July 28, 2009

Today was my 5 week check up with the knee surgeon. Still on crutches, but slowly taking a few steps with one.  I have the go ahead to try climbing the stairs to my studio - while using crutches or a cane. Won't be running up and down them anytime soon, but a least I can attempt them. Tomorrow will be my first attempt!  Scott has already moved my Janome back upstairs. Do you think he was tired of my machine on the dining room table, my cutting mat on the kitchen buffet, ironing board and iron in the kitchen, and fabric "piles" on the table?  I think the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back is using his pool table as my design wall.  LOL!  (Don't tell him, but I was tired of it too). 

I start Physical Therapy Friday. Scheduled for 3 x week for 4 weeks. Looking forward to getting some help with this very stiff and sore knee.

Have you ever had one of those days when you just shouldn't have attempted to work on a quilt project? A day when everything that can go wrong will go wrong, and you should have just left the rotary cutter and sewing machine alone?  I had one of those days when I first started sewing after my surgery. Unfortunately I didn't realize it was one of THOSE days... until I tried assembling my blocks a few days later.  I usually ALWAYS do a test block to double check my pattern.  I did test units, to check the outside unit dimensions. Perfect, came out to 5" unfinished exactly.No need to sew the test units together in the block. (YEAH RIGHT, I'm saying NOW).  Good to go.... rev up that rotary cutter and cut pieces for 144 units. Then sew 4 quick corners on each.  So far, so good.  It took me several days to cut out all the pieces, and make my square in a square units.  But..... when I went to sew them to the next unit, matching diagonal seams - something wasn't quite right.....  My quick corner measurement was off! OH NO!  Since I had already cut off the excess I couldn't use them again. So.....  back to the drawing board, the cutting board, and the sewing machine. I had been collecting just the 'perfect' fabrics for this project for over 6 months.  Now I'm back to hunting down some more fabrics, and starting all over......    Moral to the story: Don't start a project while on pain meds. Put the rotary cutter down, and go back to bed.