Can Blogging Trigger Migraines?

Woke up at 3:30 am yesterday with a terrible headache.  Went downstairs, had some tea and started to work on yesterday's posting. After 20 minutes or so, I got the aura of a migraine headache.  EEK!  I lay down on the floor (don't ask, long story) in front of the fire and tried to will the inevitable away.  Failed miserably.  Things went from bad to worse.  Finally went to bed and awoke around 7:15 with ANOTHER migraine, complete with aura, nausea, light sensitivity - the 'Full Monty.' Pounded down some migraine meds, stayed in bed until it was time to try and pull myself out of bed so I could go to my final piecing class.  I made it, but not without having to stop once going up the hill to Cabin Fever because I felt so horrible. 

So, the big question is 'Does blogging at 3:30 am cause migraines?' Could happen!  Class was short and sweet because I was late, but anytime at Cabin Fever is great. All I need to do is add the outer border and my music-theme quilt top is done, done, done, then off to be quilted. Bought the cutest backing fabric. Very lively. Will definitely enhance the theme.  

Must stop blogging now for fear of yet another migraine. Already planning my new quilt, in case anyone is wondering.  I do LOVE this hobby, but I fear it's going to get as expensive as ice skating pretty fast!  

Quilting as Therapy, Progress on Music Sampler and Skating

Last Friday was not a good day, but I learned something else about quilting.

 

The day started with a 6:00 am phone call with news that our 18 year-old niece was in the ER. My husband and I went to the hospital to help. Many hours later, my husband was at his office and I was in my sewing room. Comforted that our niece was going to be alright, what I really wanted to do was quilt.  

Still working (this piece seems to be taking forever) on my music-theme quilt for my voice coach, I added the sashing. Voila! What once was a piece I really didn't like at all became rather - well - cute.  I think once quilted, it will be a very appreciated wall hanging for my instructor's music studio.  But I digress . . .

What I learned about quilting is its therapeutic effect on me.  While the morning in the ER had been stressful and chaotic, once back in my sewing room at my little Janome Gem, I felt very relaxed and secure.  The process of cutting the sashing (BTW, I did get every row to measure the same by taking in or letting out seams) and sewing it on was comforting.  I took my time, making certain that I was doing this properly and the end result included a sense of peace, accomplishment and small degree of pride, I suppose.  

So, I can go to my piecing class today having completed our homework.  As today is the last class, I think we'll have our quilts completed.  YEAH!  

As for skating, I had a great skate yesterday.  Not in terms of my skill level, believe me, but just being on the ice.  Had a good lesson doing dance (my coach and I decided I would definitely test my Ten Fox in March), Silver Moves and starting to work on my ISI Freestyle 2 test.  Having not taken this test before, I need to re-learn some things - ballet jump, half Lutz, half Wally (this jump is very strange and not attractive, even when my coach demonstrates it).  I also learned the little footwork sequence for the FS test and picked it up pretty easily. My best skating buddy came up and told me it was "passable" for the test (which she passed ages ago), but I'd like to add some polish and style to it.  I dug up the music that my coach had cut for me for this test years ago.  It's a nice piece from "Secret Garden." Thank goodness I saved this music, so there won't be any added expense for cutting music.  

I found out the ISI is taking the USFSA route and has changed music requirements to 1.40.  I was absolutely crestfallen when I heard this.  How my beautiful "Passion of the Christ" music can be cut to what seems like no time at all baffles me.  In a brief discussion, I suggested to my coach that we cut the first few seconds and the mid-section that has some seconds of Aramaic speaking.  I think between these two sections, we should be able to trim this to the appropriate time.  But, then there is the re-working of the program elements.  I have great faith in my coach, but am truly disappointed about this.  Whether this can all be accomplished by Gold Rush in April is questionable, but we'll establish this as a goal and see if I can achieve it.  

To Kathy S.: If you are reading this, thank you so much for your call yesterday about the Friendship Stars and Flying Geese.  It was so nice of you to contact me and I really appreciate you reading my blog and support of my quilting. 

 

Finally, a literary recommendation (yes, it is easy for a blog to become a venue for one's stream of consciousness!).  A sweet little book entitled "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society."  This book takes place as England is just coming out of WWII.  It's a delightful "must read."  

