HSTeria and Wednesday Wandering

I recently received a large bag of 2.5 inch unfinished HSTs and HST parts. Some were pressed but needed trimming. Some were sewn together on Thangles and other paper foundations. And some were just triangles that needed another half. 

So, with some of the dark/neutral HSTs I made some Depression Blocks. It's one of my favorites. These will finish at 8 inches and I think will go into a larger comfort quilt. 

I also made some 4 inch finished Broken Dishes blocks.  I have a box of all different sizes of Broken Dishes blocks. One of these days I will make a few quilts and empty that box. 

There were some dark/light HSTs that were two colors.  I decided to make them into columns of 40 HSTs for a finished length of 80 inches. When sewing them together like so the columns will form some diagonal light and dark stripes.  I think I need 30 columns of 40 HSTs. 

I decided to iron some blocks with HSTs too. I have several baskets and small boxes full of parts and small blocks that need ironing. If I need leader/enders I sew up bits and pieces given to me but since I know I am not going to use them right away I never get around to ironing them. I need to start ironing because the baskets and shoeboxes are getting in my way. 

Awhile ago someone gave me a gallon bag of batik 2 inch finished HSTS that needed ironing and dog ears trimmed.  I made 3 inch finished Broken Dishes blocks and some strips of 5 HSTs to add to a long term WIP.   Oh, and I did empty that bag!

And sew on...

***

A quick walk through the gardens. 

Money plant  (Lunaria, Honesty) reseeds itself everywhere. Soon I will harvest and remove the brown outside part of the seed pods to reveal silvery disks. I remember my maternal great grandmother had vases of Lunaria all over her house. I was fascinated by them. 

Lilies. I forget which kind these are. 

Asiatic Lilies

Oh so fragrant Orienpet or Tree Lilies. They grow taller each year and are a cross between an Oriental and Trumpet Lily.

Roses

Daylilies

More Roses.

More Roses being strangled by bindweed.

Daylily

Daylilies

Rose of Sharon

Milkweed. It has popped up everywhere this year!

And sow on...

***

We live in a very old and falling apart but paid for farmhouse. We don't have air conditioning and John's oxygen concentrator also puts out some heat. Since John has been sick so much the last couple of years I don't think he needs to also suffer from the heat too. I started researching portable room air conditioners and found one that would suit our needs and our house layout (it needs to vent to the outside via window) and square footage to cover. It was delivered while John was in the hospital and my son helped me get it set up. So now we do have a little heat relief (around 76 degrees) inside, thank goodness, in the living room/dining room area where John spends most of his time. Now I might have to set up my sewing machine on the dining room table. 

 

A Little Bow Tie Top

It's a top!

Bow Ties

40 x 40

A few weeks ago Jenny sent me a box of small 3 and 4 inch finished blocks in all colors of the rainbow. Instead of putting them away for later I decided to use them. This is the first of several tops. I happened to finish this top on July 9 before I took my husband to the ER but didn't take photos until this morning. 

When finished it will make a nice comfort quilt for a wee one. 

And sew it goes...

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

***

Good News! He's home. He was discharged yesterday around 4pm.  Diagnoses from that visit: Acute hypoxic respiratory failure, Bronchiectasis, Left lower lobe pneumonia, Medical problem-major (whatever that means) and Sepsis, unspecified organism. I can't believe he is out of the hospital after only two days. Oh, thank goodness! Now he just has to stay well enough to pass a stress test on July 24 and if he does then he gets the mandibulectomy, etc. on August 5. 

***

Oh joy! Recently Sandi sent me a box of HSTs and Barbara sent me a box of all sorts of different goodies. I am blessed with so many bits and pieces as fodder for comfort quilts. Sewing (and gardening and reading) keeps my mind healthy and able to deal with all the health issues with hubby. 

***

I finished two books! Dead Canyon by Jeff Carson. It is book #16 in the David Wolf Mystery Thriller Series.    

I Know an Old Lady by Margaret Standafer. It is a coming of age novel. I think it was longer than it needed to be; however, it was a nice story. 

Reading (and sewing and gardening) keeps my mind healthy and able to deal with all the health issues with hubby. 

