May Recap and June Goals

Temperature quilt after 17 months

For May, my goals were:

✔1. Keep up with the temperature blocks. I've completed 17 months of recording the daily temperatures. The top measures 37 inches by 72 inches. 

✔2. Continue piecing my maze quilt top.

✔3. Continue to free motion an area of my Lone Star quilt.

✔4. Sew a Christmas stocking for my youngest granddaughter.

✔5. Play with the embroidery unit on my machine.

✔6. Teach a Zoom class on EPP.

Make more filler blocks

✔7. Teach an in person class on EPP.

✔8. Play with the five inch squares I won from Preeti.

✔9. Document more days of our March London trip.-- Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8,

I completed a block for the outgoing CCQ president. We were to make a six inch bear paw block in bright colors. 

Bear Paw block

In spite of being stuck for three weeks with the next step of quilting on the Lone Star, I was able to make progress. Whew! I thought that project might be in the same place at the end of the month as it was at the beginning of the month! 

All in all, I am happy with all the progress I made in May. 

For June, my goals are:
1. Keep up piecing the temperature blocks each day. Begin piecing the filler blocks for the borders. I will need about 165 of these. It seems like a huge task; but, I've already pieced 558 blocks so what is another 165?? If I begin piecing now and add them into the project, I may finish the border fairly close to the end of the year! 

Reimagining a space

I'll be taking a trip soon so the next three items on the list are items to take with me!

2. Sew two swim suits.

3. Sew a skirt. 

4. Sew a top.

5. Layer and pin baste the quilt top that I made last month with the five inch squares that Preeti gave me.

6. Participate in Preeti's Positively Sew Along.

7. Finish the documentation of our March London trip--I've one last post to write!

8. Spend some time with Miss J and baste her quilt.

9. Order enough hand dye fabric for the temperature quilt and for a potential project for Mod Squad, one of my small groups that works in the modern style.

Adding curved lines to the space

10. Connect with the veteran and complete the Quilt of Valor nomination.

On the health front, I used all of my personal injury protection money and then some. I haven't had a chiropractic or acupuncture treatment in a month. 

I had my last physical therapy appointment two weeks ago. I'm still scheduling massages at least a couple times a month. I pay for the massages from my own pocket.

If I make more progress using the PT exercises, I may request more sessions. Because I had plateaued, I couldn't see spending money without seeing better progress. Over time, I believe I'll continue improving.

View after adding the curved lines

Last month, I've been swimming once a week. I've increased my swim time to 30 minutes. I plan to add an additional day next month. I can turn my head to side breathe when swimming freestyle which has been painful to do. My neck is still weak because it is sore after a swim day!

I am swimming about 800 yards which is 500 more than I did last month. I can swim 100 yards continuously of freestyle and another 100 yards continuously of breaststroke. My shoulder, while tired, can stand the freestyle. 

I can alternate 50 yards of freestyle with 50 yards of breaststroke. After that, I swim backstroke, elementary backstroke and scull until my body is ready to call it a day. At some point, I'll be able to swim a mile or 1760 yards.

Potential skirt and top fabrics

Sadly, I still can't quilt without pain in my back. Quilting with a walking foot is gentler on my body than free motion quilting. I might be able to get in three or four 20-30 minute sessions in a day. These sessions are possible as long as I stretch and do other activities in between the quilting sessions. 

I still don't have the strength to free motion quilt with rulers. Some days, I can manage a small ruler in a small area. It's been hard on my ego to see the quality of quilting I produce now compared to what I produced before the accident. 

I'm linking to Cynthia and Oh Scrap/Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework as I've played with scraps a lot last month with more scrapping to come this month!