My Baby’s Coming Home!

I got a call today from my Bernina dealer and they have finished the servicing on my baby! I will pick her up on Friday afternoon… the first day when I have a schedule that will allow me to hop in the car and take the short drive down there.

The really good news is that the noise that I had been hearing was a belt that had slipped and was rubbing on the case of the machine. He adjusted it and it’s all good to go. I was afraid I might have damaged the motor so this was really good news.

So, in preparation of having her back in the house on Friday, I spent some time in my sewing room after our evening walk tonight. I prepared all the elements I need to finish the Octopus Frankenbag that I started a few weeks ago.

I cut the gusset squares out of the bottom of the quilted panels. (I should really figure out something to do with all those little quilted squares I cut out…)

I folded and clipped the faux leather handles so they are ready to be sewn. I cut and applied the interfacing to the lining pieces. I cut and applied interfacing to the two zipper placket pieces. I cut and applied interfacing to the slip pocket.

And I cut, applied interfacing, marked and pinned in place the zipper pocket placket.

When I have my machine back on Friday, I’ll be all ready to get sewing! I might even finish this bag on Friday night. I would consider that a fine accomplishment.

We’ve had some really amazing sunny days the last week, but a few of the evenings have been foggy and cold. It was so foggy during our walk last night.

I really love walking at night in the fog. The sound is so different. I love the way the street lights light up the fog. And I really enjoy walking in the cold — I feel really invigorated and full of energy. Some of my best walking happens in the cold fog.

The fog last night was so thick and there was so much moisture in the air that my hair was wet from my breath by the time I got home. Bender and Rico’s faces and necks were also wet. By the time I got home the fog has almost completely cleared. For out walk tonight, it was clear and stars were shining bright. I just love being out there at night!

One of the best things about our walks is that we all sleep really well at night!

Thanks to everyone for your concern and best wishes for Bender. He’s doing really well. I’m pretty sure he’s completely unaware that anything has happened. I wish I could recover that quickly.

I called his neurologist on Monday and had a chance to actually speak to her after work tonight. I had been worried that some new flea and tick treatment that I gave my dogs starting a few months ago may have caused Bender’s seizure. (We had a terrible flea infestation early last fall after the treatment my boys were on stopped working — fleas can develop immunity to the treatments.)

The neuro said it was unlikely that was the case and that any reaction to the meds would have been more immediate. She said the treatment I have him on is one of the safest for epileptic dogs. Many flea treatments are terrible for dogs with epilepsy. Ultimately, she said it was probably a complete coincidence that he had another seizure. She said we’ll just keep an eye on him and hope he doesn’t have any more seizures. If he does have another one, she said to get in touch and we would adjust his meds.

One of the really difficult things about epilepsy is that it’s so random. Our minds want answers. We want to know WHY something is happening. And the sad truth with epilepsy is that there just aren’t a lot of answers. Bender’s first neurologist, who I LOVED, noticed that I was trying to find a pattern with Bender’s seizures. He told me that I was going to drive myself nuts and would never be successful. It’s important to learn to live with a lot of unknowns when dealing with seizures.

Aside from the phone call telling me my Bernina is ready to come home, finding this in my pantry was the best thing that happened all day!

Mmmmm.

More Frankenbags coming in over the inter webs!!! These first two bags were made by Sandee Henricks. I just love all her close quilting and the combo of straight lines, diagonals, and wavy lines. That tight quilting ads that wonderful structure that I love. She has three other Frankenbags in progress! Her daughter thinks she’s going a little overboard. What do you think?

This next bag was made by Sharon Hancock. She said she loved taking the time to carefully add some of her own features, which I love! I love her shorter handles with that long adjustable shoulder strap. I’ve been wanting to try one of those and I’m pretty sure I have the hardware somewhere.

Next up are two bags made by Celia Garcia. I just love these bright and colorful Laurel Burch cat panels. That reminds me that I have some of her dog panels somewhere in my stash. I need to dig them out and see how I can work them into a bag. She added a zipper placket, and she ads a binding to the top of her bags.

Here’s the second bag from Celia. She made this as a diaper bag for her daughter-in-law and grandson. She made it a little smaller than a regular Frankenbag. In the lining you can see some potato fabric. Celia said they call her new grandson Papas –which translates to potatoes(lovingly). That’s just so sweet! And I love that little nod to that loving name.

Thanks to everyone for sending photos.