I had thought that all the hand sewing I’ve been doing on my English paper pieced hexis would bother my hands. Nope.
My hands are fine. My shoulder is not.
About a week ago I was feeling an occasional twinge of pain in my right shoulder. Today I woke up and it was quite sore. I’ve been icing it all day and taking Advil. It doesn’t feel much better tonight.
Ironically, two days ago I changed how I was stitching the hexis together after watching a Tula Pink tutorial on how she does it. I really like her method and found it a lot easier to take small and consistent bites of the fabrics in my stitches. Tula said she likes her method because it’s ergonomically better. I’m guessing it’s just a coincidence that I started feeling the pain today. I sort of had a feeling it was coming.
So I’ll be off hexis for a while until my shoulder feels better. And when I can get back to them I’ll have to pace myself. So it’s either good timing or bad. It’s bad timing because I had an idea for what to do with the hexis today. It’s bad timing because I won’t be able to execute it any time soon. The good news is that it won’t take a ton of hexis.
Here’s the two that I was able to finish yesterday. They might be my last for a while. I’m up to 17 of the little units made so far.
My stitches look so much better with Tula’s method!
Here’s my idea for these beauties. It combines half string and half plain blocks. Strings would be sewn onto half of a solid color 10 inch square. Hexis would be appliqued on the solid squares that are formed when the blocks come together. I have an idea for how to pull this off. I’ll share more about that if I ever get to the point where I actually execute it.
Here’s the idea with one block outlined in red.
Wow! That’s a rough drawing! There’s a reason I don’t do drawing in my spare time!
Since I’m off hexis I actually hit my sewing room tonight to work on the black KFC Frankenbag I started a few weeks ago. I got the lining, pockets and zipper placket cut and got the interfacing fused on.
OMG! That shell fabric is so amazing!
I stopped at this point because I decided this bag needs black zippers and I don’t have any black metal zippers on hand. So I’m going to put this on hold until they are delivered. I will order them tonight. Details like that are very important to me.
I should calculate how many of these little squares I’ve cut out. I’m thinking it’s somewhere around 400!
A couple of weeks ago I ordered a tune up kit for the Featherweight my friend gave me. It arrived last week. So now I need to set some time aside to dig into that and get that little machine ready to start using. the kit comes with a big maintenance manual with everythign you need to know about keeping your Featherweight in good operating condition, it include an LED light bulb, a new belt, oil, oil dispenser, and a bunch of other stuff. The Featherweights were designed to be easy to maintain. So I’m hoping it will be easy to get her ready to go.
I also ordered some bobbins and a quarter inch foot so I can easily keep my 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Our heat wave is continuing. It was almost 100 again today. I had an early meeting so wasn’t able to take the dogs for a walk before work. We did get out for early morning walks on Monday and Tuesday. We got a two mile walk in after it got dark tonight.
We walked last night at 10 pm and it was still really hot. I guess it’s good news that it’s a little cooler tonight. A few more days and then we’ll get some cooler weather.
All this heat means that my boys aren’t getting the daily activity they’re accustomed to. And they are booooooored.
It’s too hot to even toss the toy for them in the back yard. It’s very sad.
I went to Costco last night to stock up on some stuff I needed and found this great dog bed. Bender was on it the second I got it out of the package.
And later in the evening… audible snoring!
I took a minute this afternoon to walk out and check on my apple tree. The apples that I DO have are damned big!!!
There just doesn’t appear to be very many of them. I can’t see more than a few dozen. I usually dry most of the apples this tree produces and I do manage to make a few batches of apple sauce for the freezer if I have enough. With what I can see on this tree I doubt I’ll get more than four or five dehydrators full. It will be another week or two before these are ready to pick.
agilejack 
Love the black bag 😍 I have 2 French Bulldogs who have destroyed every bed I’ve ever bought them. But, they now have the same one as your lovely pups, also purchased from Costco here in UK. My girls love it. Apart from dragging it around the room, in the 2 months they’ve had it, have not ‘killed’ it. Result. 😁
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Yeah.. I let bender know quickly that it;’s not a toy! I’d like it to last a while!
Anne
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Love that Bender adores his new bed! It’s gratifying when our pets appreciate things we buy for them. My kitties are frequently indifferent hahaha!
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Yeah. Bender was a quick adopter. Rico take time to warm up to new things.
Anne
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You just can’t catch a break can you? All that heat, a hurt wing, can’t hexi and can’t get your walks in! Your definition of hell for sure. Sorry you have to endure all that. I was thinking of you when I watched the weather report tonight and they have your forecast, noting few homes had a/c, and this was a first time occurrence for you guys. Please be careful, that continuous hot weather sneaks up on you — especially when your a bit older. Back in the 80s a neighbor lady succumbed after saying it really didn’t feel as bad as you’d think. The fact there’s no cooling off overnight makes it worse, I think. We’re in our cool off week of upper 70s – mid 80s this week. Going back up to Mojave desert temps next week. Hang in there! This too shall pass.