***

While I was out taking pics of the quilt this morning a songbird I've never heard before decided to serenade me. After I got inside hubby asked if I saw what bird that was that was singing. No, I didn't. 

Also while I was out taking pics I walked over to the fragrant garden I made by an old swing set for hubby. It is not far from the house so it is good exercise for him to get out for a bit. I added a couple of Adirondak chairs so he could sit for a bit. Well, anyway, as I said...I walked over to the fragrant garden and saw Orienpet (Tree) Lilies in bloom so snapped a couple of photos. Orienpet Lilies grow taller with each year. 

Gardening (and sewing and reading) keeps my mind healthy and able to deal with all the health issues with hubby. 

.

And sow on... 

A Simple Four Patch Top

It's a top!

Four Patch

60 x 78

I have a box of 3.5 inch width strips and squares. Most have been given to me over time. One color Four Patches of light and dark 3.5 inch squares made in  the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month is one of the projects I started last year to use the smaller scraps in the 3.5 inch width box. 

Since I'm now working hard to empty that 3.5 inch width scrap box I decided to finish up the few blocks I needed to make a comfort quilt top. 

I usually sew scrap blocks together randomly; however, I decided on diagonal rows by color for this one. I don't have a design wall or floor space enough to layout blocks before I sew them together so I counted out the number of blocks of each color and made a very rough draft on paper that I followed. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

***

Just popped in to say "hi". John has been fighting a bronchiectasis flare up all week - lots of coughing and thick mucus he has been trying to get rid of.  Last night about 5 pm he told me he couldn't breathe. The oximeter showed blood oxygen okay but pulse rate high. No fever. Very pale. Took him into ER. They immediately took him into a room. They gave him 15 liters of oxygen and took tests. They thought he might have blood clot. No, he didn't. Pneumonia? Maybe. After all the testing and at 4 am they finally admitted him for COPD - Bronchiectasis type.  (Bronchiectasis is reason he is on oxygen with activity). This afternoon he was doing much better and up and about; however, now he has developed a problem with high blood pressure like he sometimes does when hospitalized. Anxiety? Maybe I should take my own blood pressure!

More later... 

Aqua Charms

Aqua Charms

40.5 x 49.5

Last month I sorted all of the Charm squares I have received over the last couple of years. This month the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month is aqua (blue-green, teal, etc) so I decided to do something with the aqua charms. After I counted them I decided I had enough for a small quilt. 

The aqua and navy polka dot piece was still on my cutting mat after cutting sashing strips for the Little Crumb Star Quilt so I thought I'd make a Star to add to the Charms.

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

***

Happy Birthday to my youngest son and to the U.S.A.   

My youngest son celebrates 42 years today.  I remember the day he was born around 2 in the afternoon. He was born about 15 minutes after I arrived at the hospital. Dr. was delayed by parade and arrived right after John III, my little firecracker, came into the world. This was a time before cell phones and we could not find anyone home to call and tell the news. 

The neighbors down the road usually has a massive fireworks display on Independence Day that we can view from our yard out here in the country. However, that may not happen tonight since it is supposed to be raining all day.  So maybe the lightning bugs will be the only thing lighting up the sky. 

***

Oh joy! I recently receive a box of flannel pieces from Sandi and a little box of little and very cheerful blocks from Jenny.  Oh such lovely fodder for comfort quilts!

***

Finished a book! High Road (David Wolf Mystery Thriller Series Book 15). I figured out part of the mystery about half way through. And now I'm on to Book 16 in the series. It has either been too hot or too wet to work out in the gardens so I've been reading a lot near a fan and a glass of ice water since I don't have a/c.  Also staying upstairs to read and do a little housework (ugh) and not down in sewing room because last couple of days because John has had a bronchiectasis flare up and unable to do much for himself. Today he seems much better. 

***

A few garden photos I took a couple of days ago follow.

I tried Ranunculus for the first time this year. The deer or rabbits ate most of them. Now I know I need to spray with Bobbex if I want any next year. These are pretty fiddly. I have to dig up the corms in Fall and store for the winter. Next year I may just put them in pots on the deck. 

