June 20, 2009

Getting back into the swing of things

It has been a long time recoverying. I fell and pulled the ligaments in my wrist on both sides before Christmas last year. It was a painful time. The doctor said, unlike a break, it might take six months to heal. Well, it is now six months. I thought he was being cautious. He was being accurate.

Every time I would think I was fine, I would twist my wrist just a certain way and it would remind me that I still had not completed my six months. Driving back and forth between here and the Sierras every other weekend, It took four months before i could hold the steering wheel with both hands for the six hour drive.

Long story short, I am slowing getting back to quilting. I had made a promise to do four quilts of valor by Mother's day which I got the tops pieced but sent them to be quilted and bound. I just did not have the strength in my hands to do much more.

A couple of weeks ago, I thought since it was the first of June (six months) I would start a new project. I was going to do Dana's quilt along at the Old Red Barn. How hard could this one be? So I gathered my half yards of fabric and got ready to cut.

We quilters are constantly being told to be careful with rotary cutters. They are dangerous things. I am always especially careful to close mine at home least the cat jump up on an open blade, but I was cutting in LA so not to worry. You know what is coming, don't you? Since these were all 2 1/2 inch strips I was using my June Tailer Shape cut. First strip, no problem. Second strip, I saw it coming but could not stop in time and nearly cut the end of my index finger off. It is like being in an serious accident (I have three times) and everything is in slow motion but you still can not stop it.

So this weekend, bandage stitched finger and all, I am going to get all those trips cut. 84 strips, I have sixty done and twenty four to go, so I am definitely getting back in the "swing of things".

I still have not found my cord for my camera, Eileen, so I will just have to break down and buy a new camera I guess. But I am coming back.

Mary