Kitty Troubles....

I need good thoughts for Oscar, my kitty.

He was coughing a bit when I left for Littleton, Rocky Mount, and Elizabeth City. I got home from Elizabeth City yesterday afternoon. Today was the first chance I could get him to the vet.

The vet heard wheezing while listening to his breathing, thinking it might be asthma, she suggested xrays.

The xrays show a mass, which might either be pneumonia, or cancer.

We did a leukemia test...I'm waiting for the results on that. In the mean time he has been started on an antibiotic in case it IS pneumonia....which is the best case scenario.

If leukemia is ruled out, we wait a week and see if the antibiotic is helping. If the mass doesn't go away....we have decisions to make. If the leukemia test comes back positive, we have decisions to make.

Today is my first day home for the holiday season. I'm done traveling and teaching until January! However, I'm going to Arizona for a few days in December to spend time with my two brothers and my Dad. I'm really looking forward to spending time with them, even if the last thing I want to do right now is think about going back on the road! Let the next 3 weeks be spent at home NOT thinking of anything but being home....and I'll deal with family when I get there! *LOL*

Many questions have come in regarding the upcoming mystery. Though most of the pieces can be cut from 2.5" strips, if you are NOT using the easy angle for construction, please don't cut your strips ahead of time. You'll have to do it a bit differently to get 2" finished triangle units. Plan accordingly. Some of the units need an even larger piece, so even though some have said they have cut all their fabric ahead of time into 2.5" strips, unauthorized by me, they may be in for a surprise! Sorry.....but it's best to wait until I say "GO" before you jump ahead, okay?

You don't HAVE to have the Easy Angle ruler to do this, but I don't understand why anyone would not want to at least try it. You can find it at Joanne's if one is near you, you can use a coupon for it. It will cost you $3 or $4 bucks with a coupon. Some Walmarts have them. You can order them on amazon or ebay. I think the other fabric chains like Hancocks and Hobby Lobby (which also have regular sales and coupons) have them. The pattern for the mystery is free, so isn't it a fair deal to at least TRY to find one for a few dollars and see if this helps your quilt making? I LOVE this ruler. I would not be caught without it. I plan to keep using it in the future. It's in your best interest to have the tools to follow along.

Someone asked if I were uploading ALL the steps in one day. Nope. There is no way you can make this quilt all in one day, and I'm working just a couple steps ahead of everyone else. I'm planning on perhaps 2 steps a week...but if I don't get to it with all that is going on, you may have to wait...I'm not doing this on a set schedule, it has to fit in with my life. It takes a lot of time, not only to design the quilt, but to complete the quilt before you, to take the photos, to write the directions, to upload them to the website and have them linked to everything else in the proper sequence. Hours and Hours. I love doing it! I just need your patience and understanding.

If there is a link at the bottom of whatever page you are working on, then you can click to get to the next step. If not....wait until there is a link! I'll also be posting an announcement here on my blog, and on my website, as well as the two email lists when each step goes public.

If you want a smaller quilt? I suggest you wait until all the clues are revealed before starting so you can decide how many of what unit to make. Same with larger. Just wait and see. Because of time limitations I'm not able to do the math for everyone who wants a different size....or if they want to use a different method to make the units.

I'm hoping to get my car unpacked and things put away this afternoon...I need to set my machine back up, get something for dinner cooking in the crockpot, and then hopefully spend some time SEWING today! :cD