Sunday, March 16, 2025

Quilting the 2021 Temperature Quilt--post 2


Quilting the month strips close up of the stipple
I greatly underestimated the amount of time it would take me to finish quilting the strip of fabric containing the month and the spacer strip at the end of the month. Part of the underestimation came from my left knee. 
View of both the top and bottom strips. . .lots of pebbles
Since the day it took me 2.5 hours to drive home from work because of the snow, I've been experiencing sciatica pain in my left leg. Some days, I can't sit to quilt because my leg goes numb! Piecing is okay because after stitching a seam, I stand up, walk a few steps and press. UGH!!! I am so over the knee and now sciatica issues!!!! Am I improving? Maybe, I'm doing the exercises from physical therapy and have had several acupuncture treatments. I don't have the extension of my knee that I had before that drive; but, I'm working on getting it back!
More pebbles. . .these are part of the legend

After I had completed the month strips, I moved on to the legend sections. I stippled around the temperatures. I pebbled the open areas as well as around the rain and snow section. It took me half an hour to quilt a seven inch by three inch section. It took me about three minutes to stipple around the temperatures. 

Then it was back to the invisible thread and stitching in the ditch. Stitching in the ditch is necessary; but it is also so boring!!! I chose to take on this task during a couple zoom sew sessions. Doing a boring task while people are talking and laughing is so much better! Goal number two on my March list was to continue the quilting of this temperature quilt. I've made good progress so that is a win!

Quilting the legend

I've about half of the months to complete the ditch stitching. What will be left is the free motion squiggle around the circles and the straight lines in the border. I had hoped to finish the quilting this month; but, it may not happen. 

The sciatica pain in my left hip/leg is causing me a lot of discomfort. Sitting is uncomfortable. Walking to begin is hard; but, after a minute or two gets easier and a few minutes after that walking gets hard again. The pain radiates from my hip to the middle of my thigh, to the outside of my knee and down my shin to my ankle where the pain pulsates! If I don't stop and rest, that pain moves to throbbing. Tylenol or Ibuprofen don't even take the edge off of the throbbing. I quilt in short stretches and not more than an hour in total.

Friday, physical therapy gave me a few more exercises to do for pain relief. The session itself was painful and all day yesterday I still felt the effects of the session. I've decided to give physical therapy one more week. If I don't feel better, I'm giving it a rest. Perhaps, my body will heal better using massage and acupuncture. I know that I will get better. I have to find what will work and I need to be patient. . .sigh!!!!!

I did work two and a half days this week. At the end, I wasn't as exhausted or in as much pain as I was last month so I know that I am getting better. 

Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.


6 comments:

LA Paylor said...

very cool from colors to quilting design love the circles quilted in

Anonymous said...

It takes a long time to recover from joint replacement but you will get there! Your temp quilt is looking great! Gail at the cozy quikter

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I'm so sorry your hip is bothering you like that when you just want to get back to normal, Terry! In spite of all that, your quilting is looking amazing. Every little stitch counts! Hope things get better this week.

JanineMarie said...

Your quilt is looking great! I feel your pain and hope it resolves soon. Shortly after the new year, I sat all evening working on something with my left leg tucked under me. I didn't realize that my leg had gone numb and when I stood up, I collapsed spraining my foot and pulling everything up through my knee, thigh and hip. Yes, felt just like sciatica. My symptoms were similar to yours and I was sure I was disabled for life. It took about 5 weeks and suddenly one morning, it was all better, just as my husband (a basketball player in his youth with lots of sprains) had assured me it would. I hadn't believed him. So I hope your body will do wonders for you, too. My best treatment was placing rice bags heated in the microwave on whatever areas bothered me most each day.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Great progress on your quilting, and it's beautiful. You did great despite the pain, I'm sorry for your knee and hip issues, for sure it will be better and better. Thank you for sharing and linking up, take care.

Melisa- pinkernpunkinquilting said...

Oh Terry, I am so sorry to hear that your sciatica is acting up . I can tell your frustration with all that you have gone through these last few months with your knee. I do hope you feel better soon. Your temperature quilt is looking amazing. It is going to be a work of art. Your quilting is beautiful! Warm hugs and blessings.