Monday Goals

Mother's Day was celebrated with a little machine time--

I sewed the stack of pinned HSTs lickity split!  I had enough bobbin thread except--

for the last three inches!!  

The weather is cool and rainy.  It will warm later this week, the grass will grow like crazy and the trees will pop out their leaves.  

Weekly goals--

1) pin more HSTs

2) press the sewn HSTs

Working takes up most my time.  The fee booth has big windows and a full glass door with a screen you can slide down.   A great people watching vantage point!

Lori1R at the Campground Workhouse

Motivation Friday

This week has been busy.  Love the campground job.  I have less time to sew, but that's okay.  In between during quiet times I pinned these block parts together--

next I need to sew/press them.  The camper has more steps, and I am short, I have to climb up three steps, open, the door, back down one, then open the door the rest of the way.  Awkward for me, so we ordered an additional handrail.  Yesterday it arrived and I immediately installed it.  

The orange spots on the step help me find the middle of each one in the dark.  The hibiscus to the left of the steps are tattered--lots of wind earlier in the week.  I had kept them in the basement all winter with grow lights.  A bit of a shock being outside again.

I work every day, we'll see when I can sew the parts together.

Lori1R at the Workhouse on the Prairie

Cool Wednesday Cinco de Mayo

A cool day here on the Missouri River.  Spring is slow getting here, its currently 59° and that might be the high.  Nights are chilly, I need a little heat on.  

There are the prettiest Crabapple trees beside my campsite--

loaded with flowers.  I hung bluebird houses, not sure if anyone will nest in them.  In the booth is a desk & chair--I sat there and pinned block parts together--

gives my hands something to do, otherwise I eat chocolate!  There is room in the booth for a small freezer--

I have some chicken, burger, roasts, and a whole beef brisket to smoke in it.  I put the chocolate in it, if I have to move everything from the top to get it out maybe I will eat less of it.  

Today is also Cinco de Mayo, so to celebrate I made--

Swedish meatballs?  Well, it was what I had thawed out.  

Have a great Cinco de Mayo!

Lori1R at the Prairie Workhouse on the Missouri River

Back Again

Its been a long busy winter.  Not much sewing, I had a torn left meniscus and worn out cartilage in my left knee.  I had to wait 90 days as I had had a cortisone injection in that knee.  February 11th they replaced half the knee--it was "the surgery was a success, but the patient not so good"!  Allergies to pain medications, antibiotic intolerance, the pain block for my knee never worked and came out prematurely.  The first week was rocky!  But it got better, I only had three rehab sessions and was released--I could do all the bending, I just need to build strength and balance.  

We decided to retire from farming, we were small farmers and had small farm sale April 5th.  We both felt relieved to be done.  Ken is still working and I took a job at a different Corps of Engineers campground in South Dakota--Left Tailrace at Big Bend Project.

This is in central South Dakota, the campground is along Big Bend Dam in the middle of the Missouri River.  

Here is a picture of our campsite--

The trees are just starting to leaf out, there is an apple tree budding to the left of our camper.  We bought a different camper, bigger and newer.  We have a fireplace and a wine cooler/bar.  🙄  But the best news is WE HAVE NO SQUIRRELS!  YAH!!  Here is the fee booth where I work--

Today was the first day we were open, a few small glitches (YouTube video #3 and we could change the print cartridge) but I think it went fairly smooth.  But there were personal problems--

My phone had a fall.  Yes, I had a screen protector BUT if it hits hard enough it breaks.  So much time and extra miles to get a replacement phone up and running.  And I forgot a couple things--my hooded sweatshirt I can wait for Ken to bring me but this is absolutely necessary--

I forgot my flat iron!  My hair is long, thick, and wildly curly.  I immediately ordered one from Amazon, I am a long ways from a Walmart or other place to buy one.  Today I used the big curling iron and had "Texas big hair".  

But it was absolutely beautiful weather today, I like working at the fee booth, campers are fun people.  

Lori1R at Left Tailrace Campground

What I'm Working On

With surgery looming I need precut simple piecing for after surgery.  Mindless, no brain needed piecing.  I have a box of homespuns Judy B in MN gave me, I've been pondering a project.  Pulled out all the homespuns, grouped by color and washed them in hot water.  I hung them to dry, this is some of them--

There are at least 35 yards of homespuns.  I needed a plan.  I have Accuquilt Churn Dash (9" & 12") and Flying Geese (3"x6") dies.  I have plenty of natural heavy muslin.  I can make LOTS of blocks easily.  Homespuns + vintage blocks = WIN to me!  Homespuns aren't bright like Kaffe Fasset, or eye catching like modern prints BUT I find them timeless and comfortable.   Cuddling in a quilt made of these is like putting on your softest flannel shirt.  I made a few blocks to see--

So that's my plan, I will press with plenty of starch before cutting--essential to working with homespuns.  

Lori1R in South Dakota

PS--Thanks to Liz in Houston for tip on cutting pool noodles to go on hangers--they're perfect for hanging fabric or quilts tops and prevent a stiff crease!  The noodles are easily cut/slit with a serrated knife.

Unexpected

The last 10 days have been busy.  In July my knee started hurting.