Daylily

Daylilies

Monarda (Bee Balm)

Daylilies and Echinacea (Coneflowers)

Oriental Lily

More Daylilies

Daylilies

Monarda (Bee Balm) 

A Red and White Top (Orphan Oscar)

It's a top!

(Orphan Oscar)

58 x 72

This month the theme in my sewing space to move UFOs forward is "orphan blocks".  This top started with a bundle of twelve 12 inch red and white blocks from an old block swap.  

All but one of the blocks had the names of the block makers. And this one had the date! 2013??? Gosh time flies.   Funny thing is that on my UFO list under the category "really old ufos" I've had "R/W" listed. I almost crossed it off last year because I wasn't sure what that actually referred to.   A few days ago while I was looking through a box of red, white and blue orphan blocks that have accumulated I found my "R/W" and decided to do something with those blocks before I forgot about them again. 

This block had my name on it.  I do like The Dandy Quilt Block. 

I wanted to make a larger quilt so decided on 20 blocks with sashing. In my red, white and blue orphanage I found 8 smaller red and white orphans so I framed some of them up to 12.5 (unfinished)...

...and I used some of them as 12.5 (unfinished) Sawtooth Star centers. 

I still have remained in contact with a couple of the makers with the Stashbusters Online Group.  I'll have to see if Nancy G. and Teresa D. (now G.) recognize their blocks. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

 

A Little Crumb Star Top

It's a top!

Crumb Stars

40 x 48

Someone gave me a big pile of 6 inch finished crumb blocks. I used a few of them as centers for these crumb stars. 

All of the neutral background pieces as well as the Star points came out of the 3.5 inch width strips and squares scrap box I am trying to empty.

From the scraps in that box so far...

1. Streak of Lightning top (blue/gray/neutrals)

2. Hollow Nine Patch top

3. This one - Crumb Stars (with addition of crumb blocks)

And sew on...

***

It's been hot, hot, hot and humid here this week. I didn't do too much but read near a fan. I finished two books: 

1. Into the Dust (The Dirty Thirties Series Saga Book 4) by Jean Hackensmith. This series follows a family who moves from the coal mines of Virginia to Oklahoma to homestead. Then the fields turn to dust when the dust storms hit. This book highlights measures taken to preserve the top soil and prevent erosion with the help of government projects. 

2. In The Ground (David Wolf Mystery Thriller Series Book 14) by Jeff Carson, Well, I've now read 14 books in this series so I must like these mystery thrillers. And now on to Book 15. 

***

There's some big ol' angry bees out by my herb garden. I think they might live in an old wood pile. I was weeding in my herb garden and getting ready to sow some cilantro seeds a few days ago and kept getting buzzed. Then one of those angry bees stung me right through the fabric of my shorts on my thigh. Wow. That hurt! I went in and took some diphenhydramine that knocked me out for hours. I have about a 6 x 2 inch swollen spot now.  Around the same time the mosquitoes were biting and bit up my arms. Strange thing...my arms appeared bruised a couple of days later. I looked up if mosquito bites could cause bruises and, yes, they can.  And if that wasn't bad enough I had two spider bites on my elbow that swelled and itched. And I ended up with some type of dermatitis (red rash) on my face the day after I was weeding in the native wildflower garden.   So, I guess the critters aren't just trying to devour the gardens they are now out to get me!! 😱

***

I'm glad I just have bug bites and am healthy overall! 

We finally have a surgery date for hubby John - August 5!! It's approx. five hour surgery to remove necrotic jaw bone and tissues, take cultures to determine exactly what bacteria is causing bone infection and then after that he will probably undergo infusion therapy with proper antibiotic. They are not going to replace the necrotic jaw bone like they did on the other side in 2017. So he will have "hang jaw". He doesn't need the bone since he can't swallow and gets his nutrition via G-tube. So, this surgery will be easier on him and quicker recovery time than the 14 hour surgery he had in 2017 to replace jaw with fibula.   Necrotic bone is due to radiation for oropharyngeal cancer he had back in 2004. 

On Monday John had an echocardiogram as part of his pre-surgery evaluation. It revealed he had moderate aortic valve stenosis. So now he has an appt. with cardiologist on July 6. 

John had Mohs surgery on squamous cell carcinoma on his nose and it is healing nicely. He has another video appt. in July for follow up.