Sunday Sundry 9-19-21

It's been a minute.  I've been neglectful of this blog for a month or so, but rest assured all is well.  Just living life and enjoying the last that summer has to offer.  

If you give any credence to The Old Farmers Almanac predictions of the winter ahead, it may be one of the coldest and longest we've seen in awhile.  Whether or not that comes to pass, I've been reveling in the warmth of the sun as much as I can right now.  

That involves many walks, regular time spent on the deck (under the umbrella) reading, bird watching, cloud gazing, etc.  A day trip here or there.  

(Historic Indian Agency House at Fort Winnebago)

How I wish I could store it all up like a battery, but that's not the way it works.  Or is it?  Having those memories does help get me through the cold and dark days.  That and a full-spectrum light box.

One thing I have missed this summer, though, is biking.  You need functional hands to use the caliper brakes, but my left hand grip strength was very weak following finger surgery in early July.  By mid-August, my range of motion was better, the scar was healed, and it was time to start concentrating on strengthening exercises.  On the recommendation of my physical therapist, I bought the Therapy Putty she suggested and was very diligent with the exercises. 

Unfortunately, I may have worked a little too hard.  Although my grip strength normalized in the left hand, I gave myself the beginning of trigger finger in the process (by way of a somewhat tender lump at the base of the finger where the tendon moves through the sheath).  Not in the surgery finger, but the middle finger on my left hand.  

So now I have to back off the gripping motions and hopefully it'll calm down.  At my next therapy appointment, she'll reassess and see if I need to wear a splint on the left middle finger.  She did already size me for the splint, which is a ring-like contraption that immobilizes the middle finger joint.  

I really hope I don't have to wear it, though; if I do, my middle finger will be in permanent "salute" for several weeks, which will be a dead giveaway as to how I really feel about the subject.

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Nevertheless, I have made progress on a couple things in the sewing room.  I put a green border on the small quilt I made from the County Fair quilt scraps, bringing it up to a more ample size for a baby quilt.  I basted it recently and it's awaiting quilting.

I also finished piecing the Waverly quilt top that I intend to gift to a nephew.  It went together really nicely.  

I did buy the suggested ruler, and I'm glad I did.  It helped both in cutting the diamond shaped pieces, and also in the block trimming process.  Normally I try to get by with what I've got when it comes to rulers, but after watching a YouTube video on how to use the DiamondRects ruler when making a Storm-At-Sea quilt and seeing how helpful it seemed to be, I went for it.  Again, very glad I did, and I would highly recommend it.

Honestly, I was feeling a little unenthusiastic about this quilt, thinking it'd be all ho-hum sewing with dull colors, but I really, really like how it turned out.  In fact, I'm thinking I might like to make another one to keep.

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I came upon this old quilt pattern among a group of vintage sewing patterns a friend gave me several years ago.  

It had a handwritten note on it that said is was from the 1940s.  It's an applique quilt pattern called "Early to Bed," with a little boy in his pajamas holding a candlestick.  

I thought it was an interesting and charming quilt idea.  I've seen a lot of Sunbonnet Sue and Sam quilts, but not one like this.  Have you ever seen this motif?