Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Berryville

It's been so long since I last posted I wonder if anyone will read this! I've been away from the computer for a while because I started up with carpal tunnel symptoms again. As I've mentioned, we are hoping to move next year and part of getting ready to do that is cleaning out. We knew we didn't want to move the huge, obsolete computer cabinet I was using so we got rid of it. I thought I could use a rickety little desk of my son's. Within just a short time of using it I started having pain in my wrists and up my arms. Thinking the desk was too high, I ordered a little white corner desk from overstocks.com hoping that would work. No improvement even after my DH adjusted the keyboard tray for me. I spent weeks just doing the bare minimum on the computer. One day I took the time to think about why this wasn't working. The height of the keyboard tray was the same as the old set up  - what could be the difference. I closed my eyes and thought about how I sat at the old cabinet and it dawned on me that I always rested my feet on the bottom trim. I found a box to rest my feet on while at my new desk and that seems to have done the trick! I still feel a twinge now and again and am still trying to limit my computer time and wearing wrist braces at night and part of the day. Less computer time did allow me extra time to do some cleaning out of closets and drawers. I thought I'd been pretty good about doing that all along but when I heard movers charge by the pound it changed how I thought about my stuff. Every couple of weeks I've been putting out boxes and bags of stuff for the charities who pick up your donations at the door. Makes it very convenient. I also cleaned out my sewing room and had the back of my Forester full of things to take to my guild's Stash and Dash. Have you heard of that? Everyone brings quilting supplies and fabric they don't want anymore, the guild sells bags and you have a set amount of time to fill them. Unfortunately, our meeting was cancelled due to snow (love the snow, not the cancellation). I know of another guild who has a free table at their first meeting of the month so I may have to do that instead.

My, my how I've gone on! I have spent some time at the sewing machine and was able to put together this churn dash top. These are the blocks Janet O and I swapped. I made quite a few extra. It grew even larger than I'd initially planned when I decided on this border setting.


Last Saturday we took a drive out to Berryville Virginia to see their Christmas parade. I took the opportunity to get quilt photos in an outdoor setting.

This policeman directing traffic before the parade began reminded me of the policeman in the Frosty the Snowman TV show.


the high school band 

 Berryville is in Clarke County in the northern part of the Shenandoah Valley. It is still very agricultural even though it's only 1 1/2 hours drive from Washington DC.

this girl is carrying a turkey wearing a Santa hat 

 Clarke County Benevolent Association


Just a few more photos-



The people on the floats and in the parade vehicles were throwing candy. I guess that's standard practice at parades nowadays.

I also finished up the quilt for my great niece Halle who was born a few months ago. This took forever to quilt - just a meander pattern - because I was having trouble with breaking threads and thread tension. I usually use Aurifil thread and was using a varigated pink Mettler I've had forever. I went to a local quilt shop to get some pink Aurifil and the owner told me it was probably time to get my machine cleaned. So I did. My sewing machine repairman - at a different LQS - said if the cleaning and adjusting didn't work to try a 90/14 needle or bring the BSR back in for a new spring. I was still having problems so as a last ditch effort I tried the Auriful thread and breezed through the last bit of quilting. Why don't I listen to myself! Oh, well. It was time to get the machine cleaned anyway but wished I'd tried the new thread at the very beginning. That Mettler thread went into the trash!


I need to get this mailed off. Halle will need it in the cold temperatures of Minnesota.
I used the corners I cut off when making the star points to add a little more interest to the back of the quilt.

Don't know if I will post again this year. Hope everyone has a safe and jolly holiday season!

18 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! That photo really did look like the scene from Frosty the Snowman! How clever of you to "see" it and get the photo. Are you in Virginia? I live down in Hampton Roads.

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  2. How odd that your foot position would affect your carpal tunnel!?!
    Love the setting for your quilt photos. Thought you were somewhere in the British Isles! : )
    Oh, for a good, old small town parade. Looks like fun, and the Santa Turkey is a hoot!
    Both of your quilts are favorite traditional blocks--and I love what you did with our swap blocks!
    Have a Merry Christmas, Maureen--and get those wrists better!

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  3. So good to hear from you again! Love your churn dash quilt. The mix of colors in your block combined with that mellow blue (every other square) fabric is just perfect. Hope your carpal tunnel continues to ease up on you!

