Happy Easter! Prep work, Slow Stitching Sunday, and garden pictures

This post will be picture heavy, will post the quilty things first.

 I am prepping some days and sewing some so this is the block I am sewing on right now.

Here are the ones I have been prepping ahead.

 Today will find me hopefully doing both a little stitching and prepping.

Head over to Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday to see what others are sharing.

We had a family fish fry late yesterday afternoon after everyone was off of work at our home. Today I have to run to grocery for a couple of last minute ingredients for tomorrow.  Tomorrow we have all the family back for a ham late lunch with tons of food. I will try and remember to get some pictures tomorrow.

Here are pictures of our garden so far. Still lots to do but the jalapenos are from last year. Even with the few really cold days we had the two plants kept producing. And they are HOT.

 This is a grape vine we have had for a couple of years. Hopefully this year it will produce a few grapes.

 These are the herb boxes hubby made and hung on our fence as his first woodworking project after the fall from the crane. I love them. These are the herbs that are coming back along with the gnomes that decorate the boxes.  Our youngest daughter is our gardening helper (and her 2 year old lol) and so I picked up a few decorations for her. With the issues hubby and I both have now some days it is hard to get the yard things (and some house things) done and she comes over and helps as much as we need. So thankful for all of our children. They have grown into amazing adults. She helps the most because the rest all work outside the home.

 These are the tomatoes, bell peppers and eggplant that hubby planted a couple of weeks ago and the two jalapeno plants from last year. I want to try making jalapeno jelly. Anyone have a great recipe they are willing to share?

And last by surely not least is Ebbie on what she thinks is "her" swing lol. She loves to swing and jumps on it all the time. Sometimes when we are working outside she will nap on it lol.

Well if you made it this far I would love to hear from you. Thanks for reading my book lol.

Block 6 finished and 7 started

Finished up block 6 on Friday night.

I tried the starch/freezer paper prep method on this one. I see why some people would like it, but I still prefer needle turn applique.

Here is block 7 that I prepped for needle turn yesterday and started sewing on last night.

Not my favorite block color wise, but my daughter - in -love picked the fabrics and the quilt will be for her. Shhhh. She doesn't know about my blog as far as I know so it should be safe to post here as I go lol.

Linking up to Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday . Go on over and see what others are doing today.

Updates

Here is what I have been working on (other than the surprise quilt.

This is the latest block from My Whimsical Quilt. I need to prep the next one.

This is the hexi block I am working on right now. Still have alot to do on it. If you see the red hexi block on the chart next to it that is the one this will be when it is all grown up.

This isn't a very good picture. Will try to get a better one for the next update on it. This is the scarf that I am knitting right now.

Please go to Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's blog and see what others are doing today.

2016??

Hard to believe another year is over! Onward to 2016!

Today my slow stitching project is my hexie project. I have thought about trying inklingo for a really long time after seeing how well it worked for Karen over at Karen's Quilts. Finally about a month ago I bit the bullet and downloaded one of the hexie sets. So far (I have 3 done so far) I really like it. I enjoy hand piecing and really didn't like hexies when whip stitching and using EPP. I know alot of people love it, I am just not one of them. The printing on fabric scared me but Karen over the last year or so answered alot of questions for me and it is really easier than I thought it would be. Here are a couple of pictures of the project I am planning on working on this year. Since I have alot of other projects going also it will be a long term project.

First picture is the one I am working on right now. It will be the red one in the second picture. I have 2 of the first row flowers done and one of the jacks looking one on the second row finished.

Linking up to Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday. Go by there and see what others are working on today.

My Whimsical Garden

Here is the beginning of My Whimsical Garden by Becky Goldsmith and Linda Jenkins.

Hop on over to Kathy's Quilt's to see other slow stitching Sunday pictures.

Last Block!

I am quilting the last block in Scott's quilt! Should finish the quilt this week. So excited!

Please check out Kathy's Quilts to see other Slow Stitching Projects.

Row 4 Done

Row 4 is ready to attach to the other 3 rows. Will do that today as my slow stitching Sunday. Go to Kathy's Quilts to see what other slow stitching is happening today. One more row to go on Scott's quilt!

Update on Hubby, AC and Slow Stitching Sunday

First of all, hubby saw the doctor (shoulder) that ordered the MRI on his back. He has to see a spine doctor. Waiting for WC to approve the visits. Doc wants him to see one that is surgical and one that isn't.

AC is fixed, $175 ugh. But at least it is cool in here again. Had a freon leak.

This is row 4 of Scott's quilt. Have one more block to quilt and add to this row and then 4 more blocks for row 5, bind and label and it will be done!

Off to finish getting the house and yard ready for our youngest grandson's second birthday party!

Check out Kathy's Quilts for more slow stitching Sunday blog photos.

Sunday, Slow stitching and yard work

Here is the update on Scott's quilt. I am over half way done now!

We've been working in the yard getting the garden and flowers done. Will post pictures tomorrow with a couple of before and after. We are far from finished. Hubby usually does all the yard work, but since the accident he needs help and I am doing what I can with bum shoulders. Oldest grandson is coming today to cut the grass. With all the rain we have been getting we need it.

Here is a link to other slow stitching sunday pages. http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Thanks Kathy!

Slow Stitching Sunday - And what's been going on

When I started to do this post I realized that the last one was right before hubby's accident. First of all here is a link to some other slow stitching sunday posts.
slow stitching.

Here is a picture of what I have been working on.

I am doing this quilt as you go. I now have 2 rows joined together, but just realized I hadn't taken a picture of that yet. Will do next time.

This was to be a surprise but with everything going on it was easier to show our son-in-law so that I could work on it when they were here helping around the yard.

