My return to quilting

After spending time reading some very interesting blogs I've decided to start my own blog, partly to share with others the things that I'm doing and partly as a way to keep track of my journey in making quilts.

I've just recently been able to return to sewing after having to stop a few years ago due to issues with carpal tunnel syndrome as a result from working on computers for most of my life. I finally had the surgery on my right hand this past January and unfortunately it was botched which initially resulted in my having to go for many months of physiotherapy. By the time May rolled around my hand was still in not good shape and I was heading on vacation with my best friend and roommate Bernice to Hawaii for her special celebration birthday vacation. We were going to be on the island of Kauai for 10 days on a quilting vacation and then off to San Francisco for 7 days. We were going take a traditional Hawaiian hand quilting session at a local fabric store called Kapaia Stitchery as well as do some machine quilting with "Two Guys in Hawaiian Shirts" who provide all the supplies, machines and even lessons if you need them. Check Joe & Kent's site out at http://www.quiltinparadise.com/

Well I was a bit concerned since my hand still wasn't the best, but I figured I'm going to go and enjoy myself in paradise and see what happens. Well we had a wonderful vacation and I actually enjoyed the quilting that I did even with my bum hand. Here is a picture of the traditional Hawaiian hand quilting, it's pillow size and it's an orchid design. This is only the applique part and I have yet to do the actual hand quilting. I think that will be a winter project.

Then at Joe and Kent's we would spend either a morning or an afternoon quilting and then have the other part of the day to enjoy paradise. Bernice made a beautiful Hawaiian floral lap quilt but I wasn't ready to tackle something that large so I decided to make some place mats and a table runner. I was very please with how they turned and and we have actually used them on several occasions when we have hosted dinner parties.

So after such a wonderful experience I was bound and determined to get my hand better so that I could get back to quilting on a much broader level. So when I returned the physiotherapy was ramped up and I am pleased to say that by mid August I was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Then when I went back to see the surgeon in early September my hand had recovered about 90 - 95% and with a bit more physio I should be good to go and I will not need any additional surgery. This was great news to say the least.

Over the next week or so I will post a few more things that I have done in the last few months to get my blog caught up to where I am at this point in my quilting and then it will be an on going journal. As for the two kitties Fergie and Jordie they love to help and supervise in the making of my quilts so they had to get recognition in the naming of my blog. I was originally going to call it "Quilting with Cats" but that name was already taken so I opted for "Felines and Fibre Arts".