Japanese Puzzle, Part III, Piecing Class and Skating Goal

Met with Kathy S., the Japanese Puzzle instructor at Cabin Fever, and "commissioned" her to complete my Japanese Puzzle piece.  She found the most extraordinary fabric for the outer border. A gorgeous Batik with these contemporary geese.  It's PERFECT for this piece.  She is also going to add two flying geese appliques to the upper left-hand corner and an inner border.  Actually, with Kathy's expert assistance and skill, this piece is going to be quite stunning.  I can't wait to see it (and post a picture, of course). 

The piecing class yesterday was not a great success.  I worked hard on my Flying Geese row but didn't get it completed :( .  Other students had more success and seem to be ripping through their Geese.  Then, I experienced a problem with my Geese that even stumped the instructor. This could only happen to me, I bet.  But, I will work through it.  I have much work to do on this before next Tuesday's class, when we are supposed to have completed all rows and added the lattice (I haven't even purchased fabric for this yet).  I don't much like this quilt because it's a sampler; hence, I don't feel fully committed to it, which is a little sad because it's a gift for my voice coach.  I really need to work up more enthusiasm for it.  I do think it's going to be cute when it's completed and much appreciated, I'm sure.

From quilting to skating. What a leap (no pun intended, BTW).  I won't be skating in our local April competition, as previously planned because of a little 'hitch' in the music requirements. My music cannot be cut to 1:40 without serious damage to it. So, I've decided to set a goal of taking this program to the music from "Passion of the Christ" to ISI Worlds in July 2009 in San Jose.  I will need to pass two freestyle tests before July to complete at the level I would like, so there is much work ahead.  But, I love the program and would really like to perform it at Worlds.  Many adult skaters have told me how much fun ISI competitions are, so I think I'll take the plunge and give it a try.  So, skating goals for this year:  pass Ten Fox, 14-Step and Fox Trot, work on Silver Moves (no testing however), and compete at ISI Worlds.  Now that I've put this in writing on the Web, I guess I have to follow through!

Friendship Stars

Whoever created Friendship Stars is no friend of mine!  These are tough to make.  I've made three blocks so far for my piecing class Sampler; one out of three actually has points that match.  I'm going to have a "cuppa" tea and read about Tudor England instead.  I'm bushed, but happy to have gotten Sara's quilt top done.  What a lovely day Sunday was, quilting from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Now, if I can only be more patient in making the Friendship Stars, I will be alright.  

 

And thanks to my best skating buddy who sent me a wonderful e-mail that lifted my spirits about my progress and feelings about skating.  She will never know the depths of my appreciation.  Her post was just what the doctor ordered to get me out of my "Poor Me" attitude.  

I am going to have to push hard today to get the pieces done for class tomorrow.  Don't think I will have completed all my "homework" for the piecing class, but I can finish this quilt top by myself anyway.  

Sara's Butterflies

I just finished the quilt top (see picture on right) for my friend's daughter, Sara, who is fighting cancer.  She loves butterflies, lime green and purple, so I incorporated these into the quilt.  I am pleased with the way this piece turned out.  The butterflies are just so cute, although a little difficult to make out in this picture.

I learned another lesson.  I miscalculated the side border strips and didn't have enough fabric, so I decided to add the four cornerstones, each in the butterfly fabric. Voila! This worked out well.  Yeah!  I continue to problem-solve as I quilt, so I think this is progress. 

I used the technique that one of my instructors taught to create accurate border pieces. I did take three width and length measurements, then calculated the average and used that, instead of taking one measurement through the center and calling it a day.  The top and bottom borders fit perfectly. Thanks, Sheila, at Cabin Fever Quilt Shoppe, for teaching this technique.  Excellent.

I will take "Sara's Butterflies" to my quilter tomorrow in the hopes of getting it back by Sara's birthday on March 1st.  Will have her use a butterfly pattern for the quilting.  

Now back to the project for my piecing class on Tuesday.  This is another sampler quilt which I don't really like in terms of design, but I really like the fabric.  It's for my voice coach, so most of the fabric in a music theme (notes, names of composers, etc.) So much to do before class. 