No swelling, just hurt.  So I limped on.  By the end of the season I knew it was not getting better.  I saw my local Dr.  He Xrayed it, didn't see anything too major.  He thought it was probably age related arthritis.   I kept saying most the pain was on the inside of the knee.  He suggested a cortisone injection to see if the knee would quiet down.  (It hurt to touch the skin like fire).  Two weeks later still  terrible pain.  It hurt no matter what.  Back to Dr who refers me to ortho Dr.  Ortho Dr xrays, sees some fluid inside the joint but is 95% sure I have a torn meniscus.  Has me sign surgery form, says he will do arthroscopic surgery, a simple procedure.  Yah!!  But he says he wants a MRI to make certain, got me in for scan at 5pm, will call me in two days with results.  Wednesday call--no arthroscopic surgery--I need knee replaced!  I am gobsmacked!  Yes, meniscus tear, but it can't be fixed, should remove it, but no cartilage on bone ends anymore.  So my knee has no cushioning.  And since I've had a cortisone injection, surgery has to wait 90 days.  Might cause problems with bleeding/healing.  This is a very conservative ortho Dr!   

Sigh.  I am limping around.  I can drive the big pickup, its my left knee and seat adjusts enough I can extend my leg fully, rest it on a pillow while driving.  Walking on flat ground in straight line is painfull but doable.  Bending, twisting, leaning, carrying is out.  I am sewing with my leg propped on cardboard box.  My sewing machine cabinet has no front left leg.

Planning on surgery early February, cutting projects that are simple piecing, maybe I can do that while I am recovering.  I'd like to quilt a few tops before then.  

I never dreamed I would need a new knee.  My knee is sore, but very little swelling.  

Lori1R i South Dakota 

I Have A Finish/RSC Saturday

This fall I finished a quilt, the Jacob's Ladder--

It's a big quilt, 88x94 or close to that.  The border is a dark purple.  The backing is flannel I dyed what I call "tired grape".

Quilted with the panto Teeter Totter.  I made these blocks over several months, the HST in each block were whatever the RSC color was that month.  Very scrappy, whatever odds & ends I found.  I didn't want a square quilt so added the picket fence at the top and bottom.  (Its hanging sideways on the fence).  How much fabric?  16 yards I'll guess, lots of piecing.  I'm linking to SoScrappy.

Lori1R in South Dakota

Design Wall Monday

Earlier this year I made 56 Churn Dash blocks as a RSC project.  Last week I pulled them out to see if I had a plan.  Nope. There were lots of pink, yellow, orange, green and some blue blocks.  I had seen a picture of a quilt that alternated Churn Dash and Greek Cross blocks.  That would be easy, I can use the same Accuquilt die to cut the Greek Cross blocks.  Browns, purples, reds, and a black were cut and sewn up.  Dee said to "lay out my blocks to see".  Great advice Dee!

A happy design accident!  The darker Greek Cross blocks stand out and look like straight setting, the the lighter Churn Dash blocks recede and look like the diagonal setting they are.  More blocks to be made, I have enough cut for two boy quilts.  Each will have 30 Churn Dash and 20 Greek Cross.  I did not rearrange these blocks AT ALL when I laid them out, but after I took a photo to study I could see the possibilities.  Not everything went as smoothly--

A date with "Jack".  I'm linking with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and Design Wall Monday.

Friday the 13th I had a fling!  I delivered 13 boy quilts to my guild's donation coordinator.  

These quilts were 70-75" x 80-100".  Mary in SD, Dee in Nebraska, and Liz in Houston all made tops.  Judy B in MN donated many of the backings.  Mary also bound several of the quilts.  I made quilts.  Some quilts all I did was quilt and supply the batting.  Many friends shared fabric. They filled the back seat of the pickup--

This was truly a group effort, thank you everyone!

I have a hibiscus named "Marvy".  He is supposed to start going dormant, be pruned, and rest up for next year.  Nope, not doing that yet--

10 huge flowers with at least that many buds.  How big are those flowers?

As big as my hand!   I brought in two hibiscus and two mandevilla to overwinter.  They were all growing happily and I could not bear to let them freeze, they are tropical flowers, when it drops below 50° they are unhappy.

Happy Monday!

Lori1R in South Dakota

Ladder of Success

November 1st, time to start Ladder of Success by Judy Martin!

It was published in the May/June 2012 issue of Quiltmaker magazine.  

I am ready to start cutting, I've prewashed my black and have picked the white background.  This will also be a new start for 2021 IJDC Challenge on Stashbusters@groups.io.  IJDC is "Inspiration Journal/Document Challenge".  Its a challenge to start a project on your bucket list.  Would you like to join me??

Lori1R in South Dakota

November OMG

November is wide open for goals!  There are several projects that require a design wall, so that will be my goal--empty the design wall!  Currently there are two projects on the wall.   First layer is Bricks & Stepping Stones--

and pinned on top of those is Beaded Lanterns--

November OMG is to get these blocks to finished flimsies.  Several projects need the design wall as the next step.  I'm linking with Elm Street Quilts OMG.

Lori1R in South Dakota 

October OMG

Guess I needed a bigger goal for October--the Crossed Canoe blocks were easy--

We packed up the camper last Thursday--

and got home in time to winterize it before the snow on Saturday.  Still lots of stuff to unpack, mostly clothes and items that freezing weather won't hurt.  Its going to be warm weather for the next two weeks, we will bring in the rest of it then.  I'm linking with Elm Street Quilts OMG.

Lori1R in South Dakota