my.sewingroom's blog : UFO, placemat

Psalm 116

Linda — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:05:00 GMT

Good morning, Heavenly Father! Actually I've been up all night again coughing and here it is 5:00 am, no sleep for a second night, and I'm saying "good morning". Well, at least it's positive. God, I haven't been too positive for many months now. I'm overwhelmed with health issues again and it's been so long since I've had a "good" day. The Bible says "ask and ye shall receive". God I'm asking for good days so I can have a positive outlook again. I need that positive outlook. I need to have my strong faith again....I don't know where it went. Help me, Lord Jesus. I'm out in left field somewhere. Where am I?? What happened? Why am I always turning left instead of right?

Psalm 116

¹ I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
² Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.

"I love you Lord. And I lift my voice to worship you O my soul Rejoice....." Amen.

I feel I must apologize to everyone because I've have had a very negative outlook in recent months about my health. Sometimes I become overwhelmed and I can't deal with the pain any more. What I need to do is turn to my God and my faith in my God and try to remain positive. Afterall, I'm still on this side of the grass, aren't I? I have survived 4 years. So why give up now? We Kollers are fighters and survivors. As Grandma Koller used to say "Linda, you are bullheaded!" Ok, so why be different now? I'm not after people's pity, prayers yes. So.....Onward Christian soldier!

Nothing and I do mean nothing has kept me from the sewing machine! I've made 2 pillowcases and 2 placemats for my little Indy. I'm looking forward to getting home. Indy will come home on March 3. I'll have a week to get everything ready for him. I just picked up some more fabric so I can make him a traveling mat to lay on. He will be a spoiled service dog. I also have fabric to make a quilt for the living room sofa for him to lay on.

I just finished another block that our alzheimer's qulter had started. I made it into a pillow that will go to her daugher who is in 4th stage breast cancer. Please keep the daughter in your prayers as she is not doing well I'm told. Our alzheimer's quilter was in church last Sunday and had a beautiful smile on her face. She was so precious. I'm taking the 2 quilt tops home to quilt. The only project left is the wall hanging. I hope to finish before I leave, but I have a pretty full schedule these last 3 weeks.

The Renaissance Festival is rapidly approaching. Jim has started working on a new reversible coat. Not as flashy as last year's coat, but classier. This week I made the pants...just have to make buttonholes yet. Today we are having some friends over for a sew-in...probably more visiting than sewing. I believe we are suppose to start on Sheila's costume. Actually we are just embellishing last year's costume. But what an embellishment!! A corset and overskirt in one. Oooolala! My costume gets no changes. I'm the fair maiden who has been captured by pirates. In a half hearted soft voice says "Help, help! I've been captured by pirates!" We have a lot of fun for the day. Wish I could find the photo of the gang to post. We're quite a motley looking group.

Several women at church have given me fabrics and asked me to please make quilts to be auctioned. The proceeds to be used to purchase items needed for the church. One lady gave me some red, white, blue fabrics and I told her they would make a nice valor quilt. She mentioned that she had a grandson in Afghanistan. So I'm now making a quilt for his family. I'm so priviledged that these women trust me to take on these tasks. I truly have my work cut out for me this year. Not to mention a few of my own quilts to finish up and my UFO pile.

Many thank yous for the birthday wishes yesterday. I belong to 2 birthday clubs and I am going home with a handsome stash of 30/40's, blues, greens, and purple fabrics. I believe I now have enough 30/40's with what I've managed to collect to make the Eleanor Burns sampler quilt from the "Egg Money" book. With the greens and purples I can now make both the pansy table topper and table runner for my bedroom.

I have enough to keep me busy. Plus, I'll be busy training Indy. I hope to meet some of you quilty friends in Ohio this year. Happy quilting!

PS. Don't forget the QCA/RWYS Luncheon on Feb. 17! Bring Show n Tell.

PRAISES!

Linda — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:13:00 GMT

I'm a bit lax and I think we all do once we receive what we've asked God to give us. But I want to sing praises and thank yous to God for giving me Indy! I can't wait to get back to Ohio so I can meet him and bring him home! Has everyone seen his photo? Been showing it to everyone...at church, at my quilt group here in AZ, when I'm shopping, the neighbors. Emailed it to everyone back home. Posted it on Facebook. It's posted on QCA and Quilt with Us. Have I missed anyone? Don't think I mailed it to my brothers and mom...they don't do internet. Guess I better print copies and mail it to them. Don't want them to find out I've added to my family from the family grapevine gets to them before snail mail... That is if it hasn't beat me! I just ordered Indy's id tags, collar, and leash. I'm going shop hopping this afternoon, so I'm looking for doggie fabric to make him a couple placemats for his doggie dishes. I also want to get some fleece to make him a sleeping mat for the bed and sofa. Praise God! I finally have my puppy! Well, I will have him when I get home. So I'm cutting my winter short and leaving AZ the end of February. Mommy's coming home Indy!!!

