If you read my last post up to this post you will see I have made minimal progress on this Posie quilt due to a situation which I will describe below.
Don't you just love the green and white checkerboard border? It makes me smile!
I took this quilt top to a quilt retreat, my very first one that was in Christiana, PA. I flew from Charlotte to Harrisburg PA and rented a car and drove to Christiana, PA. which is Amish territory. My GPS took me off the main highway where I drove through an area that was strictly Amish farms. What a fascinating area seeing displays, such as colorful laundry hanging on the lines, family members in their garb pulling wagons and working in the fields, apple orchards with apples ready to pick. There were plenty of horses and buggies on the road as well, always being cautious driving around them.
So back to the quilt retreat. I had big intentions of finishing the border and making quilt backs for several UFOs waiting to be completed, but that wasn't what happened. I finished up 3 sides of the border with the last row on the outer strip to still be added. No backings were made.
I had a great time meeting these women face to face, most of them for the first time, having connected with them on an online quilting group for the past 5 years. It was like picking up where we last left off. We ate, talked, sewed and shopped! Of course we ate chocolate too! There were plenty quilt shoppes to visit which of course I came home with an evermore heavy piece of luggage with purchases, gifts and swap items. One evening we had our own quilt show. I didn't bring any since I flew vs driving and was working hard at not taking too much weighty things with me. But I sure enjoyed seeing the beautiful display of quilts marveling their workmanship.
The Posie quilt top is now sandwiched and partially quilted. The quilting is going slow.I have to take care not to overdo. About two weeks after returning from the quilt retreat,which let me tell you I had great energy running up and down the stairs in the Victorian home where we held our quilt retreat and much walking, I was rushed to the emergency room due to shortness of breath. I drove the the local Urgent Care where the nurses did their best not to panic as my heart rate was hovering in the low 30s and who informed me that I wasn't going to drive. I ended up having a pacemaker implant. I am way to young for this!! This is a portion I wrote on my facebook page:
As wild as it was I felt like I was floating on angel's wings, and I am so ever thankful! Basically being a very healthy person exercising, eating properly, getting enough rest I ended up having a pacemaker implant due to a third degree heart block. My body must have been overcompensating for a good while because when I was admitted to the hospital I was told I was not allowed to get out bed as they didn't want to pick me off the floor.I am a bit frustrated that I have to monitor my time while free motion quilting since I an using chest muscles around my heart. I over did a couple of times and paid the price for it in the cost of pain! It will take about 6 - 8 weeks before I can do upper body activities.
At least one row of posies are quilted with 3 more to go an one of the long sashes almost quilted.
Thank you for visiting and wishing you a great sewing or quilting day!
