Scrap Quilts Magazine....

Yesterday after I finished with physical therapy for the day, I decided to make a quick stop at Barnes & Noble to see if any new quilting magazines were available.

I found this....

Anything that says "scrap quilts" attracts my attention!  So I bought it because there are several quilts that have possibilities of making their way into my home.

During "break time" yesterday (this is my "several times a day" break where I sit and read and while I'm reading I exercise my hands, wrists and arms hoping that I'm pushing my carpal tunnel recovery into major hurry up and get better mode!) 

I came upon this....

This quilt is called Saltbox Houses and was designed by Kathie Holland of the Inspired By Antique Quilts blog!  It was originally printed in the 2005 issue of The Quilter magazine!  (which by the way this Scrap Quilts magazine is also put out by The Quilter!)  Imagine my surprise!  Love the quilt Kathie - I have a few of those fabrics in my stash!

I also love this one...

This is Hidden Spools by Rhonda Dohna of Acorn Hill Quilts.  Originally published in the 2004 issue of The Quilter Magazine. Rhonda used to have a great website and some really fun quilting patterns.  I'm not sure whatever happened to her, but sadly her website is no longer there!

There are a few other quilts in this magazine I'd like to make too!

Carpal Tunnel Update....

Still treading the recovery climb.  I am hand piecing just a few stitches a day to exercise my fingers - honestly just a few and then I stop.  The grasping of the fabric while trying to sew puts tension on both my hands so as soon as I start to feel that pulling and twinging - I stop.  Same thing with hand writing - I can manage writing one sentence if I'm looking and then have to stop.  Thank God for keyboards.  Typing is not to much of an issue - but I do no more than 15 minutes of continual typing at a time and then take a break.

Rotary cutting at this point - nothing major and no more than 1 layer at a time.  I have to hold the rotary cutter a little different for now because my scar is still tender and very sensitive.

Cutting with scissors - not bad - just cannot do the cutting motion for an extremely long time.  I practice cutting each day also with an old pair of scissors and scrap paper that I've drawn lines and shapes on to follow.

Holding an actual coffee cup in my hand - not bad but not good - I don't trust myself quite yet so I'm back to using one of those plastic coffee travel mugs that is lighter than my stoneware (heavy) coffee mugs.  My hands just do not like that fine grasping of the small and narrow handle on my mugs!

Yesterday's quilting jag will be repeated today.  I'm going to attempt to re-make this quilt block I worked so hard on yesterday.  I'm not typically a really picky, perfectionist type person - but this quilt block is for a top secret project that will soon start making an appearance in the quilting world.

After checking my machine this morning I realized my needle is not centered where it should be for my 1/4" seam allowance. I guess that's why my block center that was supposed to measure 6 1/2" measured just a tad over 6".  Well darn. Now - someone explain to me how that could happen when this machine has sat untouched for a month and a half with no use at all. The gremlins attacked my machine just to mess with me.

Drats - that explains my troubles yesterday!  LOL