So what's been keeping me busy? On November 13, 2014 my husband of 40 years fell 6 foot from the crane at work and landed on a cement slab. He fractured his right side pelvis in 3 places. There are only 4 doctors in our state that do the surgery he needed so we were taken by ambulance to Baton Rouge to the best trauma surgeon in the state. On the 14th he had surgery to repair those fractures. He now has 2 plates and 9 screws. We found out 2 months later that he tore his right rotator cuff to the point it is not repairable. They actually tried to repair it but it was much worse than they were expecting. Eventually he will need a reverse shoulder replacement. He has been in therapy since the accident (the first 3 weeks he was in a pt hospital, the next 2 months he was in at home therapy, and the rest of the time until last week he was in out patient therapy). He returns to the surgeon next Thursday and they will determine if he can be discharged until he is ready to have the shoulder surgery, or if he needs more therapy. He is VERY lucky to be alive. He could have died every time they moved him after the accident till the repair was done. They moved him 8 times. He is back at work since the last week of February on limited duty. He will always have a limp, and a certain amount of disability. Eventually when the pain or lack of movement affects him he will have to have the shoulder replacement. The doctor agrees to wait as long as possible so that he won't have to have another one later on. He is 5 years from retirement right now. He is hoping to make it till closer to that time before the surgery. I return to work soon it looks like at least for a short period of time, hopefully 6 months? As you can imagine this has been very stressful. He lost alot of blood and needed transfusions and has to continue to take iron pills for a while longer. But considering all he has been through, they are amazed at the attitude he has had through all of this and the improvement he has made. The doctors have said he wouldn't have recovered as much as he has without the "I will try" attitude. Anytime they have asked if he could do something his answer has been I will try.  I am very proud of him. He has stayed with a positive attitude through the pain and changes it has made in his life.

So please keep good thoughts, prayers coming our way. And now back to the regular scheduled quilting.

Slow Stitching Sunday 11/9/2014

Here's the hand quilting I am working on for a surprise quilt. I am doing it quilt as you go and will join the blocks together after they are quilted. I have done these a few times over the years, sometimes hand quilting, sometimes machine quilting.Link below to other slow stitching sunday projects! Thanks Kathy!

Kathy's quilts slow stitching sunday

Slow Stitching Sunday - Baby quilt

So hubby came home a couple of weeks ago and said one of the guys he works with just found out his girlfriend / wife found out she is 7 months pregnant!!

So of course he wanted me to make a quilt for the baby to be. I went shopping to find fabric and instead found this really cute cheater quilt. So today I am slow stitching the binding on and will label, wash, and viola! Baby quilt and I can go back to the regularly scheduled sewing quicker.

Linking up to Kathy's Quiilts

Slow Stitching Sunday

Here is an updated picture of the Baltimore Blue. It is what I am working on today. Link here for Slow stitching Sunday thanks to Kathy!

http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/

Blocks 5 and 6 of Dear Hannah

Linking to Slow Stitching Sunday 

Slow Stitching Sunday

New Applique Project!

Block 1 of Applique Delight by Pieces of Cake.

Slow Stitching Sunday

Stephen's quilt!

It is finally finished except for the label! And in time for his birthday which is Thursday!  He will actually get it next Sunday for the party. What a relief! The music fabric is for his band, the gold is his love of Saints football, the green is his school colors along with the white. I don't know how well you can see in these pictures but some of the previous ones show the fleur de leis I quilted in the large white areas. That represents his being born and raised a cajun! The back fabric was a no brainer when I saw it, he is gonna love that lol. He has always loved quilts (he owns 7 of the ones I have made lol), as a small child he would cry if he didn't get a new one for his birthday. Now he is turning 16, is 6'2 1/2 " and still snuggles with a quilt all the time. He has outgrown his (this one is queen size!) and uses one of his mom's or his dad's. He told everyone at his 6th birthday that I put a lot of love and blood in my quilts lol. He would spend alot of time here while I quilted and I would poke myself and bleed. This one too Stephen has alot of love, prayers and blood in it my gentle giant. Here is a link to other Slow Stitching Sunday posts. Slow Stitching Sunday

Getting there - Slow Stitching Sunday

I have one more row of the fleur de leis and I will be at the top borders! I just may make it for his birthday! Here is a link to Kathy and other slow stitching Sunday projects. Kathy's Quilts

Slow Stitching Sunday - Still plugging away

I am still hand quilting on grandson's quilt. I have reached the middle and a little more now. I was concerned that the quilting I had done in the hoop in the center would need to be redone when I reached it in the frame, but it is great! So onward to the end! Maybe, just maybe I will finish before his birthday!

Here is a link to some other slow stitching Sunday posts! enjoy! thanks Kathy!

Slow Stitching Sunday

Slow Stitching Sunday - Updates on quilts

Here is the updated (as of last night) picture of Stephen's quilt. I am almost half way across the "row" I am quilting. Hopefully I will be able to roll it down tonight or tomorrow night after work.

 This is the Baltimore Blue that will be mine! I am hand quilting it in a hoop and Stephens is on the floor frame.

 This is the new hand applique quilt I am starting. I have the first block ready to work on. Maybe start sewing the pieces down tonight?

I also have quilted diamonds started from a long time ago that hasn't been worked on in forever. Dear Hannah that has been started but not very far along. Hopefully once Stephen's is done ( I am trying for his birthday the beginning of August) I will alternate through the rest and make some progress on all of them since I am finally able to do some after work some nights, It just took awhile to settle in to a new pattern with working full time.

Linking up to http://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2014/06/slow-sunday-stitching.html

Update on status of quilt

It's been awhile but I have worked on it (among a few baby quilts and other things.) Now I am working again full time (since November) so the quilting has had to slow down ALOT. My goal is to finish hand quilting this by his birthday in August. It is queen size and there is still a LONG way to go, but I am trying!