Holding On

  " I am a Mighty God.  Nothing is too difficult for me.  I have chosen to use weak ones like you to accomplish My purposes.  Your weakness is designed to open you up to My Power.  Therefore, do not fear your limitations or measure the day's demands against your strength.  What I require of you is to stay connected to Me, living in trusting dependence on My limitless resources.  When you face unexpected demands, there is no need to panic.  Remember that I AM with you.  Talk with Me, and listen while I talk you through each challenging situation.
   I am not a careless God.  When I allow difficulties to come into your life, I equip you fully to handle them.  Relax in my Presence, trusting in My Strength."
  Luke 1:37; 2 Corinthians 12:9     From Sarah Young

    HELLO!!!!
  I am back to quilting little by little.  I have been through a long journey that is not over yet.  I have more stamina but not alot.  Not like my life was like before this hit me.  No control. But, God, He knew before and now and in the future what it would be like for me and my husband.  Gary is my greatest supporter and greatest believer in who I am.....whom I am becoming.....by faith.....by God's precious grace.

  I have experience more compassion for those who are weak, in pain, sickness or anything like that.  The body can go through very tough things; it is amazing!!   I hope you have been quilting...or sewing....or knitting....crocheting....whatever is your "happy place".   Mine is just that I can walk....I can cook again...clean again.....yes, I still rest and it takes me longer than before....but I can do it....I am alive.....I am getting well....day by day......year by year......
 
  I am sorry my blog looked so ugly with the photos taken off the side....still have to figure all that out....but I will share my grandgals Graduation Quilts soon.....time to load them and quilt them.....so so sew fun!!!

                                                       

Many Quilted Blessings!!   Karen

                                                     

Road to Recovery

In days like these, I tend to go to simpler days.  How about you.

I started knitting again.  I am practicing at this point.  Knit and purl.   Simple.

Life got much more simple when my Neurologist came to a diagnosis for me.  Not MS.  We
could not have been more relieved and Praising God was real.

The diagnosis was difficult to arrive to and many tests and labs brought us to the two words....
Amyotrophy Neuropathy , or a Simple word....Diabetic Stroke.  All this thourgh an Excellent
Doctor....
My journey with this follows the article to a "T".  From the extreme pain in hips and legs, to weakness, stamina, insomnia,
and on and on.

Yes, it is rare; less than 1% of women have this occur.  Diabetes does not cause
this condition but it does not help with healing times either.  My Blood Sugars were out of the
roof.  With less inflammation and healing of my nerves and muscles responding well, the sugars
will fall also.

It sounds simple.

It hardly is.  Our bodies are complex and still being "found out" but the base of chemicals the Lord
used in creating us are basic.....simple?....hardly.

I made a simple quilt for my sister Deb that is 5 years younger than me...she and my 4 other sisters
placed me in the Middle....not a simple spot in a large family....but simply Safe!!

To put is simple, I am sewing again, sweeping, cooking, walking outside better with walker than
by myself, unsteady....we enjoyed our family again in June...a surprise vacation.  Simply put it was
Heaven to have family here and little girls enjoyed the Simple Pool we had up.

Enjoy the Simple Pictures....they say it all.

Photos Say it All

            Family is simply.....Healing...... We are still Praising God....    Healing is Slow but

Here to stay.....                                                                                        

The Sweetest Day

 Family.  Such a great word.  It means strength in numbers for some.

We were raised in a large family of 8, Spanning years of new babies coming into this world with
welcoming arms and hearts too.  Bonding with many people as a baby in this family; as babies
look into the eyes of so many. 

Across The Pond

And Friday we had a special visit from some very special people.....my sisters.....it was so wonderful
and healing for my ailing body.  We went to our pond for a visit too; they loved it.  The pollen that SC is famous for was layering on the top of the pond.

Judy, Me, Debbie and Lori   

We made pizza for lunch with veggie munchies.  No, we never quit talking or laughing for  the 9 hours that they blessed us with their time.  They drove from Ohio, so it was a LONG drive just to
see us.  Debbie kept making me sit down.  Ha, I laughed as she is 6 years younger than me and
as we grew up I had to take care of them after school and the evening when Mom went to work.
So, this was role reversal.

Yard Flags

   

At one point we started making yard flags for the reunion.  They chose some civil war fabric of
flags, of course!  and when they return to Ohio they will add an initial to each yard flag for the
families expected to attend the 25th reunion of the Nesler's.  Our Dad started it before he
unexpectedly passed. We all still miss him and later our Mom too.

