Country Garden Small Quilt

This small quilt (12 in X 12 in) was made for the ALQS7.  It is mostly machine pieced with a few small pieces hand appliqued (the center of each flower and the side triangles on the right).  It is machine quilted.

Here is a close up of the small flower

Here is the back of the quilt before I sewed on the sleeve and label.

The block, country gardens (you can get the pattern here if you create an account on Fons & Porter website), is from Mountain Mist.  The pattern dates back to 1941 and was designed by Margaret Hayes of Knoxville, TN.  It can be found in the book:  Mountain Mist Quilt Favorites (published in 1998).

Family Autograph Quilt

My paternal grandmother pieced this quilt.  She pieced quilt tops for all of the grandkids.  Mine was a log cabin which I'll show you in a few weeks.  This was an extra one, I won the draw.   It has the names of all her children and their children, some friends (or else family member I don't know), and towns in the area embroidered on it.  She also put some Bible verse on the quilt.  I would love to know why these verses meant enough to her to put them on the quilt.  She died August 1981, early in my senior year in medical school, from peritoneal carcinomatosis.  She didn't have much trust in doctors/hospitals, so when she finally sought help and surgery was done, it was an open and then close.  Her abdomen was completely seeded with tumor.  My Aunt Earlene doesn't know what the primary was and her death certificate doesn't say either.

Anyway, I love the quilt.  It measures 67 in X 91 in.

Here's the one with my name (mispelled-- Romona). 

and this one is my dad’s block

and this has my brother John’s and sister Susan’s names

In our family there were two Randy’s, my brother and a cousin (younger, often referred to as little Randy).  My grandmother put my brother with our Mom (the yellow block) and my cousin with one of his sister’s (the blue block),

These next three contain Bible verses.  As mentioned above, I would love to know why she choses them. 

and this  (Mark 13:18)

and this (Matthew 22: 14)

My grandmother pieced the quilt top, my mother and sister Cathy did the quilting during my first year in college.

Two Articles on Bone Biology

There are two good articles worth reading on bone biology and physiology in June 2012 issue of Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 

The first one is a good review of the basics, blood supply, cell types, bone matrix, bone formation, bone growth, and bone remodeling.  The second article then uses the first to discuss clinical correlates.

Bone Biology and Physiology: Part I. The Fundamentals; Buck, Donald W. II; Dumanian, Gregory A.; Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 129(6):1314-1320, June 2012; doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31824eca94

Bone Biology and Physiology: Part II. Clinical Correlates; Buck, Donald W. II; Dumanian, Gregory A.; Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 129(6):950e-956e, June 2012; doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31824ec354

Three Knitted Hats

I have over the last few weeks knitted three hats.  Two of them for my young friend with breast cancer for whom I made the "one pink heart" quilt.  She has lost her hair to the chemo, so I knit her a couple of hats.  The third hat is for her husband.  You can read their blog, “Fighting Fancy,”  here.

This one is a mohair/silk yarn (Artyarns Ensemble Glitter Light) and is very soft.  The pattern is Tähdellinen by Tiina Kuu.

Here it is from the side:

The second one is not quite as soft.  It is made using Little Monkey's Stitch n Spin Merino Fiber which is 70% merino/ 30% banana fiber.  The pattern is Intuitive by Julia Zahle.  It can be worn either “cuffed”

or as a slouch hat, unfolded:

Here is the one for her husband.  It is made using Tahki Yarns Tara Tweed yarn.  I used the Cross Skull Cap pattern by Kimberly Nicdao Villareal.

Puppies in Waiting Wall Hanging Quilt

This wall hanging is made using a linen tea towel as the centerpiece.  I framed it with a lovely brown/black batik and added appliqued dog biscuits.  I used the same machine the trapunto technique I used on the African whole cloth quilt to help add a little 3-D effect to the puppies.

Here is the finished quilt.  It measures 25 in X 33 in.  It is machine pieced, appliqued, and quilted.

Here is a close up to show the one dog looking forward.

This one show more of the border detail.

Here is the back which is brown/white print.  I'll add a sleeve for hanging ease and a label, then I plan to donate it to the Humane Society of Pulaski County to be used in one of their fund-raiser silent auctions.

Links of Interest

Updated 3/2017-- all links removed as many no longer active.

These links are of interest to me and perhaps will be to you.

Today is  @jordangrumet’s birthday.  Did you know he has published a book of his poetry?  I have my copy which I am enjoying.  Read his post on how to obtain your copy.

Via @FauquierENT who tweeted this:  “Creative Ways to Wear a Scarf for Patients with a Trach or Ugly Neck Scar http://bit.ly/NfdmSG”   Not all the 25 ways shown in the video would actually work for patients with trach but enough of them do.  All of them would work for the rest of us who might just want to know more than one way to wear a scarf.  Check it out.