I also purchased some fabric to make an applique gliding swan.  I've never done applique, so yet another great learning opportunity!  

Oh, one more thing, as the Tudor period is of great interest to me, I am desperately trying to locate Tudor fabric (as in the wives of Henry VIII) to make an historical quilt.  So far, no luck, but some must be out there somewhere.  The search continues.

It's windy, rainy and cold.  Could there be a more ideal quilting day? Don't think so. I hear my little Janome calling me, so I'd better get back to it!

 

Japanese Puzzle: The Next Installment & Singing 'Debut'

I'm the one on the right, standing next to my design wall.  This was taken by my friend on Day 2 (Saturday) of the Japanese Puzzle Workshop.  This was after I spent Friday night creating a design to prevent complete public humiliation!  It's pretty hard to tell what's what in this picture, but this pattern is actually pretty easy (never thought I would say that!) once you get the hang of it.  But it's a good deal of work and highly process-oriented.  Was a real challenge for me.  At the point this picture was taken, I was getting pretty tired, as you can see.  But at least I had created a design that I liked.  You can actually begin to see the mountain peaks, even before any of the pieces were sewn together.  

Last night, I finished sewing all the pieces together.  Now back to my project for my beginning piecing class which I go to again next week.  Can I remember the assignment?  Log Cabin, Nine Patch Variation, Flying Geese, Friendship Star, Rail Fence.  Oh yes, it all comes back to me now.

Re my singing debut, I totally bombed but it was fun.  Yesterday my voice coach told me we'd have to work on technique and that he would pick my music from now on.  He selected "Show Me" from "My Fair Lady."  Does he know it's my favorite musical ever? I am going to have to practice much more now because this song is for a soprano and I'm a mezzo soprano. Besides which, I don't want to repeat my performance on Sunday at my first voice recital.

Have my skating lesson today and can't wait.  Will work on my ice dances.  Fun, fun, fun. Then home to quilt, of course.   

'Tis a Puzzlement!'

Just when you think you are making progress, life hands you a little reminder like "Hey, don't get full of yourself.  You are, after all, just a novice quilter." And so it is for me.  

The weekend Japanese Puzzle workshop at Cabin Fever Quilt Shoppe in Auburn, CA was full of surprises, frustrations, insights, humor and an endless amount of food.  Day 1 of the class was Friday night.  EEK!  I left totally deflated and near hysteria.  Oh, did I mention this hobby is supposed to be fun? Got home around 9:30 pm and spent the next three hours on the Web trying to find a Japanese Puzzle pattern I could copy and take to class the next day. Didn't want my better half to know I was doing this (he would have thought I was crazy), so I was in my sewing room huddled on my couch, bent over my laptop, looking like I should have been wearing a green eye shade.  

I finally gave up the search and decided to design my own pattern because my attempt at the design wall in class was dismal.  No, it was more than dismal.  Pathetic is a better word for it. Everyone else was doing a fab job, of course and getting lots of comments from other participants and the instructor.  At one point, I look at what was supposed to be the sky part of my mountain design and realized that my clouds were upside down. There was no way to fix the problem as the diamond shapes had already been cut. When the instructor asked me if I liked the sky the way I had designed it, I replied, "Clouds don't grow upside down like that!" Joke, right?  Don't think she appreciated my self-deprecating humor.  

So there I am looking like a waif in a snowstorm, bent over my computer, using Word (thanks Bill G for developing this application, which came in handy and actually worked properly for once!), doing the cut-and-paste thing to create diamonds, using the fill function to color and pattern them.  This process took about 90 minutes, so now it's really late and I am completely frustrated and actually thinking that I won't return to class.  But, then there's my friend who is taking the class also.  I don't want to just not show up.  How rude would that be?  So I print my little 4th-grader design, pack up my extra stash (maybe having more fabric will solve my design problem), and decide to tackle the problem on Saturday.

In retrospect, I realize this is all part of the creative process.  When I got to class on Saturday, I immediately removed the sky pieces that I didn't like and just started moving pieces around using my home-made, amateur pattern as something of a guide (it certainly didn't qualify as a real design, that's for sure).  Voila!  I stand back and look at the design wall. I can actually see what are supposed to be mountain peaks, but at this point, everything is disconnected so it's rather difficult to envision the complete picture.  But the concept of the design is there.  Maybe there is hope for me?  

