LONGARM QUILTING AND TIME DOES FLY!!

 My word!! How time flies!!!! Grab a glass of wine and spend a few minutes with One Loose Thread.

I just realized that I had not written a post since MAY!!!! Where have I been?!! What has been going on?!! Let's see if I can get up to date.

The first week of the month was taken up at the Heart Hospital with the heart cath and all that went along with it. I did post about that little adventure. After that I was back in forward motion because May Mester with One Loose Thread was coming up.

Luckily, I had almost everything ready for retreat except for the necessary printing of name tags, medical forms.... stuff like that. I was able to work in a trip to Charleston for a Cobblestone Guild meeting. I don't do that enough, but, do try to manage at least one meeting a year. May Mester was soooo much fun! I had us set up in two buildings. In the Chapel was our 'sit and sew' group under the watchful eye of Ma Whittle. I was with the group in the Ireland Room of Cole Lodge with Elsa Neubauer and lots of Judy Niemeyer papers for 'Carnival Flower'........... It was a very productive 4 days for all of us. Of course we all gathered together for meals (fabulous food!!) so it was almost as though we were all sewing in the same room as we did show and share of our progress. No classes are planned for May of 2024, however, I have a few things on my mind that I might try. More on that later.

June involved a graduation, a week at the beach, an engagement, and a birthday (mine).  During that time I did manage to get some client quilts completed. Hope to post all of those pictures very soon. Oh yes, also had new washer, dryer and oven installed. These were on my 2023 Goals List to get done this year.

So..... on to July!!!Finished up the scheduled custom quilt for Teresa Durden the first week. Had been working on that for 3 or 4 weeks. Met with some new quilting clients. Moderated a meeting of the SC Longarm Group and finished up several E2E quilting jobs for clients. Ordered tables for the One Loose Thread August retreat and started prep work for that. Took a class with Devine Quilters on a Sunflower pillow. 'Celebrated' a 1 year anniversary on the new knee (still doing PT twice a week and it's November). Submitted articles for the QSC newsletter.

Then we move to August. Well, Dick has not been with us now for 2 years and I still don't have a solid foundation under my feet. But, life goes on. Time for One Loose Thread Summer Retreat and I am soooo ready for it. It was hot, but all of the air conditioners were working so we stitched on. It was so much fun and a really good break for all of us. There really is something magical that happens when you drive through the gates of Camp Gravatt. My son and his wife celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and my oldest granddaughter (Piper) turned 20. 

September just flew by with quilting for clients, meeting with guilds to talk about Quilters of SC, a meeting for the SC Longarm Group, Dr.'s appointments, and other misc. stuff. And then you turn around and....

It's October!! Time for Quilters of South Carolina retreat at the beach!!! This year I am the 'continuing' 'remedial' student on the 'Jack's Chain' quilt. I had started the quilt during Myrtle Beach Quilt Party in January 2022. I managed to get 2 rings done and a ton of 9-patches. So when I had the chance here to take Cindy's class again............ I did and managed to do a little more. I understand that slow and steady wins the race, but, this is ridiculous. All of these y-seams may do me in----or----I may just end up with a table runner instead of the king size quilt that I had planned. It really was a fun retreat. Met new people. Talked to people I had not seen in a year or years. Certainly had some great food. Love the location of the retreat as it is. Hope we can stay there for a few more years. Did manage to do more quilting for clients. Have 2 custom quilts in the works at this time.

Now it's November and time to work on finishing up this year. Fall retreat with One Loose Thread was small but mighty!!! We could not have asked for better weather! As usual, Gravatt did a wonderful job hosting us and we had a great time. Now it's time to look forward to February. Registration begins on December 1, 2023.

Today is Friday, November 17, 2023. I 'slipped' down I-26 to Harleyville to join the Low Country Longarm Group for their meeting today. Beautiful day for the drive and I-26 wasn't as crazy as usual. It was fun to see what they are working on and visit with some folks I had not seen in a while. The SC Longarm Group meets tomorrow and will be celebrating our 13th anniversary. Hard to believe it's been that long. My machines are running everyday working on client projects for Christmas. I still have some open time in the schedule for edge 2 edge quilting, but I imagine someone will call at the last minute and need a little help. I'm currently working on my 'Custom' schedule since we have a major quilt show in March. I also need to get a couple of my own quilts ready for that. I made a major decision this week and resigned all of my committee posts and a few other things so that I can really concentrate on One Loose Thread. I want to spend more time on client quilts, continuing education, and the One Loose Thread Retreats. After all, that's why I started One Loose Thread in the first place (and to help pay the grocery bill after retirement). So, I'm looking forward to being able to control my schedule a little better.

Thanksgiving will be here at my house. Dusty and his family will be here. Vickie and her family will be in the mountains of Georgia with the Sessions family. We are grilling steaks and saving the full turkey dinner for Christmas. I'll pull the 'Grinch' tree out of the closet and do a little decorating after that.  We plan on being here for Christmas dinner here too so I don't need to worry about travel.

On the One Loose Thread side of the calendar: I'll finish up all of the e2e that was promised for clients for Christmas, work on 2 small commission projects for clients and really load the machines for some heavy custom quilting between Christmas and New Years Eve. I'll try to keep you up to date on that on the One Loose Thread Quilting Facebook page. I'll be using both hand guided and computer assisted quilting on each piece.

