5K Training

When I was in my 30's, I was an avid runner. I faithfully ran every other day for about 8 years. In order to keep myself motivated, I kept a mileage journal. I found that I was running about 2000 miles a year. No wonder I kept wearing out my running shoes!
Then in the spring of 1989, I slipped on some ice and injured my back. This injury kept me out of commission for about 2 months. After my back healed, I simply couldn't get motivated to get back into my running routine. I tried off and on, but just wasn't consistent.
Last year I found myself becoming quite overweight, so I made up my mind to do something about it. I started by changing my eating habits. I cut out the between meal snacks and started eating half portions of my meals. At the gym I began working out much harder. I started pushing myself to increase my strength and endurance. Slowly the weight came off - about a pound a week. By the first of January, I had lost 35 lbs.
My goal for this year was to get back into shape so that I could run the Popeye 5K in September. At age 60 this is not so easily done. I've been running on the treadmill, and about once a week, I run through the neighborhood about 3 miles. My endurance has increased, but my speed is still not so good. Currently I can run 3 miles in about 34 minutes. My goal is to run the Popeye race in about 30 minutes. At this point I don't know if that is possible, but it remains as my goal.

Bonnie Hunter Quilts

I really, really love Bonnie Hunter's quilt patterns. She has so many great ones on her website: www.quiltville.com . I plan to make many of these. I recently finished making a Cathedral Stars quilt to use in our RV. I love to snuggle up in this quilt while watching TV.
This is the first full size quilt that I've quilted on my new Elna sewing machine. It came out great!

I've also recently finished piecing Bonnie's Virginia Bound quilt which is found in her new book "Scraps and Shirttails". I made it from recycled men's 100% cotton shirts. I mainly used the collars and cuffs of these shirts; therefore, I call my quilt "Collars and Cuffs". I haven't done the quilting on it, yet, but hope to begin that process next week.

Little Fabric Baskets

I love these little fabric baskets! I found the pattern online. I need to go back and find the blog where I found the pattern (found it - Pink Penguin) so I can put a link to it here. I made these 5 baskets as Christmas gifts for the women on my list. They all seemed to love them!

I've been going through my smallest crumbs and making quilted coasters. This is an absolutely mindless endeavor. I love it! The coasters finish at 4". They are perfect to use in our RV and to give to our RVing friends.

It's Been a While

I have not been very good at keeping up regularly with this blog. It's not that I haven't been quilting; I have! In fact I have completed all of the blocks for my Quilting the Psalms. Here are the final 2 blocks. All of the blocks can be found at my webshots site. http://community.webshots.com/user/lfegge

I have just begun participation in Quilting the Psalms a yahoo group that combines Bible study with quilting. This week's study is of Psalm 1. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Ps.1:1-2.

The first 2 verses have nudged me to take a closer look at the 10 Commandments again and to meditate on them.

1: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

2: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, they God, in vain.

3:Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

4: Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

5: Thou shalt not kill.

6: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

7: Thou shalt not steal.

8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

9. Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's house.

10. Thou shalt not covet they neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

L-1 Friendship Quilt

I finished the last of my 5 blocks for the SBS block swap. It is called Friendship Quilt. I like the muted tones of the blues in this block.

Now all I have to do is finish making and sewing the labels on and get the package ready to send to Jennifer Chiaverini.

It will be fun to see the different blocks that I get back in exchange for mine.