Still Here

Well, that's interesting.

I was in the checkout line about an hour ago, thumbing through American Patchwork & Quilting while I waited.  And then I saw this:

Lost at Sea (designer Annette Plog) from American Patchwork & Quilting Dec. 2013

Which looks a lot like the quilt I made earlier this year:

Ship Shape by P. at The Way I Sew It

The magazine pattern has you using "shirtings."  Mine was made from thrifted shirts.  I didn't have time to read the whole pattern, but life is interesting, no?  We are continually inspired by others, as I was by a photo in Country Living from years ago for mine, and round and round it goes.

Anyway, nice quilt.  I like the way the mag quilt is quilted in an overall panto that looks like waves.  I may borrow that idea.

I've been MIA here for a couple weeks for various reasons.  I strained my right shoulder in early September and instead of getting better, it gradually worsened to the point that I now have a mild case of frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis.  Good times (not).  If you've ever had frozen shoulder, you may have just groaned a little.

Meanwhile, the two quilts I pin basted last month are sitting there waiting. 

I had frozen shoulder on the left side a decade or so ago.  The physical therapist told me it often will occur on the other side at some point down the line.  I am doing the exercises I remember from back then.  I think I may be able to kick this sooner rather than the many months it took last time around. 

It has made me clean up my diet.  I was eating low sugar/carbs for a long while, but then I somehow lapsed back into baking, and there were brownies and chocolate zucchini cake and beet cake and banana muffins.  Oh, my.

No one really knows what causes frozen shoulder, but you are more likely to get it if you're female (check), 40-60 (check), and diabetic (I'm not, though I do have a strong family history and a brother diagnosed with it this year).  One theory is that excess glucose molecules attach to collagen, a major component of ligaments, cartilage, and tendons, which may cause them to stiffen.  Dietary sugar, in general, causes inflammation, and that's not good.

Anyway, it will pass.  It is starting to feel like it's coming around some.  Fortunately, it doesn't hurt to use the keyboard or mouse, but internal rotation (i.e., reaching behind to put on a bra) and external rotation are particularly dicey.  The key is to keep the joint moving.

And now it's time to dance!



And laugh!  This seriously cracked me up.  Joseph Gordon Levitt rocks. (I had to Google to see how tall Stephen Merchant was, and then weird to realize I'm only four inches shorter).