Knitting progress

Since I have been sick, I have been knitting a sweater for Joseph. It is the Baby Sophisticate by Linden Heflin. I found it online. It is a raglan sweater, knit in stockingette, with a rolled collar. It is a pretty quick knit. I hope not to find a lot of errors when the meds wear off. I have to finish the sleeves. It fits him very well.
I haven't felt like climbing the stairs to work on any quilts. I have 2 baby quilts to finish that were supposed to be Christmas gifts. However, Abby and Joe won't remember that their quilts were given to them after Dec 25.
John and Vanessa will get theirs after the first.

My heart is aching

Just before Christmas, my younger sister, Ann, received a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. She has tumors in her brain also. SHe is about 2 hours away, about to undergo brain surgery. They will try to remove the largest brain tumor, and treat the other 2 with radiation and chemo. The abdominal masses will be treated at a later date.
Ann has 2 daughters, Susan and Stephanie. Susan is 21. Stephanie will graduated HS this spring.
Ann has asked for pictures of my youngest grandbaby, Abby, because she hasn't gotten to see her.
I can't go to be with her because I have the flu. Or what the doc diagnosised as the flu over the phone. I think I actually have bronchitis. Regardless, I can't be around Ann.

3 Babies

I FINALLY got to hold all 3 babies together today. I've waited at least 8 months for this event. Brayden was a little contrary, but David was able to snap a couple of pics with all 3. I was a baby "hog" for a while, holding both little babies. Joseph was trying to decide if he was hungry, so he fretted a bit, but Abigail slept like an angel. Joe wasn't the one I expected to cry because Mamaw was holding another baby! LOL
Abigail is so tiny she makes Joseph look big. He is only 9 lbs, but she is not quite 5 lbs.
Brayden is walking independently. He hasn't quite figured out how to stand up without holding on to something, but look out. He's almost got it.

Christmas 2009

I just had the pleasure of spending the day with my extended family. My dad hosts a Christmas Shrimp Boil every year for all of his decendents. We boiled 100 lbs of shrimp, with corn, & potatoes.
We had over thirty of us together. We were missing at least 12. It is great to see all the family together. We added 3 new members to our family this year, and will add at least 1 more next Feb when a nephew gets married.
Our age span was 83 years to 17 days!

Abigail Elizabeth Jones

Abigail Elizabeth Jones made her debut last night at 6:13 , weighing 5 lbs, 4.5 oz, and measuring 18.5 inches.
She barely made the newborn nursery weight class. Any tinier, she would have automatically been sent to NICU.
She is doing very well. Although, she is a little fussy about feeding.
Jenn is not doing as perky as we had hoped. She is having trouble with a spinal headache. She will probably have to have a blood patch to fix her up. She is seriously horrible pain right now.
I got to babysit Abi while her mom had a CT scan. She was not any trouble at all.

Joseph's Wriggly Wrap

I finally have pictures of Joseph in his Wriggly Wrap. I knitted this in the summer. A cold front moved through yesterday, and it is now cold enough to put him in the wrap. I used bits and pieces from patterns found on Ravelry, Butterfly Wrap and Button-up Baby Wrap, along with short row heels tutorials to make a 'unwrappable' blanket for Joe. (Without the baby, the silly thing looks like a huge sock. Which it really is, I guess.) He can kick and wriggle all he wants and never kicks off his blanket.

Mamaw's boys

Brayden and Joseph GO SAINTS!

It's been a busy few days since Joe's birth. We're beginning to settle in. Vanessa is beginning to trust herself. I've been on hand to help, but have tried very hard to teach her and John, not do for them. I've stood within reach of Joe through first baths, and first clothing changing for both of them. Doing it for them in the guise of showing them doesn't really allow them to grow as parents. Both of them are showing signs of relaxing with Joe just a bit.

Jenn, Joe, Brayden, and Abby! (She's in there, too.)

Brayden is a trip. He is just before walking. He will let go and take a few steps. Catch me, Papaw!

He is learning so much so quickly.

Joseph is here!