Meanwhile, I finished my first UFO for 2012. It's my 2006 retreat quilt made from Civil War reproduction fabrics. My friends took it to the longarm quilter as my Christmas present. Two days ago I finished putting the binding on. Perhaps today I'll get photos taken and get it posted. If not today, sometime tomorrow. It turned out great and will look wonderful on the foot of my bed. I'm sure Indy will make good use of it!

Well I need to get going before my friend Marlene shows up so we can go shop hopping. I've never done this before so I'm really excited! Happy quilting! And praise God today for whatever blessings He has given you!

Hugs, Linda

PS. I talked to Indy's foster mom before going shop hopping and found out he sleeps on a pillow. Marlene and I just got back about 45 minutes ago. I found fabrics for 2 pillowcases for Indy. Now I have to find placemat fabric. Thank you, Marlene, for a wonderful afternoon! Hope we can do it again before I return to Ohio. Hi Nana!

God, What gives with the rain?

Linda — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:32:00 GMT

Lord, I woke up this morning to rain beating on the roof. What's with that? I thought I left all that back in Ohio along with the chilliness. This is no fun especially since I had to go out in it to go to the chiropractor today. She asks on a scale of 1 to 10 how is my pain today. I answer 15!! It's raining...of course, my pain level is high! I came home and took a 2 hour nap along with a heating pad and Indie (a very cute Havanesse). Oh, dear Heavenly Father, please bring back some sunshine and heat to lessen my pain. Your will be done. Amen.

Before going to the chiropractor's office, I worked on Baptism cloths for church. My neighbor Audrey in Ohio had donated some linen and applique crosses and just in time. Pastor is using the last one that I had made previously on Christmas day for a baptism. I managed to get a baker's dozen from the fabric she donated. Thank you Audrey!

Saturday I finished a table runner for Pastor and his wife Susan. It was made from all the mistakes from Jan's table runner that I make last month. It turned out quite well. I also made 2 10-minute table runners for gifts later on. For a special little doggie named Indie I made a new placemat for her dishes. Her old one somehow got something spilled on it during their move. Here's the new one and Indie....Isn't Indie a cutie? I love her to pieces. She always has kisses.

Yesterday and today I worked on my 2008 retreat quilt.I'm using Civil War reproduction fabrics in sages and purples that match my bedroom. It requires the use of an X-block ruler. At the retreat I wasn't able to cut my blocks because my shoulders were frozen from the accident and I didn't have the strength to do the cutting. (Retreat was just about 7-8 months after the accident and I was still going thru rehab from my injuries.) It still created some pain trying to hold the ruler in place while cutting; but fortunately for me I'm only making a lap quilt. I only had to cut 40 blocks total and had to quit for several hours after cutting those 40 blocks. Today I bought the sizing (now the blocks are on a bias) so I could press and start joining the1/4 blocks to make 1/2 blocks. Can't wait for tomorrow so I can start joining the blocks to make full blocks, then I'm ready for rows. Just might be able to get this quilt done before I go home in the spring. Can hardly contain myself. My UFO for RWYS contest will be done! One down, ??? to go. I'm counting my chickens before they're hatched. Like I said I can hardly contain myself.

My friend, Jim is setting up his saltwater fish tank. This has been a source of fun and wonder this past weekend. He's added some interesting creatures...urchins, shrimp, anenomes, starfish, crab, snail, clown fish, bi-color angel fish, and 2 dragon fish. It's been more fun watching the fish tank than tv! He also has 2 artificial jellyfish. Now I'm having fun with my 2 older grandsons, Christopher and Noel. I texted a picture to them and told them I have a pet jellyfish that I'm keeping in Jim's fish tank. When I get home I have to set up my Beta tank and when it's ready, Jim will ship me my jellyfish. (I've already purchased one of the artificial jellyfish at the fish store.) They think it is really cool that Grandma has a jellyfish for a pet.! I also text them pictures of some of the other creatures in Jim's tank.Then when I get my tank all set up jellyfish and all, the boys and come over and see him. Here's the picture I sent them....I can't wait to see their faces when they see it floating in my Beta tank. Noel has been after me to get another Beta fish anyway. This is as good an excuse as any. Afterall, the tank will already be set up. So I'll see if Nate will take us to the closest pet store and let Noel pick out a Beta fish. He will be very happy. Especially since next winter he'll be taking it home while I come back to Arizona for the winter. And I have a feeling the Beta will not be coming back to Grandma's house!!! Christopher has a tarantula and Noel doesn't have anything. They have a normal pet too...Cesar, the dog.

God's blessings to you all for a good night or good morning depending on what part of the world you are in. Hugs.