Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!

Haven't done much stitching--sprained my wrist a week and a half ago and couldn't use the rotary cutter until yesterday. Hand stitching was also painful, but I started doing that anyway a couple of days ago. The family reunion is Saturday, and this wall hanging must be finished for the auction!

Now I am at the "how am I going to quilt this?" stage--a decision I always find challenging.  I did pick up thread today that I think goes fairly well with the background. My intention had been to hand quilt the background and do some machine quilting on the wool, but that decision was made for me when I slipped on the wet grass of our berm, wearing my "no traction" garden clogs and caught myself as I went down, with my wrist. One of my finer moments. Now it will all be by machine! But since I do have osteoporosis, I am just grateful it was only a sprain!

 And then there is the mini Dresden quilt. The center circles are not stitched down (and they are NOT perfect, even though they are closer to perfect after using Karen Kay Buckley's Perfect Circles than they ever would have been without).

I can't decide if the circles need to be a consistent color, but I couldn't find a color that contrasted with all of the Dresdens and yet fit in. I also don't know whether to bind the quilt in the purple you see on the side, or border it with it, and choose something else for binding. I'm leaning toward bordering it, but then I need to come up with a binding.

The little basket quilt made from leftovers of one of Mom's quilts, and part of Dad's favorite blue plaid shirt now needs a border. It has been hanging on my design wall for a couple of weeks like this, and I believe I prefer the fabric on the right.

It is a little calmer than the one on the left, and it is such a busy, scrappy thing that I think "calmer" will be good. I plan to bind it with a blue, if I can find one I like with it. Haven't yet.

DD#2 had a getaway with her hubby to Hawaii recently. She brought me these fun goodies (along with some delicious gluten free coconut macaroons--which are no longer around for a photo). The decorative box is made with woven orchid stems, which is so fitting, since I have half a dozen orchid plants. It will provide pretty storage for my empty quilting machine bobbins. I am going to put my collection of the row by row plates up along the top of my sewing room wall, kind of like a wallpaper border. So fun to have one from Hawaii! My only decision here is how I can best show off the pretty batik print, but I have some ideas.

My thanks to those of you that have added my brother to your prayers. He is still in the hospital. This is his third stay this month, and he has already spent 15 days there, most of them in ICU. He has had two heart procedures, and has struggled with infections and a flare up of another condition that troubles him. Hopefully tomorrow will find him out of ICU! DH and I celebrated our 39th anniversary this week by taking my Mom to the hospital 90 miles away to see him. It would have been Dad and Mom's 65th anniversary on the same day, if Dad hadn't graduated in December. But it was a good day. We were glad we spent it as we did.

Until next time,
Janet O.