3/26/21

Nearing a Finish

We were home from the grocery store before 10:00 a.m. yesterday. Heck, on any other day, I'd still be sitting on the couch in my PJ's, and so it was like it never happened...except now, we have food! Cool! Okay, so that gave me plenty of time to get started on my newest embroidery project. These are the first stitches on the first block for Heartland Barns.


When I considered starting this project, I worried those satin-stitched leaves might be tedious or that they might make my thumb hurt. Actually, they're just fine, and it's going to be very pretty when I start adding more colors. I'm not fond of doing satin stitch. More often than not, when I'm doing embroidery, I'm separating two strands of floss from the six strand bundle. For satin stitch, I separate three strands. It gives better coverage and makes the whole task a little less tedious. 

When that was finished, I moved into the sewing room to try to finish up my challenge quilt. There were two borders to quilt, and then I needed to add the binding. Of course, my stitching cat was there throughout the process, making sure I did everything right. And, yes, that is my Stitched Inchies quilt, nearly falling off the wall behind him. It was hung using two bent pins from my discarded sharps container, and obviously, one of them has no life left.


When the quilting was finished, and I was squaring it up, Smitty asked for a cosmetic procedure wherein his tail could be made to look like Sadie's. I discouraged him from making this permanent change to his magnificant stripes. 


And here's a little peek at the quilting.


Now the binding is on, and I've turned the first corner. By then, both my shoulder and my thumb were giving me grief, and so I stopped for the day.


My helper cats were 'zhausted by that time too.


We all joined in solidarity for a nap.


While we were watching the news, I noticed the hummers at the feeder. It's hard to catch them when they aren't in a blur.


So far, we've only put out only one feeder, but there are enough fighting over the feeder now that it probably makes sense to put out the second one. I put one out of sight of the other so one bird can't hog both of them.

Today I'm getting my hair cut and permed. Hol-ey Mol-ey...it's Hair 911. My hair is driving me absolutely crazy. I tried to get an earlier appointment, but my hairdresser requested I "quarantine" for two weeks after returning home. Her reasoning was that if I'd gone to another state, she wanted me to wait two weeks before coming in. Okay...fine by me...and I complied without complaint. Much. But those two weeks have been painful in more ways than one. I've had to try styling my increasingly recalcitrant hair with my broken arm and thumb. It's made me even crabbier than usual when it comes to my hair. Fortunately, help is on the way. I may never complain about getting my hair permed again.

So, I'm writing fast this morning, and it's time for breakfast. I'll finish up my challenge quilt today, and then I'll have some time left in the month to work on quilt blocks for my other WIP's. First up is City Bank. 


This was how it looked the last time I worked on it. I posted this image way back in November when I was threatening to work on it right before the Bike Ride from Hell. Finally, it's time has come. Hopefully, nothing will happen to me in the meantime.

10 comments:

Barbara said...

Life is more beautiful when you meet the right hairdresser. ~ Peter Coppola

Julierose said...

Great pix of that little hummer!!:))) Have you found that to be the best style of feeder for them?
I love how those satin stitch leaves are looking...nice work
hugs, Julierose

Crew at Cabin Central said...

Can't wait to see your challenge quilt! I love the colors. I've been thinking about you and your thumb challenges. You might want to talk to your hand therapist about getting a silver ring splint for your thumb. Insurance pays for it and you can only get it from a hand therapist. https://www.silverringsplint.com/

I have one for my pinky finger. I almost sliced it off Thanksgiving day 2019. I severed the flexor tendon and can't move the top of the finger. The splint helps to keep my finger in place. I would highly recommend it!! Take care and have a good weekend.

Katie said...

I like getting groceries early. In and out before the idiots arrive. Well, at least before there are a lot of them... Tell Smitty that procedure is very painful. Miss Gabby still sometimes bites at her stump, two years later. I think its phantom pain, but would not recommend! (I miss her stripey tail, too, but it needed to happen.) As for your hair - a friend posted something on Facebook the other day and it went like "I envy people with hairstyles. I don't have a hairstyle. Most days there are no caterpillars in my hair and I count that as a win." I laughed so hard and then realized, hey! I don't have a hairstyle, but also no caterpillars, so I must be good. Or at least in the company of good friends! So hey, no caterpillars equals a good hair day. I'm looking forward to your quilt reveal...getting a little impatient with all these teases, but maybe I should just go check my hair for caterpillars and that will keep busy for a while?!

djquilting said...

It's getting harder and harder to find someone who gives perms around here. Boy will I be in a mess then. My hair is board straight.

Kate said...

I hope you got your hair appointment in. I'm due, but want to wait till I've had my 2nd vaccination shot before I go again. The first barn block looks great. The SIT isn't fond of statin stitch either, but does like how it looks once it's finished.

Vicki W said...

I've been lucky about the hair thing. Mine is long and straight so only gets cut a few times a year. Also my cleaning lady cuts it for me so I get it done here at home. Because of the fumes from hair dyes and everything else, I can't go into salons. I do miss it though. I used to find getting my hair done so relaxing. I hope it was blissful!

piecefulwendy said...

Hope your hair appointment went well, after all that. No hummers here yet, but looking forward to them. We don't get many, but the ones who do come, fight over the feeder. Your stitching looks good, even with a broken thumb. Supposed to rain here today, so I think I'll stay in and sew.

MissPat said...

I let my hair grow out after I retired, so it's shoulder length and easy to pull back. So the only part that drove me nuts was the bangs which I did cut once or twice. My hairdresser works out of her home and only has one client visit at a time. She thoroughly sanitizes between customers. In fact, it's time I go back for another trim. I'm sure you'll be back to super model elegance with your new do.
Pat

JCH said...

I'd love to have a hair problem like that. I have to take meds now and my hair is coming out by the handful every day. Its waist length and Was thick. Will be getting it cut to a shorter length but keep putting it off. Vanity vanity....