Debbie

This is Debbie; a real miracle seeing her sew.  She HATED sewing as a kid.  She told us Friday
it was because of the bobbin issues....drove her crazy.  But, now she has grandkids and has spent
the last few years teaching them to stitch.  It is the first thing that they ask to do when they come to
visit.  That is just sweet!! Sew, she is going to buy a sewing machine!! URA!!!

Judy

Judy is the oldest girl in family.  we have 3 brothers too and Patti 9 years younger than me passed
8 years ago this August to stomach cancer.  We miss her.  She loved to create and sew.  Judy taught
us all things from walking to so many household duties in a large active family  and sewing of all
kinds.  She is our 2nd Mom.  She hand quilts beautiful quilts.  She is helping with the flag edges.
So happy she came along to see us!!

Lori Ann

 Lori is always the most active one of all of us.
Being the youngest of 8, no one could ever
keep up with her.  She longarmed a smaller
quilt top she had made a few years ago.  Her son
and his wife adopted a brother and sister from
Africa in the last couple years.  They came at different times.  Georgia just came this year. Sew, she is doing meandering on this quilt for her.
She backed it with one of our Mom favorite
fabric that we had in our shop we managed 9 years
ago. A fun time in our lives together.

Quilt DONE !!

Fabs for Flags

Gifts

 My Sister Deb painted me beautiful quilt with texture on it.  I love it.  Judy brought me coloring
books and a word search too.....plus two color pencils.  I love to color.  We all did as kids too.
One of the coloring books is patriotic.  She said Gary can color too in that one!!!  Sweet!!

Just a very, very delectable day together.  We agreed, when I can travel, to meet half way and
rent a place so we can do more sewing or as Deb does paintings!......

I hope you have a blessed Easter Day.  He is Risen.  He is Risen indeed!!!

I know people celebrate the Sweetest Day in the fall; but truly we had one of our Sweetest Days
Friday.  It was medicine to my body and soul, for sure.   Thanks Sis's!!!......and we will all see Patti
in Heaven.....the one we celebrate today.....


Because He Lives!!!

Crayola

Decisions!!

Precious Hand's   Precious Colors!

A day in the life of an Avid Quilter.  Right?  I say so!
                                             
                                                          

Even a Stamp for the sweet Crayola

I heard today that they are retiring a crayon color.....Makes me sad!
What color will it be?  My mother in law's sister named the blue Cornflower
color.  She worked in NYC then. So, we hope it is not Harriets' color....she is close
100 years old now.  Amazing!

Back to Quilting.  I have added a few Quilts I found on Pinterest with an
interesting link to one that weaves a basket with lots of crayola colors!

Terry's

My favorite color box was when the 64 box came out with a sharpener..

How good it smelled on Christmas Morning!  and Please little sister's DON'T break
them in half......please!!

Oh, WOW!!  I think my favorite with this Pinterest Grouping is the last one.....the actual Crayola's ...
Excellently done!!  Our imaginations are our only limit, I think.

I am bound up in binding today.  A little over 3 weeks until my 3 sister's will be here.  I am blessed with Company recently.  My son and his family and our daughter and her 3 girls were here Sunday and Monday.  They squeezed fun out of every minute together.  I imagine our chicken's miss them
collecting the warm eggs!! and our young dog Gracie misses them too.  She got the best attention
she has had in while now!.....they all fell in love with her....I think I heard a little voice saying....I would like to take her home...... followed later by, Well, I AM the birthday girl!!.....wise at 8!!

Have a bright and colorful day!  


Who REALLY loves your Crayola memories? and who doesn't love the Taffy Quilt!!!!

Paper Piecing Magic

Debbie's New York Beauty Mini Top

Paper piecing is fun for some and not fun at all for others.  I do find
it fun and in the end you have perfect blocks and points.

Tulip Spools

Very Helpful Designs

Oldest sister Jud/ys Tulip and Spools Mini Top

That sells it to me.  To be honest I was afraid to even try it for years.
It seemed to complicated.  Finally, the desire to finish a Farmer's Wife
Sampler Quilt and a Dear Jane Quilt won over my fears.

I found my courage and began and I have never looked back.  I did
complete 2 Farmer's Wives Quilts and 1 Dear Jane in one year.  Making
them as heirloom quilts for our 3 grown kids.

Tiny huh?

