Water Everywhere

Sometimes being laid up is a good thing. I was all set to applique a bird motif on to this quilt last week. But I got sick and spent two days on the couch. Towards the end of the second day I got a phone call from my friend and former boss. Her baby had come early! So much for being on time with the quilt. It did, however, give me a chance to change plans and make the quilt that much more special.

The baby's name is Océane. In case you couldn't tell, that is French for ocean. The bird motif no longer seemed appropriate. So, what to do? A fish seemed a little obvious. And a starfish a little too simple. I could ignore my original intentions and quilt the quilt as is. In the end I decided to applique a seahorse to the quilt.

Silly me, I decided to HAND applique the sea horse. I haven't done hand applique since the class where I was taught it. But I've done dozens of bindings. How hard could it be? Well, it isn't as easy as I expected, but it's turning out okay.

We went up to Edmonton for the weekend for a slew of family birthdays. The drive up was a perfect opportunity to work on it. I eventually gave up, however, as the weather was crappy and the storm clouds made it hard to see what I was doing. Hubby is away this week so if my neck holds out I plan to knock out some work once the girls are in bed - provided I can keep my eyes open.

Good Idea Gone Wrong

I was feeling marginally better this morning and really quite sick of doing nothing, so I decided to baste my Inspired Improvisation. The floors were already clean thanks to some company this morning so I left the dogs to whine outside while I spread things out on the kitchen floor.

Now, basting on the kitchen floor is never recommended. No matter how young you are it is torture on the knees and back. What's a girl to do? I usually baste my bigger quilts on the boardroom table at work, but I'm not at work these days. The kitchen floor it was.

It wasn't too bad, actually. I had enough room to maneuver around the quilt and between the cabinets/fridge. And a cup of tea forced me to get up every few blocks or so for a good sip. Just as I was getting the last of the pins in the quilt the baby, or Little Miss Sunshine as she is now known (better than The Barfinator, her former nickname) woke up. After I nursed her she joined me in the kitchen while I closed all the pins and tidied up.

Unfortunately, as I was closing all the pins my neck started killing me. By the end I could barely lean over, I was crying from the pain, and nausea was about to overtake me. A simple lunch with a chaser of Ibuprofen and a half hour with an ice pack eased the spasm, but OW!!! My girlfriend was on her way over and felt bad for staying while I was in obvious pain. It was a welcome break - it always is with her - and plus, she brought me dinner!

So much for our planned picnic in the park to enjoy the gorgeous day. Instead, I will enjoy the meatballs my girlfriend shared and hopefully get some backyard time in while I count the hours to my massage tomorrow.

Celebrating Life

There are a lot of baby quilts to be made these days. Even though I've been sick and spending naptime actually napping, I managed to pull some fabrics for a new baby quilt. This one is for my former boss and her soon to arrive second daughter. It will be a pinwheel design with some applique.

In the meantime, we are off for a funeral this week. Hubby's grandfather passed away on the weekend so we are going to Kelowna to celebrate his life with the rest of the family. Babies are so nice to be around when there is sad news. Even being sick my girls'cries sound sweet to me this week.

See you next week.

Hugs From Everywhere

I've been trying all week to get a photo up of the completed top for my Inspired Improvisation. When Hubby's been home he's been working, sick, or we've been busy with the girls. With fall upon us it is much harder to get pictures taken in the daylight. As a compromise, I offer this picture. I promise to get a better one soon.

As for work this week, I actually pieced the back of it already. If Hubby was home and up for it I might be able to get out to a shop and get it basted, using their tables. I might just have to clean the kitchen floor and do it there. You see, I am quite anxious to get going on quilting this one. I've decided on a recipient and I want to be able to take it to him as soon as possible.

My boss has been in the hospital since March. After a barrage of tests and treatments he is now waiting for a heart transplant. He is a young guy for this to happen to (early 50s), and has a gorgeous family in his wife and 10 year old daughter. I knew him for a few years before I took my current job and he's always been a source of inspiration for me. He is so committed to what he does and to the people around him. And right now he is going insane in the hospital, complaining that he is fully institutionalized. I hope this quilt can bring him some brightness and comfort.

While working on this quilt I started thinking about all the fabrics that are a part of it. I haven't bought any fabric of late, making everything from stash. In this quilt alone there are fabrics from many other quilts. So I like to think that I am extending the hugs to my boss from all the other recipients of quilts with the same fabric. That means he is getting hugs from my nephew, my sister-in-law's sister and her husband, my brother and sister-in-law's niece, my old boss and her first baby, a quilting friend in the US, and a few more from Hubby, the Monster, and our family.