Friday, September 18, 2020

Drat! Lyme's Disease!

Happy Friday?  I was diagnosed yesterday with Lyme's Disease.  The upside?  I went to my DR right away when I knew something was wrong and I got a fast diagnosis and I'm on a 3 week treatment regiment. 

Last weekend I participated in an Zoom workshop with Maria Shell provided by Vermont Quilt Festival and here is my project so far.  The yellow notes are the width of the columns that I want - yes I did make a big boo boo before I added the notes, lol.
Here was my color inspiration.    Lobster buoys.  Aren't they fun? 
Each lobster fisher-person has a unique color buoy. 
Here is the pallet I selected
A little sketch of an idea I had for me piece.

We didn't sew at all the first day during the 3 hour workshop, so I got busy after the class and started in.

Here are the first blocks I made.  Maria calls these Short Rows.

Then I made a snake with the leftovers.... each color is attached to a black bit and a white bit.

Day 1

Day 2 Blocks.

Tiny Crosses - you'll notice I used some leftover trimmings here and there.

Here is a block I've named "venetian blind".  You can see it, right?
Here is another set of blocks I created and I'm calling these roadway/walkways.

My favorite block of Maria's is one she calls cave/canyon.  I find it very intriguing.  It is a log cabin variation.
Here are my ZOOM pros and cons:

Pros:
no travel (or travel expenses)
no packing my stuff
no packing my machine
Having all my good sewing stuff right with me
No pressure or competition with other students

Cons:
no travel opportunities
no being with my friends
no interaction with the instructor
no meeting new quilters
no benefit of seeing other students work 

Have you taken a ZOOM workshop?  what did you think?

I may try an hour of sewing at the machine today before returning to my chair for rest and hand quilting.

I hope you are all doing well and staying safe.
xo

38 comments:

Cathy said...

I love this new project. It's a happy quilt. So sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Take care and be safe. Hugs

Barbara said...

Oh no, not Lyme Disease! Hope you are on the road to a speedy recovery :) Love those colorful bouys and your workshop pieces echo them perfectly! We did a Zoom birthday party for my husband in July and that was a huge success. But tomorrow Rachel and I are participating in Barbara Brackman's AQSG Study Center. Love that we can still attend without physically being at Seminar.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I hope this will not be too serious as you caught it early

Barbara said...

Uh oh! I meant the Study Center with Barbara Brackman is next Saturday 9/26 not tomorrow. Sorry!

Julierose said...

Oh sorry to hear you have Lyme Disease--good thing you got on meds early..
Your piece looks great! So you've enjoyed the zoom class? I have been wondering how those
would go...That is good to hear...
Hugs, and feel better soon Julierose

Cheryl said...

Hope you feel better soon!! Will this year ever end? Your piece is wonderful. I have signed up for a Zoom class next month and have done a Zoom meeting where I could see others and talk. Loved that forum. This isolation from others is getting old. Take care of yourself.

Frog Quilter said...

Oh no not Lyme disease. Wishing the best for a speedy recovery. My brother fought this disease for a long time.

Love all your improv pieces. They are so you😃.

Quiltdivajulie said...

I did one Zoom class with Sujata - I enjoyed it very much. My list of PROS was the same as yours - no packing, good stuff within reach, ergonomics that didn't make me hurt, no travel, super convenient, and I learned as much if not more than I do in some in-person settings. Biggest con - missed the chit chat of a classroom (and yet I didn't miss it at all) and I didn't meet anyone new, but I didn't anticipate that I would and that wasn't why I took the class. I'm an introvert so zoom suits me well - being in a large group is hard for me when the noise level ratchets up and the conversations get intense.

Wendy Caton Reed said...

This process is very intriguing! I think you missed a "pro" on the Zoom list... I spied a glass on your table. Hmmm, some retreats allow it, but some do not. I'm going with the "do's". So glad that you found out about this crappy diagnosis early. Hope you will be back in the pink soon!

Loris said...

I love your inspiration for this fun quilt! It's looking wonderful. Praying for feel better soon. Haven't tried any Zoom yet.

