Like the proverbial snail, slowly, ever so slowly, I'm moving toward a true-blue finish! The last of the Christmas quilts I plan to make is finally all hand quilted, trimmed, and awaiting a binding, perhaps as early as week's end. This is the top as it looked in late December last year.
In the latest of several glitches trying to get this one across the finish line - there were two potential red fabrics I had chosen as possible bindings. My most favorite one that I for sure had enough of - just looked like it might be a bleeder, so several weeks ago I washed it in hot water with Synthrapol and predictably it did bleed. After several more wash/rinse efforts, it appeared to have stopped the bleed, so it was dried and ironed. Today, just before cutting into it, something told me to hand wash it once again - yep, a bleeder forever it seems. It probably would be totally fine on a quilt with mostly dark fabrics and no whites, but sadly not for this quilt. Second choice is an oldie Jinny Beyer fabric, probably 20 years old, a tried-and-true one that I love - but - likely not going to be enough to bind the entire quilt. So, tonight a quick perusal of other reds to see if anything else in the stash might work. Probably I'll end up with a pieced binding using two or three fabrics, not going to go out and try to buy anything at this point.
So, an update on the eye issue. Saw a retina specialist a few days ago. Turns out the latest issue which is really messing with my sight is fixable with one laser procedure! In layman's terms it is a "secondary cataract" that developed behind the lens inserted when my cataract surgery was done four years ago. Medical term is posterior capsular opacification. Interestingly, this is a very common occurrence after cataract surgery, showing up in about 50% of patients! Who knew? Fortunately it is very treatable, and the success rate is around 95%. I feel blessed that there is a possibility that my sight may return to what it was early this year. Just super impatient, since the first available opening the specialist has is the last week of November! So, in the meantime, quilting is muddling along with one eye closed most of the time, otherwise I have no clear vision, near or distant. Driving is limited to the country roads near us that are sparsely traveled, no city driving since I can't read the road signs at this point!
Hopefully, I'll be back with a finish soon. Happy stitching!
10 comments:
Good news about your eyesight! Hope everything goes well for you.:)
What good news--that surgery may fix your vision--and not as great new--that you have to wait two months for the surgery! I'm so pleased to hear that the surgery will probably restore your vision to what it was at an earlier point.
I love this red and white quilt! It's so simple and yet so charming. I hope you find the perfect reds for the binding. Could you wash the one you really want one more time in dawn or with the color catchers? It's scary to use a fabric you know bleeds but surely it won't bleed forever?
very good news....eyesight is a must for quilting....and lovely quilt!
Hooray for a swift diagnosis, not so much for the time until the procedure. Just one eye? (I hope.) Surely your stash will produce just-the-right red for this lovely combination.
Your quilt is lovely. I love simple one patch quilts like this. Imagine hand quilting it despite your eye problems. Kudos for perseverance.
Instead of squinching one eye shut can you cover one lens of your glasses? This was suggested to me when I was saying my double vision is so exhausting. [not that I did it, lol.]
best wishes for a successful surgery or treatment in November.
lizzy
I am impressed with all you are doing, in spite of the vision issues. How nice it will be to have the Christmas quilt finished. I thing a binding in multiple reds would work very well.
SO grateful to hear that there is a fix for your eye problem! What a blessing!!
That is great news about your eye problem. It's so hard to wait when you know it could be fixed. My husband needed back surgery and there was such a back log after 2020 that he made the appointment in October and wasn't able to see his surgeon till April. Good things do come to those who wait, I guess.
I'm also glad to read that your vision issue might be resolved soon. One eye is good but two is better! For the bleeding red, have you tried Dawn liquid dish soap? See my post about bleeding reds, Colors Catchers and Dawn:
https://atthecornerofscrapandquilts.blogspot.com/2017/01/hidden-gems-seasons-finale.html
It might stop your fabric from bleeding completely. Fingers crossed. ;^)
Oh, those reds! They can be a problem even after washing! Your Christmas quilt is so sweet in that setting. Happy to hear your vision issue can be corrected. What a wonderful day it will be when you can see to quilt again :)
First, I really admire your thoughtfulness about that red fabric - washing it, reconsidering it, washing again, and then deciding to reject it. I'm the sort who probably would have said, "What the heck?!" and then gone ahead and used it... to my later regret. I think a scrappy binding is the perfect solution, as using-up is always appropriate. Good decision-making on your part. Second, I'm really glad to hear the hopeful prognosis on your eye. Really interesting information you learned and shared too, isn't it? While many of us often think that cataract surgery - or knee replacement, or hip replacement - will fix everything, such is not always the case. Surgery isn't always the right answer. Still, I'm really glad you know what the problem is, and I completely understand your impatience for surgery to fix it. Glad you're playing it safe about driving too. Hope you find lots to fill your time until late November.
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