Joseph Patrick Rose is here. He was born Wednesday, November 18, 2009 at 12:01 p.m. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 5 1/2 ounces. He is 19 3/4 inches long.
Vanessa developed toxemia. She had a 9:30 am appointment with her doc. He told her at 9:45 she'd have a baby by noon. He missed it by one minute.

I'm Back!

It has been a crazy month!
I've had to move my class to a new room. I've gone from a 30'x 30' classroom with a private bathroom (May 2009), to a 21' x 28' room without a bathroom (June 2009), to a 12' x 20' portable building without a sink (Oct 2009). I moved without missing any teaching time. I was expected to move during my off duty time.
Vanessa and Jennifer are doing okay with their pregnancies. Jenn had a kidney stone requiring a stent. Vanessa had pneumonia.
Vanessa is on modified bedrest. Jenn is still working a full workweek. Vanessa is 36 weeks, Jennifer is 32 weeks. Joseph is almost fullterm, he is still at 'wimpy little white boy' though, he needs another 2 weeks to cook. Abigail is in the NICU range, she needs another 4 weeks at least, she is scheduled for Dec 15.
Brayden is not walking yet. He is a blast to have around. He is crawling full speed everywhere. He is learning baby signs. He can tell you he is 'all done', and 'more' 'eat'. He puts his index finger into his mouth for 'eat' instead of putting his fingertips to his mouth. He calls Jenn mommy, and David mom. I'm mamaw, and Buck is mom. He'll get it straight. Jenn and I really rag the boys about being called Mom!

My poor girls

Vanessa has worked her 3rd day after a week of bed rest. She was having contractions. She is only 31 weeks NOW. She will probably continue having Braxton Hicks contractions until the baby is born in November.
Jenn had a stent placed in a ureter Thursday. She had a blocked ureter from a kidney to her bladder. She could have lost that kidney without the stent. We are very glad she is much better. She will have to have the stent removed after the baby is born.
Dad has to go back to the eye specialist for his retinal vein occulsion. I am praying that this trip will not have any procedures done. He may have to have a laser treatment of some sort.
At least, everyone is taking their turn. I can concentrate on one at a time.

My topsy turvy world continues

My dad is 82. He told last Friday morning that he couldn't see out of his right eye. At that time, he said everything was blurry. I made an appointment with his eye doctor Monday afternoon. Daddy has a central retinal vein occlusion. He saw his GP this afternoon, he will have carotid artery studies and other tests next week. He will see a retinal specialist tomorrow morning.
Dad is diabetic and his memory is beginning to fade. This eye trouble has thrown him for a loop. I will have to make him give up his driving. None of my siblings are courageous enough to tackle that subject. All I've heard is "Good Luck!"

Bits of this and that

Vanessa caught a nasty gastro virus Wednesday. She had to be admitted to the hospital 5 am Thursday morning. She had to be on an IV because of dehydration. She and the baby are doing just fine now after being released Friday afternoon. She has put us through our paces this week!

David raced for the first time this year last night. We drove up to Fasttrax Speedway in Chatham, about 1 1/2 hours north of here. He won his heat and finished 6th in the feature event. We were very excited with the night. He and Buck finished replacing his clutch Thursday night. We weren't sure if the car would even hook up right with the new size tires his class has to use. We really needed the hot laps to check the setup

.

Brayden did very well. He carried his stubby wrench with him everywhere he went last night. It makes a very good teething tool. Who knew Craftsman makes teething wrenches? We kept earplugs in his ears anytime he was out of the truck. He liked riding in the car with his daddy while packing the track.

David gave him back to Buck when he realized Brayden was eating clods of mud. He was one grubby little boy when he got home this morning. We got home about 1 am which is actually about 2 hours early.

I was up and out by 7 am this morning for a Sunday School Leadership conference. The most memorable soundbite- "If God is your partner, plan big."

I was home by 12:30, ate 2 breadsticks, and hit the sack. I slept until Buck woke me up about 4:30. WOW!! I slept without meds! Fibromyalgia causes insomnia, and makes it necessary for me to take Ambien to sleep at night. I plan to eat supper, go to Daddy's to give him his meds, and hit the sack again.

Vanessa and John Rose

Vanessa and John got married Aug 19 at 6:30.
IN MY HOUSE, With SIXTEEN days notice.