Ada Plouvier-Kopitopoulou said...

Love the quilt blocks! For me a zoom workshop should be great because in my area (Sparta, Greece) there are no opportunities for live workshops. I would love, though, to attend live lessons to meet other quilters. Get well soon!

Janet O. said...

Oh, Barb--I am SO sorry to hear about the Lyme Disease, but relieved that you caught it early. That makes a huge difference!! Most of my niece's family got Lyme disease when they lived in your state, but they caught it early and no one has had lasting effects.
Your columns of blocks make me happy--so much saturated color and playful designs! Love the source of your inspiration.
I guess a zoom workshop is better than no workshop at all, and your results are really fun.
Spent Wednesday of this week on a stash enhancement trip with my retreat buddy--we hit four quilt shops (masked, of course), and had a pleasant lunch outdoors. The farthest shop was about 130 miles away and the closest one was about 80 miles. So good to do something quilt related that feels mostly normal for a change.

Judy in Michigan said...

Absolutely love your quilt - all the colors and shapes to see - my eye moves up and down and then sideways. I think I shall sign up for a ZOOM class. Any that you would recommend? How did you get Lyme disease? Mosquito?? or ???

Barbara Black said...

So sorry about the Lyme’s disease. Hoping for a speedy recovery. Love your improv project so far.

Robin said...

Yet another crazy thing to be happening during this Covid season. I'm so glad you got to the doctor right away. Hope you're feeling A+ again soon. I love the project you are working on. It's all play and no work. Just really fun!

Sue said...

Love your improv blocks Barb. The buoys are fantastic. Great colours to work from. I haven't zoomed as yet, and I can see pro's and cons with it, but at least you have had a great workshop with Maria. She was extremely popular in New Zealand when she came last year for our National Symposium.
I had never heard of Lymes disease, and had to look it up. Great news that you caught it early. Take care.

Barb said...

So sorry to hear you have Lymes but boy it sure hasn't slowed you down! I love your color selection and placement in the blocks. I took and improv Zoom class with Sherri Lynn Wood and the Tulsa OK MQG, the great thing they did during the two day workshop, after classroom instructions, was to divide the 100 folks up into several small zoom rooms so we could sew, chat and share our progress in a small group setting. This was done twice a day and then we were all taken back into the main ZOOM for further live instructions and to ask questions. So we had a lot of instructional time where everyone was muted, and then lots of time in small groups to get to know quilters from all over the world. The first day there was a woman from Italy, one from Australia, one from England and several from Canada along with the US students in my Zoom room. I loved it. I signed up for two of Maria Shell's and one of Jo Avery's online classes at the February Digital QuiltCon 2021 and am looking forward to more zoom classes.

Diane said...

Barb, Your post sent me on two Internet searches -- Lyme Disease and Maria Shell. Glad you got a swift diagnosis on the Lyme! It's always a concern for our New Hampshire kids who do a lot of hiking and brush clean-up. Your improv project is so lively and colorful! I'm sure you can't wait to get back to it but pace yourself!

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

I am so sorry about Lyme Disease. My nephew had it last year, though it took him a while to get diagnosed. I hope you feel better soon. Maria Shell is such an inspiring quilter. It is wonderful to see your rendition with the wonderful bright colors.

MJinMichigan said...

I’m so sorry to hear you have Lyme Disease. I’ve heard that treating it early makes all the difference.
So far I have taken three classes with Sarah Bond and one with Gyleen Fitzgerald online all through Mancuso’s Quiltfest. I loved all of them but Sarah’s were the best. She came on early to interact and get to know students and students could interact with each other. I will definitely do more online classes in the future.

Quilting Babcia said...

So sorry about your diagnosis, but good that you caught it early. We also live in prime territory for contracting Lyme with deer ticks abounding in our woods and fields. Lobster buoys as a color palette for your newest adventure in quilting - love them! We are on such a slow internet connection that Zoom meetings are impossible. Thankful that our quilt ministry group is small and none of us socialize much so we feel safe being around each other every week for our quilty inspiration. Take care!