I wondered; why am I doing this which such fervor?  Now, we know why since
I am struggling with this weakened body and legs issue.  I am paper piecing
again though.  My 3 sister's are coming before Easter and I wanted to have

Lori's Farmer's Wife Mini Top

a mini quilt made for each one of them. Our sister Patti will be here in our hearts. On the mini's,  since  using my longarm is out at this
point;  I am using decorative stitches with my Viking,  Relaxing!!

So far, so good!!.

Our son and his wife and kids and our daughter and her girls are
coming this weekend from Ohio and Indiana. We haven't had time together with them all  in  4 years.
Our other son and wife and kids won't be here, other than their daughter who is
living in our town now.

So, if I have time, YEP,  also paper piecing a few mug rugs for the adults coming!

The lambs and the Muc Muc dolls in previous posts are waiting on the table for the girls.

Please enjoy  Angel Walters video on a very simple process of making all paper piecing patterns.

Have a Quilted kind of day!  Step into Paper Piecing; trust me the water is fine!!   ((wink))

I will post the Mini's
when I get them Quilted later today.    Sorry about my rambling post!!
It happens!!! 

Milky Way

There must be a God.....such a ordered Universe.....such gifted minds
that give us these delights at the touch of a finger on our lap tops, sitting
on our laps!!....totally Amazing!.....
Has anyone ever made a Milky Way Quilt?....boys would love that!!!



Just a quick trip to Pinterest!! Does it ever let you down?....Just sayin'....
this is a sweet Milky Way Quilt.....Fig Tree Quilts

Fig Tree Quilts

Fons and Porter

Yes, I found a kit at our sweet friends in Iowa!! I thought this was cool too!!

Sew, gee!!...head in the (star) clouds today!!.....

Paper piecing tiny tulip Mini Quilt squares today....sew 30 minutes and rest 30 minutes....a Quilter has to do what a Quilter has to do!!  Finished Mini 15 1/2 " by 15 1/2"......sweeeeeet!!!

Only God is Perfect!!! Sew enjoy Quilting today....Relax, keep Calm and Quilt on!!   Wink!!

Never Give UP!!

Never give up, never give up, never give up.

A person who loves to quilt is very much into that... when they          

Depression Era Farmer's Wife....Heirloom for our kids....

start a quilt, piece the quilt and quilt the quilt...it is work that you never
give up on.

  It is a "pearl" made in a shell through bits of sand and constant
pressure. 

Quilts bring brightness into this world.  This wild world.  They are predictable
because if you follow the pattern and sew with 1/4 seams you will have a balanced
and "happy" quilt when you are done.  And seeing the look of delight on the face
of the receiver is priceless.  All the work is worth every stitch and every inch.

Pacing Creativity with Leg resting

My condition is still with me.  It has been decided to give me an epidural in about
3 weeks for the constant pain in my legs; now for over a year.  My narrowing,
arthritic spine is not causing my weak legs; so the hunt for a Neurologist who
specializes in Muscular skeletal seems appropriate.  My left leg got weaker with
the PT we were doing; the right leg is now getting weaker slowly now.  I still
can not go up or down steps and I use the seated walker in the house for safety,
as I am having a bit of foot drop in the left foot and it can catch on the floor or
anything, really.  My legs give out without any warning and down I go....that is
really not fun.

But I am a quilter, an avid one.  I finished my last quilt on my longarm in
October.  From October through mid January, I was really out of commission. I had no
stamina at all to walk or stand for anytime.  We started PT in November but had to
quit in early February as we saw my left leg weaken dramatically in January.

All the Lambies in a row.....waiting on diaper pins!!

Answers?  We have none so far.  We are nurses and have researched and we have an
idea what it might be or is being mimicked to make you think it is this certain diagnosis.
I don't want it but, I would like to know what it is so I can start medications that might
slow down the damage being done to my nerves.

So, friends, I have always tried to make really good lemonade when life gives us lemons.

So fun to make

A closer Look

Hubs winter build, now painting it...it needs a barn quilt on end facing the road!!

I have enjoyed recently sewing in short periods at times and then resting 1/2  hour.
My lambies and "like" muc muc dolls are ready to ship to Ohio and Indiana closer
to Easter.....I was too sick at Christmas to quilt(that is sick huh?)....so nothing sent...so, we are a bit late but still made with love!!

I am starting a bit of paper piecing today and some Wolsey things....just let the creative juices fly
and see what the day will bring you.  Life is worth the living and God does come and give
Grace when the trials  come.                             Trust.

                                                                             and

                                                                    Never Give Up!!

It is all Good; God is good all the time