In the meantime, my friend is creating the most spectacular puzzle from her Asian fabrics. It's absolutely stunning beyond belief.  I just love it and wish I had done something similar to this, rather than tackle a landscape.  But, this is part of the dynamic learning process.  

All-in-all, the class was an absolute blast!  How one could go from frustration on Friday night to something near elation two days later is beyond me, but that's what happened.  I'm trying to dissect the experience but I am still taking it all in.  I do know the following:

1.  Having a supportive, kind buddy who is a great quilter made a huge difference.  Not only did she help me with my design,her presence was reassuring to me.  

2.  There IS something to the "quilting bee" concept.  Sometimes all you could hear was the sound of sewing machines, but at other times, there was lively conversation, and it wasn't all about quilting.  There was definitely an energy in the room that was unique to this experience of being with women who had an individual goal, but somehow shared a collective goal.  Every one of the participants was so kind to me.  It was great fun being with them and enjoying this hobby together.

3.  I learned to trust the process.  Our instructor kept telling us just to take it one step at a time and trust the process.   She was absolutely right.  I need to learn more patience in this art form.  

4.  Lighten up! At one point, I said to the instructor, "I'm clearly the most inept person in the room."  She replied, "Don't be so hard on yourself, Karen.  You are a very nice quilter."  I really took her words to heart.  I think that's what I am right now - "a nice quilter."  Not a great quilter, not even a good quilter.  But I can make pieces that look "nice" and enjoy the creative process.  

5. Having a good instructor is essential.  Ours, Kathy Sanchez at Cabin Fever Quilt Shoppe in Auburn, was amazing.  She is highly creative, patient, funny and very artful (and diplomatic). She also has a way of knowing how to explain something complex so it makes sense.  I would recommend this class and Kathy's instruction to anyone.  In fact, I am taking another "Kathy" class in Landscapes at the end of April.  I can't wait! 

I will post the finished product when it's that - finished.  It's still a work in progress, but OMG, have I learned a lot about quilting!  Can't wait for my class next week.  Back up to Cabin Fever in Auburn.  These woman are just the most awesome people.  The workshop was worth every dime and then some.  

Sara's Quilt and Japanese Puzzle Class

Over the weekend, I worked on the 'comfort quilt' for my friend's daughter who is fighting cancer. It's adorable.  Butterflies, lime green, purple and blue.  Looking at the fabrics, I had concerns about how they would look in a quilt.  But these are Sara's favorite colors, so I wasn't making this for me.  I felt so good while I was sewing this quilt, knowing that Sara could use it when she goes to the hospital for chemo or at home.  

Yesterday, I received an update from Sara's Mom that she is going back into the hospital today for another round of chemo.  This after a 9-day stay because she spiked a fever and had to be hospitalized.  Likely, her immune system is so depressed by the chemo that she was fighting an infection.  The good news is that Sara is eating well at home now and even enjoyed a big meal at Chili's with her family.  We are praying for Sara to get through this chemo treatment with no complications.  What a brave young lady she is.  

I am taking a weekend class in Pine Bark or Japanese Puzzle.  One of my best friends is taking the class with me.  She's a masterful quilter and so far beyond my capabilities.  She is also a very positive and uplifting person, so I am really looking forward to not only learning a new technique, but spending time with her.  I have some anxiety about this class as I think it's a complicated technique.  At the same time, I'm excited about learning something new.

Update on my Asian-theme wall hanging.  The long-arm quilter says it will quilt just fine!  I was so glad to hear this.  It will be ready in late February.  I can't wait to see it.

Right now, I have three pieces out for quilting.  I shudder to think what this is going to cost (guess I should have asked, right?), but it will be well worth it at any rate.

Finally, I haven't skated at all this week, as last week I fell five times in one hour. Ouch! That's more than I have fallen in the last two years. Fortunately, I am all in one piece and no worse for the wear.  I'm looking forward to my skating lesson tomorrow as I am going to work on my Ten Fox ice dance in the hopes of testing this in a March.  

Oh - did I mention my voice recital on Sunday??? This is my first voice 'performance' in front of people.  Should be pretty interesting!