"I LOVE QUILTING

A few days ago, I got the idea that it would be easy to baste a quilt INSIDE in two sessions......basting one half stretched on my basting frame, and then unpinning, repositioning, and basting the second half.  I thought that this would be much better than experiencing the heat outside under the semi-protection of my carport.

WRONG.  I set up the frame in my small front bedroom, which was cramped with just HALF of a 63" x 81" quilt top stretched out upon it.  After basting the first half, it was a NIGHTMARE getting the second half properly stretched in place.  I do believe it actually took me atleast a third again longer than the traditional basting time.

ANYWAY, I finally DID finish that chore late that afternoon, and my hubby was perplexed at how crippled up I was walking and how worn out I was.  He said, "you don't really have to do that, do you?"

Sigh...........I said, "honey, after your being in the hospital for five days, and then ending up with a diagnosis of Lymphoma, I have just been WAITING, HOPING, LONGING to get back to some semblance of normalcy."    And for me, a day spent doing anything connected with quilting spells normalcy.

To misquote a long-ago-spotted bumper sticker, even a physically depleting day spent quilting beats the best day spent beside a hospital bed !

So, the point I was going for is, I GOT IT BASTED, and yesterday I spent a wonderful day machine-quilting in the peace and comfort of my pretty newly-painted aqua bedroom.

And I fell in LOVE with this quilt .  I felt "ho-hum" about it before, disappointed that the setting of it wound up being assymetrical, which drives my sensibilities bonkers.  But, crazily, I am taking the time to use my walking foot and quilt in the ditch of EVERY strip, and even go down the center of the widest strips.  And I LOVE how it is looking already.

Another lovely bonus is the back of the quilt.  I had forgotten that I bought this 5-yard piece of fabric at some ridiculously low price at our local WalMart.  I found it stuck away in a drawer of my quilt-fabric chest of drawers, and I will share a photo or two of it also ,  .......soon, hopefully.

As far as news of my husband, today he underwent his first hour of chemo, and he goes back tomorrow morning, EARLY, Lord willing, for a 4-hour session.  He's feeling just fine tonight, with a good appetite, and I am feeling very thankful.  Praise God, we couldn't make it without His provision, mercy, and loving compassion. The hospital chaplain that he met today is a motorcycle enthusiast, as is James, so he enjoyed their talk and asked him to visit again tomorrow !