I got the flowers done, the dress renovated, the arch decorated, the chair sashes made, the wedding supper for 20 cooked, tablecloths made, the cakes ordered and picked up, and a new dress for me, ties for Buck and John, and a suit for Brayden bought. And the house cleaned, and cleared out for the wedding. Oh, and the carpet shampooed.

All accomplished while starting a new school year in a new classroom teaching a new grade level!

I AM WOMAN!! and in need of sleep!
I can't leave out babysitting a 10 month old several days during the allotted 16 pre-wedding days.

Photos to follow

Wedding plans

I am definitely meeting myself coming and going. Vanessa is getting married Aug 18. She announced the date Aug 2. I am decorating an arch, remodeling her dress, making chair covers, and chair bows (aisle markers), designing a wedding cake, making a flower girl dress, cleaning the house for a wedding, cooking a wedding supper, and beginning a new school year in a new grade level in a new classroom.

Maternity uniforms

Vanessa has to wear ceil blue uniforms to work. It is not possible to buy maternity nursing uniforms here. I found the right shade of blue fabric in Hancock Fabrics. I bought the entire length left on the bolt. It will be enough to make a pair of pants and 2 shirts if not more. I will layout the entire length to save yardage. It will be nice to get a third shirt or second pair of pants out of the yardage I bought. I will have to renovate the 2 uniforms she already has. I will use SewChics instructions to add a maternity panel to the pants.

Edit- I was able to make 3 shirts and 2 pairs of pants out of the yardage purchased. I used my embriodery features on my new machine to put different motifs on her uniform pockets. One set has V monograms, one set has a stylized flower, and the other set has "It's a boy!" on one pocket and an airplane with a loop-de-loop trail on the other. I used thread that was almost an exact match to the color of the uniforms to do the embriodery.

Tuesday

Abigail's 5 hour baby sweater is finished. Of course, it was more like a 8 hour sweater for me. I had to frog back about 4 rows of the body, cause I can't tell the difference between a knit side and a purl side. I also frogged each cuff to reknit using smaller needles. I like them better now.
I took it to knit as Buck and I drove to Baton Rouge to see Dr. Mary Elliott. My sonogram was fine, as expected. Dr Mary just spread out the mammogram and sonogram this year to get to know me better since my other surgeon left the practice.
I started to learn to knit in Jan. on the trip to see Dr. Mary. I've done okay in between visits with my knitting.
I am planning Joseph's bedding. I've got to get started on that project. I don't want to go upstairs when Brayden is here. I've too many pins scattered around to let him on the floor. I do a little knitting, and a whole lot of playing while he is here. Not too many babysitting days left before school starts. I sew later.
I've not quilted anything for the lil babies yet. I've got lots planned and some fabrics in my stash earmarked for them. I also have to make a quilt for John. I found the backing fabric in Baton Rouge. Being a man of few words, he grinned a whole lot when he realized I am going to make him a quilt.

Two for Tuesday

Everyone except Brayden and me are working today. So it's just the 2 of us on this Tuesday. Don't think I need to get out of the house. My little buddy is feeling better, still on his meds. He has not eaten much the last 3 days. I'm going to see what I can tempt him with today. Jenn and I want him to eat as much as possible.

He's napping, the microwave is beeping, and I'm going to eat my oatmeal.

Brayden

Brayden is sick. His mouth has ulcers all along his upper lip. Both lips are swollen. The gum around his top tooth looks yukky and sore. He doesn't want his bottle very much. Poor Thing! He will see the doctor today to see what's wrong. He's been on amoxicilin, motrin, and tylenol around the clock since sat.

Breezy's tube socks

I have finished the first pair of tube socks for Breana. The socks are going to be on right any way she can get them on as they are heelless, and have a 6 petal toe. The fellow members of Sockknitters and For the Love of Socks yahoo groups were wonderful in helping me knit the socks.

Lil Baby B

Lil Baby B is a girl! (99.9% sure) She will most likely be born on Dec 16, 2009, and be named Abigail Elizabeth Jones. The sonographer in the cardiologist's office snuck a peek this week.

