Needle Punch

My Sew Cherished punch needle project is all punched and ready to finish 😊

Designer: Sew Cherished

Design: “Merry Christmas”

Punched with: Valdani perle 12

I use an Ultra Punch needle and Smart Punch needle.

My preference is Ultra Punch (used to be called a “Cameo”) I have several of the Ultra Punch needles and load them up with threads so that when one ends, I just pick up the next punch needle and go to town. 

I think I’m going to finish this one as a flatfold, with dark red cording surrounding and some rusty jingle bells.

Won’t be finishing it anytime soon though because of my recovery period from my hip replacement surgery last Wednesday.

Surgery went fine. My anesthesiologist didn’t get my spinal block placed. 

I personally think he was running late, couldn’t get it after 10 sticks (I have a beautiful colorful photo of my spine with 10 holes in a line going down my back) He gave up trying because my surgeon was waiting on him.

 Because I didn’t have the spinal block that lasts anywhere from 24-36 hours, I didn’t have pain control at all. When they tell you that you were moaning and sobbing coming out of the OR, you remember waking up in the recovery room sobbing….that’s not a good sign of pain comfort levels. 

After an hour though, I was under control pain wise. Thank heavens! 

Check in was at 6 am. Surgery began at 7 am. Surgery was done at 8:30 am. I was awake around 9:30 am. 

Sitting in chair by 10:30 am. Walking at 11:30 and on my way home at 12:30 pm. Walking upstairs to my recovery room at 12:45  pm and in my bed by 1 pm. 

Yeah, fast. 

I’ve been doing well though. I am not having the miraculous feeling of no pain that I’ve heard from many people yet. But, I’m hopeful. 

My first PT appointment was yesterday. That was brutal. 

I’m doing all my exercises every day. I’m walking with a walker and going up and down stairs. Icing my thigh and hip routinely. 

At least I’ve been feeling like I can craft again 😊 

Thank you for all your prayers, notes, cards, gifts….

I feel like a queen. 

And to leave I’ll share a picture of Cora and her parents 🧡

Sunday Punching

Saturday, after a failed attempt Friday evening, I signed up for the Jingle Bell Ball . I really like the shopping, I don’t do the people mingling, but shopping is a big thumbs up.

 I wanted to take a couple of classes. I decided to take Teresa Kogut’s Punch Needle class. Which when buying the ticket gets you the ability to watch her punch needle tutorial. I’m always up for brushing up on a skill, learning other people’s techniques. 

So because I’ve been thinking a lot about punch needle, I decided I needed to drag out my stash for this needle craft. I’ve loved this design by Sew Cherished for a year or so, bought it for my stash, so pulled it out this morning after Mass and got started. 

Here’s the backside (or the side you actually punch on): 

Here is the front: 

(Remember when punching…it’s sort of like painting, it gets better as you go….it always looks rough in the beginning .) 

Here’s the pattern and how it will look at the end:

I like punch needle and whenever I haven’t done it for awhile it takes me a minute to get back into rhythm. 

I punch “tight” I like a dense pattern look. 

This weekend was Katie and Austin’s (my daughter and son in law) anniversary of their first date 8 years ago. Last year I babysat an infant Cora. This year toddler Cora got to go hiking with them in Brown County Indiana  it’s about 20 minutes from our house. 

Since I’m retiring from finishing, I cleaned up my craft room. 

Cleansing. 

I’m making a lot of positive changes in my life. Making my footprint smaller, tightening my inner circle, giving myself time for me. Cutting out negativity, and there is a whole lot of that anymore. God never gives you a cross to carry without you gaining some insights. This whole downward slide with my hip has taught me lots. One of the most important things: time is fleeting, use it wisely. Cherish my health. And those who are negative and offensive cut out of my life. I’ve tried for years to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Making myself feel bad at mud thrown at me by negative, grasping, jealous people. No more. 

It’s freeing. 

That was my weekend - it was great! 

2 1/2 weeks before my surgery. 

One funny side note, I have to walk with a cane. And I still sometimes stumble - that’s how bad I am. 

Anyway at Mass this morning a lovely man - 91 years old, John, who is friends with my family….

Looked at me and said: I’m in better shape than you are. 😂

Sadly, he was right.