Saturday, February 28, 2009

Sneak Peek!

Well, despite the problems I'm been having with my hands I have managed to almost finish my block for the quilts being made to honor Dee from Holland that Kate is gathering. She will be making the many beautiful blocks she has gotten into at least a couple wall hangings I think. You can see the blocks sent to her at www.fairykate.eboard.com

As I struggled with my painful handsd I saw a note from someone else on the CQI list that is having the same problem with her hands. She has decided to divest herself of much of her stash in anticipation that she will have to eventually discontinue her cq work. I truly hope I am not ever faced with having to make that choice. Since becoming immersed in the art of Crazy Quilting, I have found the work so challenging, pleasurable and satisfying. My life would be incomplete without crazyquilting.

My Mum had the same problems with osteo-arthritis in her hands. Hers was aggravated in her 50's by an accident with a wringer washer and she eventually did less and less embroidery. When asked to make a set of pillowcases for someone like my daughter the first year she was married, she produced them, but she was no longer as prolific as she had been when she was younger. She gave away so many wonderfully embroidered gifts that I sometimes wonder when I see when others score beautiful things at thrift shops, etc. if some of them were done by her. I have the last pair of pillowcases she made for me and I have never used them. I also have many thread bare pillowcases with perfectly good embroidery work on them from her that I hope someday to make into a little wallhanging.

The picture shown here is just one corner of a block I have made for the memorial project for Dee of Holland that Kate Hollifield is coordinating. I hope to finish the block and get more pictures posted over the weekend as I plan to post this to Kate on Monday. If you click on the picture after Sunday, it should take you to my Flickr pictures where you can see more closeups.

Some good news here is that I am going to be a Great-Aunt in October. My brother's only granddaughter is expecting her first baby and now all of you who have been laughing at me for making all those baby things, can stop laughing! I'm ahead of the game now!

Stitch On!

2 comments:

Cathi said...

I just learned how to crazy quilt a couple of years ago & love it and also do a lot of embroidery. I too, have osteo-arthritis in my hands. I take tylenol & wear craft gloves to help relieve the pain. Take lots of breaks too!

Your work is beautiful.

Cathy said...

LouAnne, I love your embroidery. And I wish I'd known about the tribute quilt(s) for Dee. I ran across her picture from Omaha 2007 (last time I saw her) and about broke into tears... She was such a sweetheart!
As I near my 55th year, my aches are so much more pronounced. My left hand (esp. my thumb) just kill me! Time to visit the doctor. I'm keeping Advil in business. Don't be a stranger on CQI - I miss talking with you! Hugs, Cathy