Breezy's new socks

Breezy's first pair of socks are almost finished. I am knitting the foot of the second sock of the pair. I am using a spiral rib pattern for the leg after about 1 inch of 3x3 ribbing. I am making these socks with 6 petal star toes. The feet are stockinette. Breana no longer can put her socks on because she can't turn the socks on her feet to get the heels and toes on correctly. With 6 petal star toes and no heels, she will be able to get these socks on correctly.
The socks are a very quick knit. I cast on the first sock Sunday afternoon. Knittted alot on Monday, finishing the first sock. I will post my knitting notes for the socks so I will be able to recreate them.
The sock's spiralling ribs make me think of a ice cream cone. I will make her a pair of white 'ice cream' socks next.
MANY, MANY THANKS to those of the knitting groups who lead me through creating 'anyway toes' socks for Breezy.

I have a huge pile of fabric to make Joseph's bedding. I will begin sewing all of that after I make Vanessa more maternity clothes.

Our Business Trip to Denver

This is why we traveled to Denver. We drove up to get this trailer for MA. The truck had 189 miles when Buck got behind the wheel. It was 2 or 3 out of the dealer's lot.

We left home after work May 20 for New Braunfels TX. We stopped in Segiun TX instead about midnight. MA's shop is in New Braunfels. We left there about 10 am on the 21st.

We enjoyed seeing the desert for the first time. We had not been any further west than Corpus Christi before. By the time we left the desert, we had seen our fill of flat, flat landscape. We really missed having trees. We stopped somewhere in west Texas to buy a few things at Wal-Mart. I found a new camera case with a mini tripod. The tripod was the best. I now can appear in pictures!

Our second night was in Santa Fe. We spent a couple of hours being tourists in Santa Fe. We didn't go into the cathedral because of graduation ceremonies being held. Buck bought the girls both a silver ponytail decoration. I got a copper Kachina dancer for the Christmas tree. I loved the street marker for Burro Alley!

We ate in a roadside diner in northern New Mexico. WAY too much good food. Stopped to potty behind a pinon tree.

The afternoon of the 22nd we stopped at Great Sand Dunes National Park. I surprised myself being able to climb up the first few dunes. The creek was very high at the base of the dunes as well as being ice cold.

We left the sand dunes headed for Silverthorne, Co. I love the Rockies! It was a wonderful experience. Even with the rain, it was beautiful. The trooper (who stopped us for not having our headlights on) told us that the snowcaps were from the night before. There wasn't much snow prior to the front that had just moved in .

Waking up in Silverthorne, Co on the 23rd, we raced back up Highway 91 to play in the snow.

I have never seen such snow! IT WAS COLD!!! I was in knee deep snow.

We only had a couple of hours before we had to leave for North Denver to get the trailer. We will go back to Silverthorne.

The idjit we were meeting called MA to say we were hours late. We were to meet him at 'the biggest parking lot around' off of the interstate at noon. OKAY, we stopped at the huge transit lot to the left of the agreed upon exit. No trailer in sight. Several phone calls later, we found him. In a bank parking lot, near a stripmall, about 0.5 miles from the interstate, exit right.

We dragged that trailer to Garden City, Kansas. The stockyards must have been very near to where we were. It smelled like cow poo. Everywhere!

All I can say about GC, KS is that it is on the list of "DO NOT NEED TO RETURN", right under Hot Springs, Arkansas.

We drove straight from Garden City to New Braunfels, TX. Long day, Boring landscapes. We drove for long periods of time without seeing another vehicle. Pulled into the hotel about 11:30 pm. Delivered the truck and trailer after breakfast. Did a walk-through with MA.

Drove all the way back to Jenn and David's after stopping in Alexandria to see John and Vanessa.

Lazy Rainy Day

It started raining last night and continues on and off today. We really need this rain.

Brayden is really growing! I was looking at some of my pictures this morning. He's going so fast! We are at the Alexandria Zoo in this pictures. Brayden tried his best to catch those fish and turtles.

Don't you just love pouty faces! He has great sadness!

All is well now, Papaw is here!

We were in Natchitoches on the river front. It was as hot as blue blazes!Brayden wore his sunglasses all day.