Pinkadot Quilts said...

I am so sorry to hear about the Lyme's it's not a fun thing to have to deal with. I love the start of your quilt! I have her book and might just need to dig it out. The pictures of the buoys are wonderful!!!! They are so perfect.
I have not yet done a Zoom workshop so I can't comment on that,but I think I would definitely do one. Maria is coming to our guild, now I can't wait!

Janet said...

Love the baskets. Where in the world did you pick up a tick bite or was it something else?
You take care of yourself.

Cynthia@wabi-sabi-quilts said...

So sorry about your Lymes! But it's Very good you got diagnosed early. Hope you won't have side effects from treatment. What does follow-up entail, I wonder. Your solid pieces are so cool and I really like how you/your instructor have named different types of blocks. Love your lobster buoy inspiration, reminds me of Maine. I think I would like a zoom class - but haven't had the opportunity or sought out the opportunity because I'm dealing with a major time zone difference, ha ha.

Angie said...

Sorry to hear about the Lyme Disease - hope you are recovered quickly and completely! Loved hearing the descriptions of your workshop project. The intense colors are so striking!

Debbie said...

I love what you are doing. I am definitely going to look into a Zoom class by her. I am loving the solids. Right now I am working from Sujata Shah's book. I am loving the free cutting without rulers.

Nancy said...

So sorry about the Lyme diagnosis, but glad you are getting early treatment. Hope you'll be feeling better quickly. Stay home and rest works right into our present situation. Love your color inspiration and the quilt segments are very intriguing. What a fun class. Your list sums things up nicely for the online classes. The biggest plus for me is working right in your own sewing room-nothing to pack and nothing to forget! I've attended a quilt speaker lecture on Zoom, but not a class as yet.

Cissa K said...

Take care of yourself. Wishing you a fast recovery.

Chantal said...

Sorry to hear about the health issue. Glad you got to see a DR so soon and got meds. wishing you a speedy recovery. Take care and rest. ;^)

cityquilter grace said...

wowza...crayon box on steroids!!! be still my heart i absolutely love solids and such bright colors...ooh these make me so very happy to look at!

CecileD said...

Your blocks are terrific and you have chosen a great color palette !
I'm sorry for this news .... I wish you a very quick recovery !
Huge hugs Barb !!

Lynn C. said...

Great fun quilt Barb! "Venetian Blinds?"? Absolutely--a very descriptive name.

cspoonquilt said...

Dang! That's a drag. Good thing you caught it right away makes a big difference in treatment! Speedy Recovery!!!!
That class Looks like a lot of fun! I'm kind of on the fence about zooming in general but good luck with it!!

Kim said...

Sorry to hear about the Lyme DX, my Lyme left me with loss of sensation on half of my face and a heart murmur, take it seriously and make sure it is really gone when your course of antibiotics is done. I was also advised to take the Lyme vaccine that was offered at that time, got through to the number two vaccine before it was pulled from the market..it left me with painful arthritis side effects. Take good care of yourself and keep on top of the signs and symptoms, eat well, rest and heal.

Love your freestyle blocks, would you do another zoom class? Can you talk to others in the class? Happy Sewing and recovery :0)

Vicki said...

So sorry for your news :( Glad you caught it quickly!

Lamasure said...


Hello Barb,

This illness is more and more present in France; and very difficult to diagnose it for French doctors... it is a big problem here, and some people were left because of wrong diagnosis... French people supposedly affected by this disease are forced to go to very cities or to Belgium ...So they have possibility to have a good diagnosis...
I hope your recovering will be quick
I think, it is better in your shape to stay at home and to have zoom conference ....even if it is less funny for many reasons
Best thoughts
XOXO
Véronique

Judy in Michigan said...

When life gives you Lyme Disease, make a key lime pie!!! Hope you are feeling better!! Love, J

Ruth said...

My youngest son had Lyme's disease several years ago while he was in the Air Force. Hope you will recover quickly! The quilt is so cute and bright!!