A Set Of String Blocks

I just finished a set of 48 - 10 inch finished string blocks. I don't think I will assemble the top at this time so the set will join a lot of other block sets in the SAR (Some Assembly Required) bin. 

I used a paper foundation and black/white 2 inch center string on all blocks and then added dark strings on one side and light on the other. I used quite a few odd sized pieces set aside for string block corners. On this one quite a few of the darker corners were pieces left over from 2020 mask making that someone gave me. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

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I've finished a lot of books this month. Most reading takes place on my Kindle in the middle of the night when I can't seem to get back to sleep after a visit to the bathroom.

Copper River by William Kent Kruger.  This is book #6 of 22 in the Sheriff Cork O'Connor mystery series. I've enjoyed all the books in the series I've read so far; however, this might be as far as I get into the series. It is the last free one available with my Kindle Unlimited subscription. 

Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. This is not my usual type of book to read but I really loved it. I guess it is classified as magical realism and a portal fantasy. 

The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy. Another book I really enjoyed. Denny's "number" (IQ) is 72. He has a good heart and sets out to do good deeds; however, those deeds are misinterpreted by others and he ends up charged with murder. 

Long Way Gone by Charles Martin. I've read most of Charles Martin's books and some, like this one, brought a few tears to my eyes. This is a story about a prodigal son. “No matter where you go, no matter whether you succeed or fail, stand or fall, no gone is too far gone. You can always come home.”

Glory Over Everything: Beyond the Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. I actually read The Kitchen House in 2016 and didn't know there was another book that followed. 1830s historical fiction about slavery, the underground railroad and a mixed race man who tries to escape his past in the South to live as a white man in the North. 

 

Pastel Strings Top And A Week In Review

It's a top!

Pastel Strings

40 x 60

Strings was the April theme in my sewing space to move UFOs and scraps forward. I didn't get very far because that month I called the ambulance for hubby John and he ended up an hour away in MICU and Respiratory unit for a week. And the reason he got aspiration pneumonia that put him in he hospital is because he has a fractured jaw and jaw bone infection. And since he can't swallow a lot of infection and blood built up and tried to go down his throat but couldn't so instead went to his lungs. The infection also tried to get out of his jaw and made a little hole under his jaw so  gunk could ooze out.  Reason he can't swallow and has fractured jaw is because long ago when he had oropharyngeal cancer he had radiation and all these years later the side effects of radiation are still taking a toll on him. 

I made a few string tops in April but still have quite a few that need attention. Since the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) "color" of the month is pastels I thought I would sort out all the pastel strings for a little top. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

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And now for the "Week in Review" part of this post...

June 12 - we made a trip an hour away to the University of Iowa (UOI) hospital and clinics for a presurgical evaluaion and ENT appointment.  John was hoping for a free flap restoration of his right jaw like he had on his left jaw in 2016. At that time they took his fibular and blood vessels and made it into a jaw bone.   This time they had told us they might take a bone from his arm to reconstruct his right jaw.  John's goals were to get rid of infection in jaw and keep it from coming back, fix jaw fracture so he was not in pain.  The jaw bone fractured because it is necrotic from long ago radiation.   After much discussion it was decided that they would remove the bone but not rebuild it so he would have a "hang jaw".  He doesn't need jaw to eat since he will always have G-tube so doesn't really need it. He will still be able to talk. The surgery will be easier on him as will be recovery. He was agreeable with all of that. Of course they placed a lot of emphasis on "quality of life over quantity of life".  No date has been set yet for the surgery. 

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June 10 - 16 - A lot of John's family were in town for a family reunion/camp out at the county park down the road.  I took John over to the park several days for a few hours so he could visit with everyone. Thankfully the weather was beautiful most of the time.   John(1st generation) is the oldest of 8 children. 3 are now deceased. He and his siblings and spouses had 25 children (second generation). Those 25 children (second generation) are still having children. I think the oldest of that generation is 54 and the youngest is probably 3.  And we now have Scarlet who will be two in a month or so and the first of her generation.    We took family photos on Saturday and 47 showed up that day although a lot of families came and went at various times so were not in the photo. A lot of the second generation and their families did not attend. They are all scattered across the U.S. from Oregon to Texas to Arizona to Missouri to Florida and probably other parts unkown. 

A small fraction of the family.

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June 17 - I took John to UOI for Mohs surgery on the squamous cell carcinoma on his nose. Appointment was for 9 o'clock and they did not finish with him until 4 o'clock. It was an hour drive and in the morning I had to drive right into high winds and heavy rain. Thankfully I was on an interstate; however, at one point I drove with my hazard lights on at 35 miles per hour. And thankfully it was sunny and clear when I drove home.  John's nose is so bandaged up that he can't wear his glasses for a few days. Sunday afternoon we take off that bandage and then I start wound care and thankfully for his follow up appointment on Wednesday I just need to take a few photos of his nose and add to his chart, they will review them and then follow up with a phone call. 

