It's February 2015 and I'm Back

My last blog post was titled, “Where’d September Go?” In keeping with that thought, this one could be called “Where’d October, November, December and January Go?” Well, if you’ve read my Moser Good Eats blog posts recently you’ll know that we’ve had a number of life challenges during that time with the most recent, Jana’s diagnosis of cancer, being the most significant and one that will be with us through most of this new year. This sad news left me with little interest in quilting or jamming or anything else creative. But, then I read somewhere that a family with cancer (no, we don’t share Jana’s nausea and other side-effects, but it is on our minds each and every moment of every day) should try to keep life as normal as possible and continue doing those things that sustain us. For me (at least over the past few years), that has been creative endeavors like quilting and jamming.

I’m back to doing both! I decided I needed a brainless project and what could require less thinking than a flannel rag quilt. Out came a collection of flannel that has been stored in one of my Rubbermaids for over ten years. It has been so long, I even had to search for the pattern to refresh my memory on the cutting, quantities, and seam allowances…something I thought I’d never forget. I spent days cutting the flannel and the batting, stitching the “X’s” on the squares, and finally sewing the 90+ blocks together. Off to our new Joann’s in Jackson to buy a new pair of scissors, a day clipping, into the washer/dryer and we have a new and beautiful rag blanket! I’m always so surprised at the difference the washer/dryer make. It’s such a pathetic looking project after it’s been clipped and before it goes through that final step. What happens in the washer/dryer is Magic with every seam becoming pronounced and chenille-like. Well, the Magic happened, just like it has in the past and we have a new, cozy blanket! It’s just what I needed. I went on to make a coordinating kitty blanket out of the scraps and have been eyeing the final scrap pile (fits in one large hand) trying to decide whether or not to give it up and move on to another project or create a flannel doll blanket. Considering we have seven grandsons and only one granddaughter who turned 14 this year, I think I’ll probably give up on it. Here's a picture of Verne taking a well-deserved nap with his new Blankie after working four hours on the road cutting, raking, and hauling wood and slash.

Back to Joann’s…unusual for me, but I didn’t visit the store for several months after its opening. Even the 50%-60% coupons sent to residents didn’t entice me. But then I stopped with a specific purpose one day in December and I’ve been one of their regulars since. I no longer let those 50% coupons expire in my purse and I’m even up to using both the paper and digital coupons. I used one of them to buy a completely unnecessary book on crocheting a few weeks ago…it’s the equivalent to the One Skein Wonders for knitting. I bought a crochet hook (it’s been so long mine have been misplaced), bought a skein of yarn from Rumplestiltskin (it was wrong and I took it back yesterday and now have a store credit…DANG!), ordered the correct yarn on-line (an expensive, but gorgeous hand-died yarn with long runs of six colors), and spent about three days making a 13” pillow for Jana. That is, I crocheted the top. The backing is fabric and I now need to embroider a chain stitch around the edges (exactly 51 stitches per side…that’s going to be a challenge) and then single crochet the top to the back. I’m short on yarn and it’s really doubtful it will stretch 50+ inches, in which case I’m not sure what I’ll do. Rip out a few rows and crochet them with a smaller needle? I don’t have a clue! But, I am determined to finish it and give it to Jana on our next trip to SoCal.

That’s the extent of my January creations - all done in the last week or so. My next project will require the long-arm…it’s been months and I’m hoping the machine still works. Lauren has made a beautiful quilt for her co-worker and I have less than a week to get it quilted and mailed to her in time for her friend’s retirement party. I’m feeling the pressure, but it’s a good feeling and it's good to be back at the studio (still without a bathroom) and my studio cat! Here's a selfie Ernie and I took...