Monthly Goals

While it has been a tense month with my health issues I have been able to get more done than I expected.

First is Block 3 of "Celebrating Mary Brown".  There were a lot of pieces in this quilt.  I am so happy with the way it turned out.

Be sure to check out the blogs of Karen, Nanette, Julie, Jennie, Rebecca and Robin.  A friend of Nanette's, Jan, will also be joining in on the fun.  Julie is going to be doing a different quilt.  She is working on Mary Lincoln's Quilt.  I also had the pattern and decided join her.  Here are my blocks.

These are the first months blocks.

And the second months blocks.  I chose to enlarge my blocks to 8".

I just barely got caught up on my Cheddarback blocks.  By just barely I mean I finished them yesterday.

I appliqued this block.  I decided to use green stems and a different color vase from the original block.

I used a different color combination from my usual chose of fabrics.  But I am very happy with how both of my blocks turned out.

Finally I sewed the blocks together for the Log Cabin Table Quilt.  

I'm hoping to get this quilted next week.  Another Christmas gift off my to do list.

On the medical side of things....my Doctor called Monday and told me that all the markers from the lumpectomy came back clear.  I am officially cancer free.  I go and see the surgeon today.  She will checking my incision (which is 3" long) to make sure it's healing good.  The biggest problem I have is that the solution they swabbed my body with prior to surgery caused a rash on my chest and side.  So I'm on benedryl  and cortisone cream.  Next month I have an appointment with a specialist who will be putting me on a pill that will lower my hormones as the cancer I had was hormone fed.  Then we will be discussing whether or not I need to have the radiation treatments.  So for now all is well.

I want to thank everyone for the all the well wishes, prayers and hugs.  I do believed they worked.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Surgery Update

I had my surgery yesterday.  It went great.  My doctor said she got all the cancer.  I'm doing fine.  Sore but no real pain.  Tylenol is working for the soreness.

I want to thank everyone for the prayers and keeping me in your thoughts.  They are so appreciated.

Next post will be something quilty.

Hugs, Cathy

Some Quilting

I want to thank all of you have sent me prayers, hugs and shared your similar experiences.  You will never know how much this means to me.

I go tomorrow and have the savy tracker place in my left breast.  This will help the surgeon access the right spot.  My surgery is scheduled for Monday the 21st at 9:30 am.  I will be happy to get this part over with.

I have been able to work on a few projects.

This is the final block for Pat Sloan's Out of this World Sew Along.

This is the completed top.  I am going to add a 2" inner border of the black fabric and then a 3" outer border of the background fabric.  I'll use the black fabric for the binding.  This is going to happen after my surgery.

I purchased Layer Cake of some Christmas fabric.  I had printed up a pattern for a Layer Cake Log Cabin quilt.

I have enough strips cut to make two table quilts.  I haven't sewn this blocks together yet but I love how it looks.  I have another Layer Cake that I want to make a couple more of these.  They will be Christmas gifts.


Did you see Lori's (Humble Quilts) latest sew along.  It was called Almost Amish.  Well I couldn't resist.

The original call for 9 blocks to make a square wall hanging.  I made an additional block to make a table runner.  I love how it turned out.  Thanks to Lori for another wonderful Sew Along.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

A Health Issue

I wasn't going to say anything but since this is Breast Cancer Awareness month I felt I should say something.

6 months ago I went to my doctor telling her I was experiencing some pain in my left breast.  She sent me for an Ultra Sound.  They called me the same day and said they wanted to do a mammogram the following week.

I was told they saw a shadow and wanted me to come back in 6 months.  So a couple of weeks ago I went for my mammogram.  They called me that day and said they wanted me to get an ultra sound and a biopsy.  This was done on a Wednesday.  I got the call on Monday stating it was diagnosed as cancer.

The spot was only 4mm so it was definitely found early.  It is a very slow growing cancer another good thing on my side.

This last Tuesday I met with the "Cancer Management Team" at my hospital.  I had a 4 hour appointment and met with Doctors, therapist, nutritionist, a  cancer survivor, an oncologist, a radiologist and plastic surgeon.

Needless to say I got plenty of information.  I took my daughter with me and she took notes because I would never have remembered any of it.

I will be having a lumpectomy sometime this month.  This will remove all the cancer.  I don't need to have any chemotherapy but have elected to have radiation therapy.  This will last for 3-6 weeks, 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

I'm still upset over the cancer diagnosis but I am so grateful for the early detection.

If you are reading this and have not had a mammogram I advise you to get one.  It doesn't take long, and does save lives.

So with all the appointments, surgery and radiation therapy my quilting will be taking a back seat.  I still plan on getting some quilting done but not as much as I'm used to doing.

I will post on my blog when I have any updates and will try and get some quilty posts in.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Mary Brown and Chedddarback

Once again I am late to the party.

I've had my first section of Mary Brown done for a couple of weeks.  I started early. 

I have to admit that this one through me for a loop.  But I am happy with my blocks.  I have chosen to do a simple approach to this quilt.  I will not be doing all the wiggle applique but keeping it smooth edged.

I also finished my Cheddarback blocks a while ago but didn't post pictures.

I chose to applique my initials and did a slightly different Pine tree block.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Almost Amish

Lori at Humble Quilts is hosting another mini sew along.  She calls it Almost Amish.  I just cannot pass up one of her sew alongs.

Step one has been posted and today I spent a few minutes choosing fabrics and sewing step one.

These are the fabrics I have chosen.  The top blue is darker than it looks here.

These are my blocks from step one.

I can't wait for the next step.


Oops I did it again.  I signed up for the newest BOM by Minnick and Simpson.
Meet Derby House.  They have sold out all the spots.  Each month I will get fabric and patterns for the month.  I don't usually sign up for BOM with fabric but I fell in love with this quilt and the fabrics.  It will start in December.  

I can't wait.

I finished my blocks for the month for Celebrating Mary Brown.  Not perfect but they are done.  We will be posting pictures on the 30th of each month.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Out of this World Update

Almost done.  I just finished the 9th month.

This month we made 2 sections.

Here is all of my blocks up on the design wall.  Looks like we have one more block to make and this will be done.  Many thanks to Pat Sloan for another wonderful sew along.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy