Sunday, July 25, 2010

Robbery, ultrasounds, and quilts- oh my!

Things have been at a quilty stand still over the past week.

First my next door neighbor's house was broken into and she was robbed.  We live in a suburban area and this took us all by surprise.  Luckily, she wasn't home and they only took jewelry, but I've felt disturbed ever since.  My husband and I were home at the time of the robbery.

Then I went for my 22 week ultrasound.  Everything is fine with the baby, but they found that I have placenta previa- a condition where the placenta covers part of the cervix.  Luckily, in my case, it is only a partial coverage and I was told that 90% of the time it will resolve.  In the meantime, I'm to watch for any bleeding and am on "pelvic rest" which means I can't lift more than 20# or do anything strenuous.  I go for another ultrasound in one month to monitor the situation.  Things could be soooo much worse, but I feel very nervous about things.  At least 90% is about the best odds you can get. 

So I've only done a little sewing.  Someone I used to work with commissioned me to make a baby quilt for her sister.  She told me she wanted dogs and that she "is sure" that her sister is having a girl, but they haven't found out the sex.  She didn't want to shop so I went out on the hunt for fabrics.  Everything was pink or blue.  Now if you're not sure, you would think pink would be the wrong choice right? So this is what I came home with:
I sent a picture to her of the fabrics and didn't hear back.  So I went on to make the quilt top.

Then I heard back from her in a nice email tactfully telling me that she wanted something more girly. Ugh.  She didn't know I had made the quilt top, and I want her to be happy with the quilt, but why would you want pink fabrics if you're not 100% sure???  So I told her I would just wait until the baby is born in a few weeks and then we can either re-shop or keep the fabrics.  If its a girl I'll save this quilt as a gift or donate it. Lesson learned!


After that, I didn't feel too quilty, but  today I felt the urge to hand quilt and got out "fireside chat"- my oldest UFO! It was supposed to be fall colors for last fall.  Well, hopefully it will be done for this fall! hahah!  We'll see :)

19 comments:

---"Love" said...

That Fireside Chat quilt is simply gorgeous! Just take your time while you are taking good care of yourself, and you will get it finished.
A neighborhood robbery would scare me to death! Do be very careful!
You'll be knowing a little one before long that will love that little quilt, so don't worry your pretty head about that situation! ---"Love"

Fer said...

The doggy quilt is so sweet! You've probably noticed that I'm not into genderising babies by colour so I still think it would be perfect for a girl.

That's awful about your neighbours. I was burgled a few years ago and it really left a bad taste in my mouth. I had been intending to get a dog so this prompted me to get one a lot sooner!

canuckquilter said...

Fireside chat is a beatiful UFO and will make an even nicer quilt. Your handquilting is just the thing for it. It also doesn't weigh anywhere near 20lbs so you can quilt it while you curl up and take care of yourself :)

I think that baby quilt is perfect for boy or girl. And if she didn't specify colours or fabrics...Why do people think we can see the picture they have in their minds? It isn't fair for you to be on the hook for the cost of the fabrics, let alone your time. In this particular case, of course, it could just be a second quilt for your sweet one :) You can't have too many!

Unknown said...

For someone to commision a quilt and not know what the sex is silly;) But, then again, she wants a girly quilt and is paying for it. That's why I don't do commissions;) Not your problem;) You can always sell it to someone who knows they are having a boy;)
I know how it feels to feel unsafe in your own house. I live in a neighborhood now that I really don't feel safe in. We have a fenced and gated community, but staying inside the "safezone" all the time sucks.
As for the baby thing....I think sometime's all this monitoring of pregnancy only adds to the stress. It really is the last few hours that really matter. Everything in it's place and a place for everything. Nothing matters before that.
Happy Quilting!!

Alf and Lily Creations said...

You know what I think that quilt is perfect, I hate the whole girl/pink boy/blue thing, I used to dress the girls in green and blue onezies and the boys look very smart in their pink shirts. You should keep it for your bubba whether it be a boy or girl because they will love it.
I had a low placenta with Aubrey and the boys but both worked out fine. It did seem to move with every ultrasound I had !! My sisters house got broken into one night, she had a dog but he didn't wake up, her DH did and scared them off with a golfclub. The dog only came downstairs once the police had arrived!
The fireside quilt is lovely too, don't worry about the length of UFO's I have a xmas quilt from three years ago that needs finishing!

Tricia said...

I love the puppy quilt...hopefully you can find a use for it...or the baby will end up being a boy.

Keep your feet up and relax as much as possible. Try not to stress too much...you can borrow my dog if you want. She is as sweet as can be, unless you are a stranger in my house. She's a great guard dog.

Ruth said...