Life in the crazy lane

It has been awhile since my last post. I have had lots of things going on around here. The least of which was computer troubles. I had to replace my pc. And then had lots of trouble getting on the internet. David finally had to take it in to get it to recognize whatEVER it was not recognizing. Now it works!

Buck and I made a road trip starting May 20. We drive to New Braunfels Tx, and went to Denver by the way of Santa Fe. But that's another post.

My MIL spent several days in the hospital for chest pain, and later went back in for a heart cath done on outpatient basis. Still no answers why she is having her problems. She suddenly had no energy, lots of nausea, chest pain, (all of the classic female signs of a pending heart attack). Heart cath showed no signs of blockage. Cardiologist wants her to see a lung specialist. That's still pending. Since Granny is ailing, I have Brayden almost every day Jenn works.

Vanessa and I made a trip with Mary to Houston. Breana went to see Dr. Mary Koenig. Dr. Koenig is a pediatric Neurologist specializing in Mitrochrondrial deseases.

While there, Breana got to ice skate. We were eating by the ice rink in the Galleria. Breezy leaning over to me and whispered "I want to do that. I want to i kate". Many thanks to Polar Ice Galleria and "Coach" Cathy. I slipped away from dinner to talk to the rink folks about Breezy skating. I explaned a little about Breezy's mobility problems, and asked what kind of arrangements the rink had for such children. I did not tell them about Leigh's. Cathy agreed to get on the ice for less than 10 minutes. Any longer, and we would have to pay for 'a private session with coach' as well as skate rental and rink time. But, after meeting Breezy, Cathy and Polar Ice Gallera waived all fees.
What was supposed to be a couple of turns around the rink expanded into a 20-25 minute ice skating experience for Breana. She was allowed to make snow with her skates; feel the smooth, cold ice; and at the end, Cathy picked her up and skated fast(er). Breezy had a blast! Cathy never allowed Breana to fall. She spent the entire time bent double holding Breana.

I have had both Jenn and Vanessa in doctors' offices, on the same day, AT THE SAME TIME! Thank goodness the docs shared a waiting room. Vanessa was at the OB, and Jenn was seeing a cardiologist. The same cardiologist Granny saw the afternoon before (I was with her, too)!
Vanessa is having a very painful pregnancy due to fibroids. She had a sonogram, all is well with Joseph Patrick Rose. Jenn was with us when we were able to see Lil Baby A was indeed another boy. The sonographer took a peek at Jenn's baby, but it is still Lil Baby B! Gender yet unknown.
Jenn needed Zabeta to regulate her heart rate and blood pressure. All is okay with her and Lil Baby B. She does not show signs of too much amnionic fluid or gestational diabetes.

I have been knitting like mad: a pair of ankle socks while travelling, several bibs, a couple of washcloths for Mary.

I have lots of yarn for socks. I will make Breezy tube socks with 'any way toes'. She can't put her socks on any longer because she can't turn the socks to get heels and toes straight.

I am making a Wriggly Wrap for Joseph.

It looks like a giant sock or slipper.

Some bug stung Vanessa last Wed. She began to swell and itch like crazy. Her OB sent her to the ER. The ER Doc was very impressed with the wriggly wrap. Every thing is now ok with Vanessa.

I am making Joseph's nursery bedding. John and Vanessa like "Jungle Babies" by Patty Reed Designs. I am using the quilted panel for the center of his quilt top. I will make it large enough to use on a toddler bed. I will make a straight bed skirt, bumper pads, and a diaper stacker. I also have a fabric book panel that maybecome wall hangings. Simplicity has a pattern, 3954, using this fabric line. I have several pieces of fabric not shown on the pattern. I have a 'giraffe spots' print, and a piece that is stripes of the different prints in the line.

Breana

The genetic tests are in. The doctor wants Jimmy and Ana to go to New Orleans for a consulation. Breana has a Miticondrial Disease, probably a form of Leigh's Disease. This is very grim for our beautiful little girl. She will begin school with me in the fall. I am determined to have her with me. Pray for Breana and all of us.