Poor guy.

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Also this week the storms took down some trees  I need to have my son help me clean up. And this morning I saw a raccoon on the garage roof I chased away. I think it has been sneaking into my garage. And I read four books. So more on all those things and the state of the gardens later.  

String X - Working on It

I have all 48 of the blocks made for a String X quilt. I just need to find time to get it assembled. 

I used Bonnie Hunters free pattern. 

More on the blocks and quilt later when I have a flimsy.

And sew on...

Finished OR NOT FINISHED Friday at Alycia Quilts

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I've been doing a lot of gardening as weather permits.  Here's some of the latest photos I took while walking around in my gardens. I love this time of year. Something new pops up every day. 

 

Rays Of Sunshine - String Quilt

Rays of Sunshine

It's a flimsy!

60 x 80

I've been working with the overflowing string bins this month.  I usually do that in a month after I have a quilting marathon because I end up with a lot of quilt back trimmings. 

And I get some strings from other folks. I never have to cut strings for string quilts - strings just happen. 

When I was trying to decide what to use for the center string I noticed quite a few yellow strings in my 2 inch width scrap bin. Most were width of fabric and were given to me by others. So that is what I decided to use - yellow - rays of sunshine. I cut a few more yellow 2 inch width strips from some yellow scrap chunks. 

I use paper foundations and made 10.5 inch unfinished blocks. I save weird small cuts and triangles of scraps I receive from others or make myself to use as string block corners. I use longer and wider strings to make this type of string quilt. With shorter and skinnier strings I make other types of string quilts. More on that later. 

And sew on...

***

On April 8 I posted about state of husband John's health:

"Still trying to get my husband some treatment for his pain due to Osteoradionecrosis of the Jaw (ORNJ) and Osteomyelitis (bone infection) - one of many side effects of radiation received over 20 years ago for stage IV squamous cell carcinoma at the base of his tongue. He went to primary care physician on March 10 for swelling of face and received an antibiotic. Two weeks later he had a CT scan. Finally, he got a referral to Oral Surgeon and now that he has all the records he needs and Easter vacations are over we are waiting for a phone call from that office."

On April 9 the Oral Surgeon's office called to say there was nothing they could do for him so he needed to make an appointment with the Otolaryngologists at University of Iowa (UOI) Hospital and Clinics (state teaching and research hospital) that is a little over an hour drive from here. That is where John went in 2017 - 2018 to have the left side of his jaw replaced with his fibula (fibular free flap restoration). Of course, the doc he had then is now transitioning to a job in Arizona so he will see another doctor. And since it has been over 3 years since he has had an appt. then he will be considered a new patient and needed a referral. Ugh! So, I called in tears to the primary care physician and for a change they got right on that referral!! I heard from UOI on April 10 but there are no appointments available until April 27. The nurse I talked to told me to call once in a while until then to see if there are any cancellations so he can get an appt. sooner. 

***

I finished a book -The Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany by Gwen Strauss. "The Nine follows the true story of the author’s great aunt Hélène Podliasky, who led a band of nine female resistance fighters as they escaped a German forced labor camp and made a ten-day journey across the front lines of WWII from Germany back to Paris."   What incredible women! 

***

Oh joy! Donna and Doris sent me boxes of lovely scraps and fabric and thread. That kept me busy sorting and measuring each piece while sitting with John. 

 

A Wonky Log Cabin Flimsy

It's a flimsy!

Wonky Log Cabin

48 x 60

This month's theme in my sewing space to move things forward is "strings, crumbs and fodder".  I had a couple of overflowing boxes of strings and after last month's quilting marathon and all the quilt back trimmings my string boxes runneth over. 

I started these 12 inch finished blocks last December and made six of them at that time. This week I added 14 more blocks to the mix and assembled the top. I used mostly brights and novelties as well as low volume  strings to make the blocks and all have 2.5 inch red square centers. 

And sew on...

Monday Musings at Brenda's Songbird Designs

String Star Finish

It's a finish!

String Stars

48.5 x 65

I started making the Stars in 2024 to use up shorter strings.  I finished the top in February 2025.

I used Corey Yoder's templates for the Stars. 

I big stitch hand quilted it with navy perle cotton thread #8. 

The back.

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

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I forgot to mention that on Saturday I received some FQ winnings from the Stashbuster's UFO Challenge fourth quarter 2025 random drawing.  If you have a lot of UFOs like I do the UFO Challenge is a good way to get them finished and/or move them forward. Two FQs and $1 is the entry fee. Name gets put on a list. As people complete UFOs name goes to the bottom of the list and name goes into quarterly drawing pot. It is never too late to enter if you care to join us. 

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I know it's going to be a crappy day today...colon prep day! Colonoscopy tomorrow!