Can’t wait to see your newest idea come to fruition!
That new bed is Bender approved! He’s no dummy! Claim it before Rico can get to it! Haha
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I put in central air conditioning about six years ago. My house is nice and cool. But it’s definitely hot outside. Really looking forward to some cooler temps.
Anne
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Good morning, I’m really sorry to hear about your shoulder. I absolutely love how the vibrant colors have come together on the black bag that you are making and would like to know if it is for sale and if so, how do I purchase it? ~Mary
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I also wanted to share with you an elephant quilt project that I thought you might like because of the bright colors. I imagine it would look beautiful with KF fabrics.
http://elephantquilt.blogspot.com/2017/06/how-it-began.html?m=1
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Oh yes. I’ve seen that before. It’s fun!
Anne
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Love the hexi’s and the frankenbag thanks for all you do. Enjoy following, here is my first hexi project.
Robin Baber
Sent from my iPhone
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If you sent photos I can’t receive them that way. You can email them to anne@agilejack1.com
Anne
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Sorry to hear of your injury. May you heal quickly. LOVE those shells.
Judy
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Thanks! I have Ice on it as I type.
Anne
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Hope you’re shoulder heals quickly. I’m not a hexi maker, but I just watched Tula’s hexi tutorial and thought of you when she mentioned her ergonomic sewing tips. Who knew?
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Yeah. I think the ergonomic method and my shoulder are just coincidental. I’ve been feeling small twinges for a couple weeks. I just need to not aggravate it now and let it heal.
Anne
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Well shoot. I am sorry that your shoulder is keeping you from working on those hexies. As I age, I go through periods—it seems to me—where it’s just one thing after another that “breaks,” sort of like an aging car. So I haul myself into the mechanic’s garage, get bandaged or dosed up, and then I’m back on the road. Here’s hoping your “harness” time is minimal. Oh. And I am madly in love with the dark bag you just finished. YUMMY colors. Do wait for the black zipper. I agree; the details matter.
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The zippers should arrive today. Crazy fast delivery!
Anne
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Sorry for the sewing injured shoulder, you really put yourself into it, so many hexies 😵💫! I bought some of Kaffes spiral shells fabric after seeing yours a while back. I think it’s my favorite and next would be the paisley. Just makes me feel better looking at favorites sometimes. You may have to get another of those calming beds, Rico needs one too. Our cat could care less about hers so far but am keeping it for future angels that will come along. Ours held up well in the washing machine! I need a people sized one!🤣
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If you had a people sized one, you’d never be able to use it cuz the cat would be all over it! At least if it’s like all my spoiled pets have been! Lol
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Yep, I think you are right! I would have to put it on a real bed anyway since I can’t get down and up from the floor like I used to. It’s hell getting old, just turned 63 and feeling it. Too much time sitting and sewing 😵💫
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Yeah… I barely get a space on my bed!
Anne
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I bought a large piece of that shells fabric planning to use it on a quilt I made. I don’t love the quilt so will probably use the fabric for something I like more.
Anne
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Your hexies are beautiful! A great You Tube channel for putting hexies together is is The Last Homely House. The host Kate is a British quilter, knitter, artist and all round crafter. Her English paper piecing is amazing!
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Yes. Someone else recommended her recently and I’ve watched some of her videos.
Anne
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Up here in Bellingham we have been hot, but not as hot as Portland. Whew! I have been getting out to walk early with our lab, then quilting a LOT! Anyway, another excellent source for Featherweights is Nova Montgomery. Here’s to cooler weather and happier pups!
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Thanks! I’ll check it out.
Anne
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My doggies could use a new bed too. This looks like something they would love. Does the cover remove for washing? I had to give up hand sewing several years ago because of my hands. I really miss it. Sorry to hear about your shoulder. I hope it heals.
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There a couple different zippers. It looks like the bottom pad comes out from one zipper and the donut part comes out the other zipper. Nice that it’s washable.
Anne
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It is so annoying when our bodies don’t cooperate! I bought a small poof bed like that for my cat but then we got a puppy and she likes to carry it around lol.
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Bender did think the bed was a toy when i first put it down. I let him know he was NOT to tear it up!
Anne
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Sorry to read that you’re on a stop with the hexies due to should issues. I sympathise wholeheartedly, I have had terrible problems with a rotator cuff tear since February and it’s not funny one bit, extremely painful,puts paid to the patchwork for sure, hope your problem settles soon. The idea you have for a setting when you’re able to continue with the hand work is very interesting, hope you’re able to work on this before too long.
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I live in daily fear that I will someday have a torn rotator cuff. I have a friend who had the surgery and had horrible pain. I dread it.
I think I’ll be able to do handwork, I’ll just need to pace myself.
My shoulder is feeling better already, but not all better.
Anne
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