Bible Quote

…We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed
1 Corinthians 15:51

Jenn's Aunt Ginger had this quote in her card for the baby shower. It seems apt for me at this time.

Quilting for babies

I have to get into gear. I have lots of quilts to make for the coming babies. I really set myself up for quilting with Brayden. I made lots of quilts for him. LOTS OF QUILTS. I can't have the Lil Babies thinking Mamaw didn't want them just as much as Brayden.

I have two crib/toddler bed quilts to make to use in our nursery here. I have some of the focus fabric left from Brayden's quilt. I will use it as accents, as it is not available now. I was able to get a lot of the other fabrics I used. I will make each quilt look similiar but not make matchy matchy quilts. These quilts will be made to fit a toddler bed for future use. I will also make matching bumper pads and a pillowcase for each baby. This is Brayden's quilt. I used a Serger Baby Quilt pattern I found on line. BUT tweaked the instructions a bit. I used a strip double the width of the other strips to make the edges. I hand sewed the mitered corners after I used my sewing machine to sew the edge down. This is a really fast quilt to make. I've made a couple. I cut the strips 3 or 3 1/2 inches WOF. I also used my sewing machine alot instead of my serger. If I missed catching the complete sandwich of fabrics and batting, I usually used the DSM to catch the seams to make not to cut off too much with the serger. This quilt is washed often. It holds up well.

I will make each new baby a black and white play quilt. I want each of the babies to have their own. I could just use the one I made for Brayden, but , I want each baby to have one of its own. This quilt has been washed often also. It has been spit on often. It is very loud in the dryer. It has plastic teething rings attached by the book at the top.

The count is up to 4 quilts.

I have the material for a softball themed quilt for Lil Baby A. That's the fabric I picked up for the baby when we learned about the first baby, now referred to as Lil Baby A. Its mom played softball from Kindergarten to Graduation. I was thrilled to find SOFTBALL not baseball fabric. I also found a fabric that has 'pitch' printed on it with softballs. Yes, she was a pitcher.

I've known about Lil Baby B less than 1 week. I don't have special fabric for it yet. I've been babysitting Brayden and waiting out spring rains. Not shopping in LQS.

I'll be glad to know these babies' names so I can stop calling them Lil Baby A or Lil Baby B. Brayden is our big baby.

The count is now at 6 quilts, minimum. Brayden got that many or more. Better get busy.

Babies, Babies, and More Babies

My grandson, Brayden is 6 months old. He will be one on October 8. He is my only grandchild right now. NOT FOR LONG!!!! He will be joined by babies before Christmas. That's right, BABIES! There will be two babies this winter. Lil Baby A is due Nov. 27, and Lil Baby B is due Dec 14.

Exuberant Joy!

Happy Easter! Glory to God in the highest!
Take a look at the exuberant Cross made by Wanda Hanson at Exuberant Color. This is an absolutely beautiful, and very spiritual quilt. I've had to revisit her blog just to see this quilt several times since she posted pictures. I'd love to see it in a church. I've asked permission to make one from her design for our church.

Brayden's socks

This is the first pair of socks knit for Brayden. 100% cotton for his sweaty feet!

Where's that baby?

Brayden is growing in leaps and bounds. Mr. Cool Dude weighs in at 22 pounds. He is just shy of 6 months.

I have a heel!

I am knitting a sock. My sock now has a heel.

I want to knit socks. I am using Silver's Sock Class 2 circular needles toe up sock tutorials. I substituted "the easiest short row heel ever" for the wrapped stitch short row heel in Silver's tutorial. I ripped out the heel so many times I was afraid the sock's heel was going to be worn out before I wore the socks.

My sock looks like a sock, feels like a sock, and fits like a sock. I like it a lot better now than I did 2 hours ago.

(I didn't say it was a pretty heel.)

Brayden's bunny

Brayden loves his knitted bunny. He is beginning to teeth. He chews on that bunny for all he's worth. I knitted it from white 100% cotton yarn because I couldn't stand the thought of him chewing on acrylic yarn.
I have finished Vanessa's Toesties slippers. I haven't touched her scarf. I finished the second hat for Brayden. I have ripped it out and rewound the yarn into a ball. It was horrible. It was hopeless.

