Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Here I Go . . .

Tomorrow's the big day when I head out for my back surgery. I think I've gotten everything done and taken care of that needs to be, and now it's time to relax, let the control freak in me take a break and put myself in competent hands. I've had the photo above as my computer wallpaper this month, one I took prior to the pandemic lockdown while taking a birthday cruise on the lake. I've seen so little of the lake this year as my ability to enjoy a walk around city park or down the Bay Trail has disappeared. So the picture when I fire up the computer is a reminder of why I'm having this surgery and what I hope to be getting back to soon. Wish me luck!

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Still Distracted

Disruptions continue, including a day devoted to my pre-op appointments, and I totally forgot to post what I did get done last week. I finished the satin stitching on the second Peace Quilt and I guess I should have used some stabilizer. The first quilt was all done with tightly woven hand-dyes while this one trades one of those out for the less stable sateen fabric. I good press got most of the draw-in flattened out and hopefully the quilting will do the rest. I've decided to back it like I did the first one, same dark hand-dye used on the front with the intent to turn it to the front to make the binding. But I don't think I'll use felt again, even though that will mean a lot of thread burying. Felt is good for smaller projects but I was not totally happy with the way this larger piece hung, the felt not being as firm as I thought it would be. I think I will go back to Hobbs 80/20 in black, which has more stability to it than regular 80/20 for some reason. Will see if I can get it sandwiched up before the end of the week, along with the continuing straightening and preparing of the house for my post-surgery recovery, and of course gathering what I will need to take to the hospital.

I'm lining up things to work on for when my bending/twisting/lifting is limited. I have one really old hand applique piece in mind. Have laid out supplies for several books. And printed off photos of quilts I've yet to fill out documentation sheets for. That seemed like an excellent project I could do sitting.

Perhaps I'll finally try some Gelli printing. I already have a 5 x 7 plate, going with the smaller size partly because they are so darned expensive and partly because it is a good size for printing in some of the sketchbooks I've made. But all the demos I watch show using a larger plate, one you can pull printer paper size prints when playing with masks and stencils. So when Michael's was having a particularly good sale, I was able to pick up this larger one at half price. As for the Scor-Pal, I admit I got sucked in by the "ooo what a cool tool gotta get one" thing after watching it being used to score for folding accordion style the spine for this challenge journal (and here also to see the folding of the spine) as well as other scoring chores in bookmaking. But again, this tool is a little pricey so I'd been putting off getting it. Then I realized I had a bunch of credit card points I could apply to an Amazon purchase so was able to get it there essentially for free. Am looking forward to trying it out when I make this book again, only bigger.

Tuesday, July 05, 2022

Montage Homage

I've used most if not all of the photos in the collection shown above as I've marked year after year the anniversary of my husband's death on July 5, 2000 on this blog, but I don't think I've ever shared this grouping. I put it together as a special memory of our adventures on our Harley 750 Sportster. There were short hops and day trips and weekend jaunts to nearby motorcycle road races and week-long vacations sightseeing our way through Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and even parts of Canada. I told him we couldn't afford it when he came home from the dealership marveling at his opportunity to buy the bike when the person who said they wanted it changed their mind - normally there was a long waiting list to get one but he happened to be right there when the dealer lost that potential sale. I knew he was going to figure out how to buy it anyway, and I never regretted it, making sure he knew I expected to be taken along on many a ride. We had marvelous times on that machine and where it took us.

So the photo montage was put together so I could print it on fabric to make a journal quilt. I cut a border from the "checkered flag" sleeves of one of his Harley t-shirts and added a little quilting as well as various pins we picked up along the way. It never fails to warm my heart when I see these photos and remember how much he loved that bike . .  and me of course, never minding my tagging along. Loved you then, sweetie, and love you still.