Have you read @joannacannon’s post  “Watch Out For The Normal People”?   If not, then I recommend you do so.  It is wonderful.

Knitted Lace Shell Top

So I frogged (or unknitted) the May Day Poncho and used the yarn to make this top.  The yarn is Artyarns Ensemble Glitter Light which is lovely, a 50/50 blend of silk and cashmere.  The pattern is Date Night by Nikol Lohr.  I’m really happy with how it turned out.   The neckline is very flattering.

See the finished sweater here: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/rlbates/date-night

I may knit this again and see how it turns out in say linen as the tunic version.  We’ll see.

Scrappy Child's Quilt

My latest quilt is another scrappy one.  I've been trying to use up some of my scraps, but feel the need to do a non-scrappy one or two next.  This one uses 10 in scrappy blocks that are then put together with 2 in wide sashing.

The next several pictures show some of the fabric details I hope the child will find interesting.  This one has a moon, a girl, flowers, a feather, and several colors.

And this one has a dancing cat in the center, dogs, leaves, carolers, and more. 

And this one has a car, route 66 sign, a tea cup, and flowers.

This one has Arkansas razorback fabric, polka dots, “she crab soup,” and flowers.

The back of this quilt is pieced also using a "book" panel with the pages being the blocks.  The sashing on the back is 3 in wide.

Learning from Knitting Mis-steps

I've gotten fair at knitting scarves, shawls, hats, etc and for the most part have been pleased with how those projects turn out. I can't say the same for my attempts at knitting garments.  Take for instance these examples:  the green sweater in this post I’ve worn just once, this sweater which I gave away, and this sweater which I gave away as it bugged me that the yoke lace isn’t centered.

Here are two more to add to those.  This first one is a poncho.  I love the lacy pattern.  I love the yarn.  But I don’t feel it is long enough and the pattern instructions for making it longer are, for me, confusing and distract from the previous overall lace pattern.  

This next one is a sweater.  I did make a swatch and rechecked it after I realized the garment was too small which turned out to be correct.  Turns out I knitted the wrong size, so I have restarted with the yarn from the “frogged” poncho after highlighting the correct size in the pattern.  If I need the yarn from the small sweater, then I’ll frog it.  If not, then I may give the small one to a friend’s daughter.

The book (Finishing School: A Master Class for Knitters) in the above photo is one I recently bought in an attempt to improve.  I want to knit garments that fit properly and are a pleasure to wear.  The book has already given me information I wasn’t aware of such as tips on “reading a pattern” to see if it’s even worth trying, choses the right yarn, and has impressed on me the importance of swatches. 

Help Me Drive 55

I saw a flyer at work today for an upcoming blood drive.  The last few years I given blood on my birthday.  This year (in just 6 wks) I will turn 55.   It occurred to me as I was walking my dog and listening to Sammy Hagar sing “I can’t drive 55” that perhaps with a little help from you I could “drive 55”  of you to donate blood.

I would like to ask my readers, family, and friends to go to your local hospital or Red Cross and donate a unit of blood.  Then let me know that you did either by comment here or by sending me a tweet.  You can donate in honor of a friend/family undergoing cancer therapy or one who is getting ready for a major surgery or simply as a “gift” to me on my 55th birthday.

While it is true that we aren’t as quick to transfuse individuals with chronic conditions, blood is still very  much needed for acute bleeding situations such as  trauma, burns, major surgery, GI bleeds.

Miscellaneous Sewing Projects

Here are three simple sewing projects I have done recently.  This first one is a simple sunhat made for my great-niece (just 4 months old) using Butterick pattern B4110.

Here is a view of the crown where the seams all intersect

And this is the lining or the reverse side

This little sundress is for a niece who just turned two.  It uses Simplicity pattern 9685 which is a favorite of mine.

This next photo shows the bow detail at the pocket.  This one is truer to the colors.

Here is a view of the back

Fat Grafting to the Breast—more article reviews

Catching up on some of my journals that have been stacking up, one PRS journal had four articles relevant to fat grafting.  If this topic is of interest to you, all four articles are worth the read but especially the second (which discusses the first) and third (great discussion on how fat survives or doesn’t).