Shingles!

I have the shingles. ON MY FACE!!! 2 or 3 people (aged 20 to 50) in 1000 who have had chickenpox develop shingles. Of those 2 or 3, only 7 to 10% have them on their face! Because I teach Kindergarten, my doctor put me on Medical leave until March 23. I can give chickenpox to others.
Since I had Brayden last night, Jen decided he could continue to stay here this weekend. He is either going to break out in Chickenpox or he's not. He has already been exposed to me. The doc said that the virus was only skin contact, not airborne.
I'll have an extra week of unexpected time off. I'll get lots of crafty time in.

Edited to add: after a week of quarantine, I returned to the doctor's. IT'S NOT SHINGLES. It's rosecea. Which is what I thought when I went to the doc's in the first place. I have rosecea, have had it for years. BUT in her words, this is the best case of rosecea mimicing trigeminal shingles she's ever seen. (but, no refund for meds or office visits)

The Triplets

The Tessellating Stars quilts are finished. Bindings machine sewn, washed, dried, and delivered! Finally, finally finished.

I have written in Sharpe, on the machine on the quilter frame, SINGER NEEDLES ONLY. I refuse to spend another six weeks trying to figure out why the machine won't sew.

Knitting is progressing quite well. I've knitted Brayden a hat and bunny. Breana has a bunny in Homespun. I have knitted myself a pair of Flat Toesties slippers. The hat is Bernat Baby Jacquards yarn. The slippers and Brayden's bunny are Peaches and Cream 100% cotton.

This hat was knitted flat. It has some major flaws. (It seems that I can't count to 2.) But it will do to take him out in the yard here. It has a little grow room, so I'm knitting the new larger.

I have 3 projects on needles at this time, Vanessa wants a pair of Toesties. I will try to knit these in the round. I also have a scarf for her going as well.

The project I'm really into is a hat knit in the round for Brayden. I'm using the same yarn as the first hat. But I've increased the number of stitches cast on, and I'm knitting this one on a circular needle. It's going well in the K2 P2 ribbing stage. We'll see when it is time to start the Broken Rib part and its decreases.

Tesselating Stars Triplets

The 3 Tesselating Stars quilts are now quilted. Bindings are in progress. I am sick and tired of these quilts! I am tired of that dern machine I've been trying to quilt with! There's nothing like being 2 months late with gifts!

Singer needles only!!!!

I have a DSM with a table frame my husband fabricated for me in his spare time. The machine I have on it is worn out and useless for garment sewing. (It lost reverse.) I have a new Singer I use for garment and quilt sewing.

BACK to the machine I now use for machine quilting. It stitches well. I broke a needle in February. I replaced the needle in FEBRUARY, of course. As I have many times. . . . The machine would not sew. I checked every thing possible. Another new needle. . . . rethreaded . . . . new needle again. . . . new thread. . . . new bobbin. . . . on and on and on AND onnnnnn.

Before throwing the dern thing down the stairs, I bought new needles, again. This time I bought Singer needles. The DERN machine sews perfectly. PERFECTLY!!!! This machine demands Singer needles, and SINGER needles only. IT IS NOT A SINGER SEWING MACHINE! IT IS A KENMORE.

Tessellating Stars triplets

I have the backings sewn for the 3 tessellating star quilts I am making for my mother-in-law, and DH's sisters. I like pieced backs better than plain ones. I am ready (FINALLY) to start quilting these 3. It has become a family joke about who is getting their quilt first. ALL three ladies will be on hand before any quilt is handed over. LOL!!
Buck and I have done some minor changes to my DSM quilting frame. I have high hopes that these changes will be the answers to some minor problems.

