My holiday’s loss is the quilt’s gain, the silver lining to the cloud.
Here’s where I left it on Friday evening. Both sides have the hexie strips assembled, waiting to be attached. On the left side, I’d got halfway through stitching the strip on, edge to edge. That needed to be completed, the papers removed and then the inner free edge hemmed down onto the back of the quilt. Then the whole process needed to be repeated on the right side.
Here’s where I got to today. The quilt has been flipped so I can work on the unfinished short side. On the right, the border is fully applied. On the left, it still needs to be stitched on. Two down, two to go.
At the bottom, the hexies for the right hand edge are waiting to be attached edge to edge, then hemmed down.
The left hand edge and the ‘mistake’ bottom edge
The quilt now has to be finished. I’ve put in the Show entry and paid the fee. I need to ring the Show steward and find out if there are any restrictions on the size or materials of the rod to be used for hanging. This is being entered as a wall hanging, and because it’s not a standard size, you have to provide your own rod.
We were going to have a guest on Friday evening, but that has been put off, so I now have additional time there. And with luck and a following wind, I may be excused some of my jury serving time, so I’ll regain those days.
The final day for handing in the quilt is June 18. I reckon I’ll just make it, so long as I keep on keeping on.
Finally, I promised to let you know if the Aspirin & Arnica cream works to reduce the pain in my hands. It does! Also, it smells pleasantly of teatree oil, the texture is nice and light, with just a trace of grittiness (not sure if that’s arnica plant material or ground-up aspirin!), and I’ve made considerable inroads into the contents of the jar. Here are the details Ella Dee sent me – you can order the stuff from their Facebook page, or just ring them up.
http://aspirinandarnica.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/aspirinandarnicacream
I don’t suppose they’ll send outside Australia, and indeed, there are restrictions on sending things classed as medicinal in most countries, but I suppose it’s worth a try… They could always label the parcel ‘hand cream’!
talltalesfromchiconia 
That’s huge progress you’ve made despite travels and arthritis. I’m sure you’ll finish in time – the end is in sight! The quilt is looking truly wonderful, and the shaped edges will make it stand out from the crowd of quilts. Bon courage!
Dear Viv, you are always so encouraging, it gives me hope that I will actually get it done. I have made good progress today, and if I can just keep on at the same pace, it will indeed get done.
you can do it Kate!
Thank you, I do appreciate the encouragement and support!
that’s what WWF are all about ^^
Of course you’ll make it! None of us have any doubts.
Just keep thinking that… So far, the hands are holding out.
Keep on keeping on. You’ll make it by the deadline because you have to. I am in the same position with hats.
Thanks for the info about the cream. It’s going to be a mission to have something made up for me specially, but I won’t give up yet. (Does it also work on hips? and left knees?)
It would probably work on knees, but the hip joint is buried too deeply for the analgesia to penetrate.
Right.
In our experience it works on everything! but you can’t apply it to broken skin. It’s for bruising, stressed muscles, aches and pains. if you’re curious look up the homeopathic remedy arnica which it incorporates 🙂
Used it on my hands and knees to great effect, but it didn’t seem to do much for the hip, which is why I think deep bones might be a bit of an ask… I did try!
If it’s muscular-joint I’d keep applying it as the arnica works energetically and works its way in. Good also for new bone injuries but for older bone injuries, no.
http://homeopathyplus.com.au/fractured-bones/
Thank you 🙂
You’re making great progress! I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product. I didn’t really understand what you had planned for the edges before. It’s going to be fabulous!
Hurray for effective anti-arthritis cream!
I hear you. It’s about the only thing that keeps the hands moving long enough to finish!
Looking good Mrs Chiconi! Glad to hear your hands have been helped by the cream and I hope your hips are recovering from the trip now. By the way – the slipper soles arrived safe and sound – thank you so much… I’ll e-mail soon and perhaps we can arrange a catch-up 😉
That’ll be lovely!
Oh Kate, it is looking really great so far …. and I’m sure you will make it. It’s a pitty all involved people couldn’t have a quilting bee to help you (and your aching hands) with the missing stitches 🙂
The Friends are doing quite enough – I’ve had fabric, encouragement and a lot of pleasure out of this project, and everyone is cheering me down to the last stitch. I’ll get there – I still have 20 days before it has to go in, and even if I’m away during the day, I still have the evenings.
What a lovely hexie design. I also have a pair of compression gloves it helps when my hands get bad
I worry they’ll reduce flexibility; I have to do so much fine needlework. Still, not too much longer to go!
WWF is coming together. It looks so solid!
Glad the cream helped 🙂
I’m just *loving* the finished edges of the hexies round the outside. It looks really good, but I don’t think I’ll be tempted to do it this way again any time soon. It’s soooo much extra work. Worth it in this case, though.
I really like your idea with the hexies rounding up the quilt!!! It´s great!
Gun
Thanks, Gun! I wanted something unusual – it’s making a lot of work but I love how it’s looking, so it’s worth it.
I sent Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial your links, she placed an order and said they have a half price sale on arnica & aspirin cream at the moment 🙂
Worth knowing! I’ve now got the Husband hooked on it, so we’re tearing through our supply. I reckon a family sized jar would be the go. We’re heading down to Coffs in July/August some time, so I’ll make sure we do a special run down to NH.