I Have a Plan (Sort of)

I am making a sort of plan on how to reach the goal of making a 'Mama memory' quilt. I will be without regular RA meds for about 2 more weeks, BUT I am on good ol' prednisone. So I am not feeling too bad. I have been checking out some quilt designs and instructions, and checking out the materials from Mama's wardrobe that I want to use. And I'm getting some ideas.

But I need to check out the machine and see if it still works! Mama had macular degeneration the last several years of her life, and had not been able to see well enough to sew. It has not been used for a good while. And I need to do some practicing with it, to be sure I can actually use it. I haven't done any 'real' sewing since Mama was still using her Singer cabinet model, and that has been a very long time. So I think I will join in with the gals making the denim picnic quilt. My grands love picnics better than almost anything, and it will get a lot of use. If I get it done. If the machine works.

I have been thinking about the materials I am planning on using, and they are of varying textures and weights. Could this be a problem? Some are very sturdy and some are delicate. Some are older and some are newer. I think it is going to take special care to make it all come together. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! It occurred to me that if my hands are up to it, I might use some of the more delicate fabrics to make flower petals and applique them onto squares of sturdier fabric. Sewing the squares together should be easy, right?

If anybody has any thoughts, I'm listening!

I Have a Dream! Can I Make it Come True?

A few years ago when I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (a form of RA) I had already given up so many things I couldn't do any more because of my painful, swollen hands. The one I missed most was embroidery. I used to sit in the evenings, stitching away through the news, I carried projects with me to waiting rooms, and even to work for break times and lunch. The last project I did was Christmas ornaments. For a while I kept on trying, then switched to plastic canvas. Finally I just quit trying.

The only thing I can still do is type. And I get a great joy from expressing my feelings and thoughts in this way. Right now, I have been taken off all my major meds for a time, and am beginning to see a difference already in my typing ability! Much slower, more clumsy, more mistakes. BUT it's just for a while! And I have decided not to give in. I am coming back with a vengeance. As soon as I am back on my meds, I am going to start a project. Not embroider, I just can't push and pull the needle BUT I am going to learn how to quilt! I can machine stitch the pieces, can't I? And can't I knot it instead of quilting? I remember having lots of them with yarn knots when we were kids - Mama called them 'comforters'.

So, anybody with quilting experience (hint: yes, you) who is willing to give me beginners advice, I will be more than happy to hear and learn. I lost my sweet Mama about a year ago, and I would like to make a Mama quilt with some of her favorite clothes that all her kids and grands and greatgrands will remember seeing her wear. I must confess I don't (didn't) even own a sewing machine, but I now have Mama's little portable one. So bring on the advice for truly novice, beginning, baby-step quilters. I won't get my meds back for a few weeks, so I have time to pick the garments I want to use, and I can get my grands to help me cut pieces.

It will have to be somethng simple, but I kind of wanted somethng a little more than just squares of fabric. Are my goals too high? I'm starting to waver, here. Maybe I should just gather up my material and take it to an accomplished quilter? What do you think? Input! Input!