I have been bitten by the knitting bug.
Lilli, a lunch buddy at school, is knitting socks at lunch. She is very kind and knowledgeable about knitting. She learned to knit in elementary school. She grew up in Germany. Knitting was part of the Home Ec curriculum in her elementary school.
I have knitted the grandbaby a bunny. Now I am working on 2 projects. I am making Breana a bunny. Bunnies are very simple. A 6 inch square is knitted in stockingette stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row). 2 ears are knitted (knit all rows). The square is sewn tegether in such a way to make a head, and 4 legs. I stuffed Brayden's bunny with quilt batting. I wanted stuffing that wouldn't come out of the body. I want to have a few bunnies on hand for Breana's visits to the doctors. I will call them Bobo Bunnies. I think she can keep one with her during all of the procedures she will have to endure.
I am also trying to knit socks. Sock knitting is definitely a WISP! (Work In Slow Progress). I have double pointed needles and sock yarn, and lots of TV time. I can cast on quite well due to the extra practice I've had due to maistakes in the sock knitting process!

Breana and Jimmy

Please pray for our family.
We are still waiting for a diagnosis for Breana.
However, Jimmy, Breana's daddy, is scheduled for surgery Wednesday on his skull. He is going to get a plate put in where he had a brain tumor removed in July 2007. This is his 4th surgery. His tumor was removed in July 07, with his skull bone replaced during that surgery. Late 2007, he had the bone replaced with a plate because the bone wouldn't fuse back to the rest of the skull. In Sept 2008, the plate had to be removed because of infection that would not clear up. He has been without a skull bone or plate since. It has been really scary to think of a 23 year old male living without a large part of his skull. The place is as big as my palm just above his right ear.
Breana usually stays with me when her parents are away in the hospital. It is always interesting to have a 3 year old in the house.
Breana is scheduled to have an evaluation for placement in the special education system of our parish. The eval is basically a formality because of her condition. She will qualify.


My computer is destined for the TRASH HEAP!!!! It has decided not to allow me to email commenters. It will be replaced within the month. It is a dinosaur. I am barely computer literate. I don't know how to fix the problems the computer creates for me.
I apologize for appearing to be rude. I'm thankful for all comments.

Quilts to the flimsy stage

I have the last 3 Christmas quilts ready to be sandwiched and then quilted. They are Tessellating Stars for Buck's mom and 2 sisters.

The blocks are 9" square. Each quilt is 5 blocks by 5 blocks.

I used scraps of the fabrics to make top and bottom borders for each quilt. I wanted to make the quilts rectangles instead of squares.

It's a new year, ya'll!

It is wonderful having a baby to enjoy this new year. I can't believe how fast he is growing. He is 3 months old already. I won't get much quilting done tomorrow, as Brayden and David will be here.
This is the quilt I made for Brayden for Christmas. It is different textures and shades of blue and white. It is really very pretty. Jenn says it is her favorite of all of the quilts I have made for him to date.
I used large squares of different textured fabric for this quilt. The squares were about 9". The fabrics included flannel, fleece ( the bubbly ducks), velour (with raised dots), satin, terry towelling, and a 'shiny curly lamb's wool-looking' fabric that is very soft to the touch. I really don't know any of the fabric by name. I think all of them came from Hobby Lobby. Every fabric is washable on delicate and in cold water, and can be tossed in the dryer. I serged this one to make sure none of the fabrics frayed. The backing is a 24" square of blue flannel printed with clouds with a border of 6 1/2" squares of all of the quilt fabrics.
I learned the evening that the term for the 'binding' method I used on this quilt is called the Birthing Method. I just layered the quilt top wrong side down on the batting, and topped it off with the backing right sides together with the top. Sewed around the edges with about a 1/2" seam leaving an opening large enough to turn the thing right side out. I then topstitched around the edge to keep everything together and also to stitch the opening closed.
David and Buck are planning on digging a ditch from the house to the shop to bury the electrical line tomorrow. I will be watching the baby, not using a shovel. The ground is very wet and softer than normal, so digging will be easier now than later.

Pray for Breana

My heart is heavy as I write this post. I've not posted much in the last couple of weeks in part due to Breana's circumstances. I've not been able to put the words down to discuss the terrible plight of our family. My grandneice, Breana, is ill with a mitachondrial disease. Mitachondrial diseases vary in their severity, and she is not yet diagnosed with a specific one. Her doctor is expecting test results for diagnosis within the month. These diseases are very dire.
Breana, only 3 years and 4 months old, is the only child of my sister's only child. Being an Early Interventionist, I know her future is very grim.