I have my 2024 'GOALS' list written up. Some of it has to do with One Loose Thread Quilting, but, most of it has to do with things that need to be done here in/to the house, studio, and yard. Just a hint, there are 32 items on this list. Some are very small 'to do' and some will take several days to work out. But, this list can keep me on track. I hope.

That's it for now. My wine glass is empty and my recliner is calling me. Both of the dogs have passed out in the floor here in the studio, so must be time for some TV. 

I promise to get these quilt pictures uploaded very soon so that you can see that I did do 'some' work this year. Have a great evening!!!

The Adventure Continues

 

Well, I'm home from the hospital. They released me Thursday afternoon once they had done the surgery on my wrist to alleviate the golf ball size bulge in the artery. Instructions not to work for several days (not weeks) but no heavy lifting for several weeks. My arm is really dark blue and the lower arm is sore and a little uncomfortable. I won't post pictures, 'cause it is UGLY!!! Taking Tylenol for this discomfort. Normally, I would have a few glasses of wine, but, I cut WAY back on that a month or two ago so that is not an option.

I have been relegated to my chair and the remote control. I mean, what do you do when you are a quilter and you are not allowed to use needle and thread or your machines? I am soooooooo bored!!! Reading quilting magazines and patterns doesn't help either. That just make me want to cut and sew fabric.

Cooper and Loosey are doing a really good job of 'watching Mom'. It is as though they have agreed to take turns. One stays with me while the other goes out, but right now, both of them are in the yard keeping watch over the property.

My next door neighbors, Alice and Charles, are feeding me so well, I'll have to start exercising to reduce the pounds that will be added. Both are awesome cooks and Alice brings over a tray like you would get at a B&B with a vase holding one of her beautiful roses. This is so appreciated and enjoyed by me.

I'm trying to do a little work to get ready for May Mester Retreat in just 10 days. I can't do the physical part, but I can get all of the paperwork completed. Pat will be here a day next week and we'll get everything else together. I am looking forward to 5 days at Camp Gravatt and starting a new Judy Neimeyer quilt, Carnival Flower. I will also be getting some help to figure out where I am on Bali Wedding Star. All of the arcs are finished, but not sure were to go from here.

Well, that's it for now. I'm off to my chair. I have used the DVR for the coronation, so will start watching that. 

Have a fabulous weekend!!!

My Adventures at Prisma Heart Hospital

 

This is still a journey and instead of trying to relate this to so many of my friends on facebook, I thought I would just tell you all about it right here.

About 15 years ago I had a stent placed in the coronary artery of my heart. We found out about the need when I became extremely short of breath while climbing a hill. My numbers were fabulous so, imagine our surprise when doing a heart cath at that time to discover that this stent was necessary. So, had that done and everything went beautifully. 

Fast forward to just a few weeks ago when I became extremely short of breath when climbing stairs to the Koger Center to attend a play. It was so bad that I was afraid I wasn't going to recover without EMS, but I did and was ok in about 20 minutes. That event let me know that I did need to see my cardiologist and ASAP. I scheduled an appointment and as soon as I started describing my concerns it was a definite yes for a heart cath. 

I checked into the Heart Hospital on Monday for the procedure. The procedure went just fine. I can't remember at this time if it was 2 stents or 3 placed on the same artery as the last, but we had no problems doing that. At the end of the procedure a pressure type of bracelet was placed over the surgical entry area. By the time they got me back to the recovery area my wrist was swelling and my hand was turning blue. The attempt was made to place a second 'bracelet' beside the first one, but that didn't help. I was bleeding into the tissue in my hand, wrist and arm. They took off both 'bracelets' and of course, I started gushing. The staff in recovery held manual pressure on the surgical site for almost 2 hours before the bleeding was finally under control.  I really admire the calm professional way that they handled this emergency. The end result was a very large hematoma on the wrist that was continuing to bulge. We kept the arm elevated over night, but swelling continued until late on Tuesday. (Naturally they admitted me)

We have petted and pampered the wrist and arm since Monday afternoon. Finally on Wednesday afternoon the decision was made to call in the Vascular Team. The hematoma had gotten to big to repair itself and surgery was going to be necessary. 

So, that's where I am now. Surgery on the wrist will happen late tomorrow morning and a repair on the artery will be made. As with any surgery there are risks, but it is to risky not to do it.

As with all of these things, it could not come at a worse time. I have a major retreat in 2 weeks, my custom and my 2e2 schedule is full and I won't be allowed to use this hand/wrist/arm for 4 to 6 weeks. I explained to the surgeon what I do for a living and he knows longarmers and said I cannot use those machines for 4-6 weeks.  Soooooooooooo, here we are. 

The quilt retreat WILL HAPPEN, because I have some wonderful helpers. If there is one thing I know about quilters, it is that they adapt. I 'might' be able to sew a little but I will be able to enjoy everyone's company. And I can't think of a better place to rest and recover than in the pines at Camp Gravatt.

I have very understanding clients who will allow me to push their quilts farther out. Then once I have healed, I will work on getting all of those quilts out first. So, please continue to bring your tops in and I'll put them in the line to be done as I go. 

That's where I am right now. I will be available by messenger, email, and text over the next few days. My family and friends are being very supportive and it's fabulous to have such a big circle around me. Please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers as they are soooo appreciated and they work. I'll get through this and be back stronger than ever. After all...... I have a birthday coming up!!!

Thanks,

Joyce---- One Very Loose Thread