Appliqué and Feathers

This gorgeous (and huge) appliqué quilt belongs to Allison.  I quilted this back in August.  Right now I think about my life in terms of ‘before the broken ankle’ and ‘after the broken ankle’.  Even though August wasn’t that long ago, it feels like another lifetime.

 

It was quilted with two ovals of feathers mirroring the shape of the appliqué, and McTavishing on the background.  

 

I did a small row of pebbles next to the feathers to emphasise them.

The back showed the quilting beautifully.

In my next post I will show how I marked the feathers and the order in which I quilted this large quilt.

Australian Christmas Quilt

This is another quilt I did way back before I broke my ankle.  This is made by Carol and I love the design.  

  

This is my favourite block.  The mother kangaroo’s expression seems so tolerant with her pouch stuffed full of presents.

Nearly two weeks ago I went back to the hospital for more x-rays, the cast came off, and I have graduated to a boot.  I get to wear this lovely fashion accessory for six weeks as I learn to take weight through my ankle again.  I am now ‘furniture walking’ i.e. hobbling between pieces of furniture, and using a cane.  This is lot better than crutches as it gives me a free hand to carry things.

I am slowly catching up with the allover bookings, and many of my wonderful customers have allowed me to postpone their custom bookings until after Christmas.  I am still quilting sitting down, it is slower, but I have worked out a routine that helps.  

I am learning patience........

Cute Applique Quilt

Before I had the accident, I took photos of a few quilts I was working on, but because of the extension I didn’t find the time to post them.  Speaking of the extension, it is finished (imagine me in bed in hospital co-ordinating tradesmen on my mobile and you have an accurate picture).  I will post pictures of that soon.

Pictured is a quilt made by Elaine, which I think is really sweet.

I did small loops as the background fill, and quilted some large daisies in the border.

Elaine does exquisite appliqué and embroidery, and I have posted two of her quilts on my blog in the past.

Click here to see what I consider one of her best appliqué quilts where I used curved cross hatching to create a circular effect.

Click here to see Elaine’s butterfly quilt.

  

I have an appointment on Friday for more x-rays of my ankle.  If all is well, the cast comes off, and then I will be in a boot for six weeks. 

I have adapted well to quilting sitting down and have new routines for loading and unloading the quilts.  I am still slower, but improving.  I have mastered the crutches, but it really is a skill that I would have been quite happy to never have had to learn.

Circle Back in Time

I quilted this quilt for Chris Serong earlier in the year.  Chris entered it in Vic Showcase in July and it won highly commended in the Traditional Two Person Professional Category. 

When it came to the quilting I continued the circular theme.

Australian Machine Quilters Festival

Late September, early October the AMQF was held in Adelaide.  I had been looking forward to going for months, and had our accommodation booked back in May. 

Even though I was only just over a week out of hospital, I was determined to still go, and got my doctor’s reluctant ok.

We had one day at the show, and Paul pushed me around in the wheelchair.  The quilts were amazing and so inspiring.

The trip, especially the long drive from Melbourne to Adeliade, really took it out of my physically so soon after my accident, but I wouldn’t have missed it, and am so glad I went.

This is a picture of Chris Serong’s quilt, ‘Circle Back in Time’ that I quilted earlier in the year.  I will have more close ups of it in my next post.

Broken Ankle

I broke my ankle on the 11^th of September, and I am now hopefully almost half way through the healing process.  I don’t have an exciting story as to how I did it.  I fell down the bottom stair, and my foot got caught between the stairs.  Of course I did a good job - I broke both bones, one of them twice, and dislocated it. 

Luckily it was early in the morning, so when my husband took me to emergency it was quiet, so I got treated straight away.  I have never been in so much pain in my life.

I ended up spending eight nights in hospital waiting for the swelling to go down so they could operate to put in a pin.

This is a picture of the third cast I have been in.  And if you think this looks big, it is the smallest and lightest so far.  My mother-in-law knitted me the little foot hat to keep my toes warm.  In two weeks this cast comes off and then I am in a boot for six weeks.

Last week, I started quilting again with my machine lowered, so I can sit while I work.  I am slow, but it is great to feel productive again. 

I have never had an accident like this before, and it has made me realise how lucky I am.  I could have hurt myself so much more seriously.  I live in a country where I have access to excellent health care.  My family have been so supportive – cooking, cleaning, driving me around.  My customers have been so understanding.  I will definitely not take my health for granted in future, and be a lot more careful.

Starting Young

I had my nephew stay with me last week, and decided to let him have his first turn on my long arm quilting machine – he has watched me quilt several times, and expressed an interest.

At this age he has no fear of the technology, and with careful concentration he just started stitching.  I know I am super biased, but isn't he adorable?