Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Quick Star Blocks

Some months back (November 2010...I didn't think it was that far back ;) ....) I was the lucky winner of a Jelly Roll of Robert Kaufman Kona Cottons in lovely muted shades.  I always knew I would make a quilt with a black background with these fabrics.  I was skipping through Youtube looking at quilting videos and came across a Missouri Star Quilt Company video on star blocks from 2 1/2" strips, I was convinced these would be ideal for my Kona Jelly Roll.  So over the weekend I made these.


The cornerstones are a rich purple unfortunately washed out by the flash.  I'll use black for the sashing.


The blocks are 12" as they are now.  I have enough for a double bed quilt.  These blocks go together so quickly and easily it will take no time at all.  If you are interested the video on Youtube is well worth a look, click on the link you tube Jelly Star To see a whole quilt made up, check out this video you tube Jelly Star quilt
I think this is a great pattern if you need to satisfy your "instant gratification" 21st century gene, lol.

I don't have any civil war blocks as I'm a little behind but fully intend getting them done in the next few days.

The following is not quilting related, just a warning....


I've been preoccupied as my beautiful son  (24 yrs) is going in for spinal surgery in a week. He has two ruptured discs in his lower back (L4 and L5) and for nearly 2 yrs he has been in the most intolerable pain.  Standing by while your brave son has tears running down his cheeks and is moaning in agony, it is so hard not being able to do anything to help.  Last Monday we spent the entire day at the hospital ( Royal North Shore for those in NSW, Australia) to have all the pre-op tests, scans and X-rays done. I had to drop my son at the hospital at 6am Tuesday ready for surgery at 8am (to remove the part of the discs pressing on the sciatic nerve and free up the nerve path).  We had spent a terrible night because his local Doctor has miscalculated his pain meds so he had run out on Monday, not a night either of us would ever want to repeat.  There had been emergencies and he hadn't gone in for his op until 12 o'clock.  I rang at 1pm to see how the op had gone, while I was on hold our call waiting started to beep, I usually ignore it but for some reason I answered, it was my son telling me they couldn't do the surgery. On Monday 10 - 12 hospital professionals had missed the fact that he hadn't had the most important scan, the MRI, which the neuro-surgeon has to have to do the surgery!  He was in utter depair the poor boy, they discovered the lack of MRI at the operating theatre doors!!!  I had to get in the car and drive back to Sydney and bring him home.  We managed to get an emergency appointment for an MRI scan and the hospital has given him another surgery date, 13th September 2011 because they admit the dropped the ball, hah! dropped the ball alright.  Poor Ben was such a mess, he has lived with such appalling pain for so long, his life has been on hold while we waited 12 months for the surgery date.  He spends his life lying on the sofa propped with pillows and hot water bottles and taking pain medication that barely makes it tolerable. Sorry to moan , but I must say I feel so much better getting that off my chest, lol.  Say a prayer or send positive thoughts for his operation on the 13th September, he sure needs all the positivity he can get, the poor little sod, it's been quite a nightmare.

Loving the warm weather that has been creeping up on us, 1st September being the first day of Spring for us hanging off the bottom of the world.

Happy stitching,
Rowena

9 comments:

  1. Rowena, your story of your son just breaks my heart. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs to you all.

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  2. Oh dear. Just hope that is the end of the hold ups for the op, and now it will go smoothly and successfully for him. Oh to be able to skip the next week for him so he doesnt have to have another week of pain.
    My prayers and best wishes to Ben.

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  3. Rowena, my prayers are going out there to your son that he has a less painfull week while waiting and that the surgery goes well! Inept people, especially those in the medical profession and any professional organization that affects peoples lives just irritates me to death especially when someones livelihood and health hangs in the balance. Thank goodness though that someone realized this most important test hadn't been done. Hopefully the warm weather of Spring will bring a smile to his face when this is all over. God Bless Him and you too!! We are headed into Fall here which is fine by me, love the colors and cool breezes, I just don't like what comes after Fall :). Take care of Ben and yourself.

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  4. I do know somewhat what you have gone through because DH had neck surgery for the same problem. Before that, it took months for the doctors to figure out what his problem was. I had to beg one doctor's office to get an appointment because at that point all he could do was lay on the bed and not move. I pray that your son's surgery will be successful and that he will be able to live a normal life.

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  5. Sending you and Ben lots of positive thoughts and well wishes!! Hopefully the time will fly by to a time where Ben is pain free, and this is all in the past.

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  6. I am so sorry that your Ben has had to go through all of this. I will definitely being praying for him.

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  7. I will be thinking of you and your son on surgery day. Take care and we'll all hold good thoughts!

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  8. Gosh Rowena I hope your Ben is done with the surgery and on the mend by now. Sounds like the poor guy has been through a lot. Take care, both of you.

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  9. What a story! I hope things have gone well fo r you and your son.

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