dot that I ordered especially for this quilt, the rest of the fabrics are all pulled from my stash. I'm liking the way the yellow from the multi-colored floral pops out in those first blocks above.

This morning I want to take a moment to honor my wonderful Uncle Dick, who passed away peacefully yesterday morning. He was my dad's younger brother. Here's a picture taken of him in the late 60's with my Aunt Juanita. She passed away in 2000.


He accomplished many things in his life, and I am woefully unable to remember everything. He earned a doctorate in education in 1973 and was a dedicated educator in the state of Idaho. For many years he was principal of Borah High School in Boise, Idaho. If any of you are of that vintage, you may remember him. Here is a picture of him with my Dad on the left. Looking at my Dad's uniform, he is a buck private here, and so I'm guessing this picture must have been taken shortly after Pearl Harbor, when he enlisted in the Marine Corps. My Uncle Dick is in the middle, and the youngest of the three brothers, my Uncle Doyle, is on the right. He passed away around 1980.


My Uncle Dick was a wonderful influence in the lives of young people, including me and my brother, and I am glad that I was able to spend quite a bit of time with him over the years despite living far apart. As I have told some folks, he was a teacher through and through. My boys were also able to spend quite a bit of time with him at a couple of family reunions, and I am grateful they had a chance to get to know him. He was one of the heroes of my life, and I am saddened by his passing. My heart goes out to my cousins, Ruth, Rebecca, Ben and Sam. Uncle Dick, you will be missed, but the sweetness of your memory will live on in the lives of the many young people you touched.

So today I'm going to continue on with my sewing. Also, I'm going to make some cranberry pepper jelly today. I think I found the recipe in Bon Appetit recently (can't remember without going downstairs to look). I love pepper jellies of all flavors, and I think if this cranberry one turns out, it will be a good appetizer on Thanksgiving. Pepper jellies are wonderful spread on a cracker with cream cheese, so I'm really hopeful this will be a good one.

Tomorrow we need to head out to wine country to pick up a couple of wine shipments that have been awaiting us. We are members in a couple of wineries, and occasionally we have to go pick up a shipment. That's okay because it gives us a chance to visit the wineries at various times of the year. With the weather so nice, it should be good weather for taking pictures.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend planned for yourself. What's up in your world?

15 comments:

Sher S. said...

I'm so glad to hear your PT went well and that you had 3 pain free days this week. That is fabulous!! I'm sure the swimming that you are doing is very helpful. Your new quilt is so cheerful to look at, such great fabrics. I'm in the process of cutting out my first Turning Twenty quilt for my daughter. We have had the fabrics for a year and when she was out Thursday she asked why don't we start that to get it done and out of the sewing room. Well, I've been pressing 20 fat quarters and then cutting each as the directions call for. That is time consuming to say the least, still have 12 fat quarters to cut. Then sewing, YIPPEE!!!! We've had rain off and on for 3 days and it got cold, at last. We really needed the rain here in So. Cal. Enjoy your wine adventure.

Lia*s Handmades said...

So sorry for your loss, Barbara. Sending hugs!

Diane Wild said...

Condolences to you and the family. Sounds like an amazing life. Glad to hear your PT is improving your knee. And, you're making progress in the sewing department. What's Smitty up to? Is he helping?

bluenines said...

I am sorry to hear of your loss,, My condolences to you and your family, He sounds like a wonderful man, take care

WoolenSails said...

What wonderful photos and love the clothing.
I was going to relax and sew tonight, but after tiring myself out at the stores, I came home and son came over with baby to help move things, so he finally left after 7, now i am too tired to think and still have to clean up, ugh.

Debbie

Betty said...

Got together this morning with a couple of my quilty friends for coffee and show and share. Then ran errands before coming home to check on the cats. I am inspired, but too tired to sew now.
Sorry about your uncle, it is sad when we lose those who are so special to us.
Looking forward to seeing your quilt as it progresses. I'm sure it will be lovely!

Kate said...

So sorry to hear about the passing of your uncle. It sounds like he'll be remembered by many.

Glad that the physical therapy is doing you some good. Hope that proves to be what you need so you can skip the surgery.

Marei said...

I'm sorry about the sad news regarding the passing of your Uncle Dick, but what beautiful words you have written to honor him. The Good Morning quilt is off to a good start and it has a very "cheery" feel to it, and cozy, too.

Lyndsey said...

That's really good news about your knees. Keep up the great work. Those blocks look lovely, like the fabric you've chosen.

I'm very sorry to hear of the death of your uncle. he sounds like a wonderful man and the photo of him, your dad and their younger brother is a real keepsake, such a good looking group of young men.

Tami C said...

Your picture of Mt. Hood looks absolutely wonderful! It's amazing how clear the sky looks! So glad that your PT is going so well. Your first 3 blocks for Good Morning look great! It looks like it's going to be a really fun quilt.

Beth said...

Heartfelt condolences on the passing of your uncle. What a sweet tribute. Both of my mother's siblings died this year, and their passings have left quite a void. I am choosing to think of that as an indication of how great was their influence and their place in my life. Missing them is an acknowledgment of how often they were present for me when I needed them.

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

I'm sorry to hear about your uncle but he does sound like he was a great influence on you and your children.

Brown Family said...

You were blessed with two great uncles. Not all of us have that blessing. I know you will miss him and I am sorry for your loss.

Junebug613 said...

I'm sorry about your Uncle. It's wonderful that you have such nice memories and had such a loving guidance in your life aside from your parents.
Oh those fabrics areso pretty together! I'm not big on floral patterns, but the way you have them cut and arranged is nice.

quiltzyx said...

Wow! 3 pain free days in one week - that's wonderful! Keep up the good work.
All the way to II! That is a lot of different sets of fabric. Glad it's all going together well!
It's lovely that you have so many great memories of your uncle. It sounds like he was a wonderful man & will be carried on in many hearts.