That is scary having a burglary right next door! I hope they catch whoever did it. The baby quilt is really cute and would work well for a boy or girl. The fabric is adorable! It seems to me that if it's a boy, it is perfect, and actually for a girl too. A girl can have blue more than a boy can have pink (my sons would NOT want their boy to have a pink quilt), but bright colors are great for either. Hand quilting is the perfect activity for you right now. Just do as much as you feel like doing and it will get done whenever!

Katie said...

Scary about the robbery, but I'm glad everyone was safe.

Fireside Chat is just as beautiful as I remember. I love the hand quilting and applaud you for your patience. And with being restricted in what you can do now, you should have a better chance of having it done in time for fall.

And I LOVE the baby quilt. I love that doggy fabric! If I were having a girl, I'd love it. While I do tend to make quilts along the gender lines (there are so many cute geneder-specific prints out there...), something that's not girly-girly might be more loved than everything else for its differences. (I HATED pink for many years thanks to my mom and her efforts to dress me in nothing but pink and ruffles for the first 4 years of my life...until I figured out I could tell her to cut it out!) But I suppose not everyone thinks that way...

I do think you're right to tell this person they're going fabric shopping with you for the replacement. In fact, I'd refuse to make another until they can make time to go. (Why risk having to make a third?!)

Marsha B said...

The baby quilt is adorable and really kind of generic. Too bad she didn't like it but you can sell it or keep it for your little one. The fabrics are so cute!

The robbery is scary. I once had a 5 foot, 300 lb. santa figure carved out of a tree trunk stolen from my front porch. My dog didn't hear a thing either. I was home alone that night and when I discovered it was gone the next morning, I just felt so violated. It does more emotional damage than the loss of things stolen. Hope all calms down soon and they catch the bad guy.

Fireside Chat is so beautiful, I remember the pattern in the APQ magazine. The fall colors are so warm and inviting. It is on my list of quilt to make "someday". You can relax and work on it while you are waiting for baby to arrive. Take it easy, follow doctors orders and things should be fine.

Connie204 said...

I think the little quilt is adorable, boy or girl. Your fall quilt is going to be very pretty, I love the colors.

My mother was burglarized many years ago, luckily she wasn't home. It is an awful feeling.

Take care of yourself and I know everything will be fine. Connie204

Stacy Kraus McDonald said...

I love the doggie quilt top. I'd have gone with blue too.... And I love Fireside Chat.... so pretty and fallish.

Yikes for your neighbor's home. That happened by my mom once - when we were home as well. It's scary.

lisa said...

crazy!! We live in a rather safe neighborhood but I do wantto change the locks soon (we rent, and have lost one set of keys a while ago)

bummer about the baby quilt, I say hang on to it for a last minute baby gift for a friend or try to sell it to someone else!

Beth said...

I love the fabrics you chose! The top is adorable. I didn't do gender colors much either. My youngest daughter wore blue and her room was soft blues and green.
A lot of the time, as the baby grows, the placent is pushed up and away from the cervix. So grow that baby while you hand quilt that beautiful UFO.
Sorry about your neighbor. Luckily they were not there.

Sandy said...

I will echo all the previous comments. The baby quilt is lovely -- perfect for a boy or a girl. I know that my own little granddaughter (who has beautiful blue eyes and likes dogs) would love it.

Sandy

a good yarn said...

My goodness that's a lot to deal with in one week! It's awful being robbed and I feel for your neighbour. You are quite right to take every precaution. What a shame about the quilt - it's gorgeous! It's nice to see Fireside Chat again. It's a favourite. Ann :-)

The One and Only said...

We moved to Tracy (CA) last October and literally two weeks after, our neighbor, who also happens to be my son's godfather and husband's best friend, also got robbed! We think it was "what me and bf's wife call" a conspiracy with the neighbor across the street, but whatever!! Ever since we moved from a condo in Oakland, we've always had an alarm. What's nice about this house is the whole house was wired when built so every door and window is bugged! Even second story windows where you couldn't get to them without a ladder so I feel so safe and sound!! In regards to the placenta thing, the same wifey also had that condition! the next time she went back to the doctor it moved higher and she is about to give birth in about a month. When she got a later ultrasound, the baby was actually using the placenta as a PILLOW!! I hope the conditions improve and congrats....sorry for the novel of a comment :-)

Theri said...

Wow! Your oldest UFO is only a year old? :) Theri

Beneath the Eaves said...

I love both quilts Christina and I am sorry about the dog one. It is beautiful and I sure it will still make a nice gift.
I want to wish you all the best with the ultrasound. Things usually do resolve and I am sure you will be fine.
You are in my prayers.
Debra

Angie @ CraftedAngles said...

Wow - I love the Dog Fabric! Very cute :)