Two Steps Forward, One Step Back




Ever feel like you're a hamster on a wheel that just goes around and around but you never seem to arrive anywhere?!? I'm feeling a bit like that these days....


The physio that I have been taking to rehabilitate my back has been wonderful - but it turns out that the bruising in my back may not be what slows my recovery - a strained rotator cuff - that's a muscle in the shoulder - may be my downfall. Seems when I flew back my arm/shoulder also whipped back, straining the muscle and like any muscle that hurts - you don't know that you are using it until it hurts.....but I am dutifully doing all of my exercises as I can't afford the downtime.....


What does any of this have to do with quilting? Lots - it makes you very aware of just how lucky you are not be be suffering with any of the many ailments that are associated with aging or overusing joints. Ask anyone who uses their hands what it's like to deal with carpel tunnel syndrome, arthritis, strains, MS, fibromyalgia - the list goes on. This little injury has been a wake up call to make me realize how lucky I am to be able to enjoy quilting as I have for the last 20+ years - relatively pain free.



On to other thoughts..... I am using this more sedentary time to catch up on my reading and stitching handwork. In following some blog links I came across a group that is doing a TAST - Take A Stitch Tuesdays - an embroidery stitch is listed and the members of the group learn that stitch and then they try and come up with new variations of it. Too cool!! Then there is the group that are going to do a year long Bead Journal like the Quilt Journal. I have been playing with using beads to replace embroidery in crazy quilting - I call it Crazy Beaded Patchwork - and I am playing with the idea of joining both groups - the TAST to get the basic embroidery stitches but then 'play' with the variations while journalling in the Bead Journal. I find that I need deadlines to make me get the ideas that I have in my head into the fabric/fibre I see....and the journal sounds a lot better than the sampler book idea that I had come up with to try out the stitches in..... I'll contact each of the moderators, get their permission and let you know how it goes......