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  4. I enjoyed seeing the hometown charm of the parade, but the gem of this post is seeing Halle's quilt, both front and back. What a treasure, good job!

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  5. I have missed your beautiful work and enjoyed seeing the finished quilts.
    Well done with all the problem solving and take care of your health.

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  6. Those quilts are fantastic, Maureen! I love the border treatment on the churn dash....that fabric is gorgeous and perfect for it! And Halle's quilt is so pretty.....she's gonna love that back, too! Awesome!

    I'm so sorry your carpal tunnel is acting up. Has your doctor said you could have the surgery? I'm not sure I've ever told you before, but having the surgery was the BEST THING I EVER DID! Seriously! I was in horrible pain for 10 years, and after being told I would lose the use of my thumb (!!!!!) in 3 months (!!!!!!), I broke down and decided to do it. And it was SO easy, and SO painless! Instantly.....no pain! I never even had to take a pain pill after the surgery, cuz there just wasn't any pain! Amazing! Please......if you want more info on this......I'd be more than happy to share! Email me, ok!?!

    And if I don't hear from you......I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! Big hugs!

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  7. both quilts are wonderful and i LOVE them photographed on the rock wall~!!

    i'm wishing you a happy holiday and looking forward to your next post whenever it is~!

    :-)
    libbyQ

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  8. I have missed you Maureen. Sorry to hear about your carpal tunnel. I have had problems with my shoulder and have blamed it on the way I sit with my IPAD. Sounds crazy but it is heavy and I used to st with it resting in my left forearm. It caused great pain and took me ages to fathom out the cause. It has taken a long time to get better and I now sit and use it differently. Love the quilt you have made and love the back. Well done. Good to see you back here.x

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  9. Glad to see you back - I've missed you! So sorry to hear of the carpal tunnel issue. That's no fun. But Regan is so right - the surgery was a huge relief for me. And it was easy. Afterwards I wondered why I waited to do it. Glad changing your position has helped. Those braces are a big help too.

    Love your quilts! Beautiful photos of them on the rock wall too. Love the back of Halle's quilt - very clever way to use all those triangles!

    Take care of yourself, and best wishes for a happy holiday!

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  10. So nice to hear from you again Maureen!!!! I'm glad you sorted out the carpal tunnel issue! No fun if sewing/quilting causes you pain.... Your quilts look wonderful!!! I enjoyed the photos of the parade and yes hasn't this year flown by, at least you did get a couple of finishes in before the end of this year!!!!! I've been very busy this year too, so not much time at the sewing machine at all, things are definitely lonely downstairs, poor old sewing machines, thinking I've abandoned them.......always next year huh!!!!! Have a lovely Christmas season!!!!!!!

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  11. What a fun post! I loved loved the parade photos!!
    Your churn dash quilt looks amazing in the photo. What great colors and how fun that it was a swap.
    Love the baby quilt too. Those stars on pink are wonderful!!
    Glad you hear your CT is feeling better -

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  12. Hope your CT gets better soon. I think I have told you before, but love the backing on Halle's quilt.

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  13. Hello sweet friend!!! I too have been pretty absent from the computer - I don't think that I have even responded to comments on my last post - bad me!!

    Glad that you figured out your CT problem!!! But it is always good to get some other things done! The parade looked so fun! Thanks for sharing!!

    Your two quilts are just wonderful - traditional and lovely!! Halle will just "swoon" over hers!!

    Blessings!!

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  14. Happy holidays to you too. So glad you are feeling better.
    Great quilts, so artistically photographed outside. Those are wonderful stacked some walls.
    I don't think I've ever been to a winter parade, so thanks for sharing!

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  15. Great to see you again! Your finished top and quilt are both lovely, good idea with the photo shoot - they look great on that wall. The backing for Halle's quilt is so cool. Hope you are on top of your issues with your thread AND your wrists. It sounds like you enjoyed the parade. Happy Holidays to you as well!!!

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  16. I love your quilts! It's frustrating when the quilting doesn't go smoothly. Glad you got it worked out.
    Merry Christmas!
    PS, Love the turkey with santa hat! What a hoot!

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  17. Missed reading your posts - nice to see you back. "Stash and Dash" - what a neat idea! I'm looking forward to January and February days up in my loft cleaning out - hoping for some snowed-in days where I'm forced to stay home and do so.

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