1. Mammographic Changes after Fat Transfer to the Breast Compared with Changes after Breast Reduction: A Blinded Study; Rubin, J. Peter; Coon, Devin; Zuley, Margarita; Toy, Jonathan; Asano, Yuko; Kurita, Masakazu; Aoi, Noriyuki; Harii, Kiyonori; Yoshimura, Kotaro; Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 129(5):1029-1038, May 2012; doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31824a2a8e

The study compared 27 women with normal preoperative mammograms who were then treated with fat grafting to the breast to a control group of 23 women who had breast reductions.  The preop and postop mammograms (done 12 months after surgery) were read by 8 academic breast imaging radiologists in a blinded fashion.  This is one of those articles where “reading between the lines” is important.  Keep these findings in mind as we move on to the next article:   scarring (85.6% in reduction group, 17.6% in fat grafting), calcification requiring surgery (1.6% R, 4.6$ F), and mass or distortion warranting biopsy (13.6% R, 2.8% F)

Here’s the authors conclusion

…..Lipoaugmentation of the breast has been controversial, however, due to concerns regarding its interference with mammography and cancer surveillance. We have demonstrated that when compared with a widely accepted surgical procedure of the breast, reduction mammaplasty, lipoaugmentation with autologous stem cell enrichment produces lower rates of radiographic abnormalities and a more favorable Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System score.

2.  Discussion: Mammographic Changes after Fat Transfer to the Breast Compared with Changes after Breast Reduction: A Blinded Study; Spear, Scott L.; Al-Attar, Ali; Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 129(5):1039-1041, May 2012; doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31824a29ef

Dr. Spear has written a very thoughtful review which I wish I could just copy and paste here for you to read, but alas.  This one paragraph gives you a good overview of his concerns (the bold highlights are mine):

There are a number of interesting issues raised by this article. First, what is the ideal control or comparison group? Are patients who have had breast reduction surgery the best control? Second, although multiple radiologic abnormalities are evaluated in this study, the major concern with lipoaugmentation is the development of suspicious calcifications,¹⁰,¹¹,¹⁴ and more attention could have been focused on that specific question and the almost three-fold higher incidence of this finding in lipoaugmentation patients. Third, the findings of the article raise significant questions as to where the fat is actually injected—that is, around versus into the breast parenchyma. Fourth, the study employs radiologists who are specifically trained in breast imaging, which might not reflect the skill sets of radiologists found at most diagnostic imaging centers across the United States today. In addition, even among this highly trained group of radiologists, intergrader variation was high. Finally, this study uses a lipoaugmentation technique (creating stromally enriched adipose tissue) that is presumed to concentrate stem cells; this protocol is not a widely used method, and it is not relevant to the main objective of the study.

3.   The Fate of Adipocytes after Nonvascularized Fat Grafting: Evidence of Early Death and Replacement of Adipocytes; Eto, Hitomi; Kato, Harunosuke; Suga, Hirotaka; Aoi, Noriyuki; Doi, Kentaro; Kuno, Shinichiro; Yoshimura, Kotaro; Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 129(5):1081-1092, May 2012; doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31824a2b19

This study focused on the early phase (0=14 days) of the healing process after nonvascularized fat-grafting.  Adipocytes are most susceptible to death under ischemic conditions, although adipose-derived stromal cells can remain viable for 3 days.  The article includes a great figure (#6) which graphically illustrates the three zones of ischemia for fat grafts.  Think of a sphere with the 1st zone being on the outside:  1) “surviving zone” is the most superficial zone, is less than 300 μm thick, both adipocytes and adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) survive here, 2) “regenerating zone,” thickness varies depending on the microenvironmental conditions such as vascularity of and attachment to the surrounding tissue, in this zone adipocytes die as early as day 1, but adipose-derived stromal cells survive and provide new adipocytes to replace the dead ones, and 3) the most central zone is the “necrotic zone,” where both adipocytes and adipose-derived stromal cells die, no regeneration is expected, and the dead space will be absorbed or filled with scar formation.

4.  Discussion: The Fate of Adipocytes after Nonvascularized Fat Grafting: Evidence of Early Death and Replacement of Adipocytes; Pu, Lee L. Q.; Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 129(5):1093-1095, May 2012; doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e31824a2b4b

This article discusses article 3 and starts like this:

Fat grafting remains one of the most controversial procedures in plastic surgery because there is no standardized technique used by plastic surgeons to harvest, process, and place fat grafts. In addition, and most importantly, how the fat grafts survive after they are transplanted in vivo remains unclear and needs to be determined. The present study was conducted by Dr. Kotaro Yoshimura's group from the University of Tokyo, one of the most active teams in the field of fat grafting and adipose stem/stromal/progenitor cell (adipose-derived stromal cell) research. The study, composed of two parts, is another example of an important and well-conducted study in understanding the mechanism of how fat grafts survive after transplantation. ….. most adipocytes in the graft site begin to die on day 1 and only some of the adipocytes located within 300 μm of the tissue edge would survive. The number of proliferating cells increases from day 3, and increases in viable adipocyte areas can be detected from day 7.

And gives this recommendation:

Although the present study is well conducted, with sound and contemporary methodology, I would encourage the authors to perform a long-term in vivo study, such as 2 to 3 months in the same animal model, which may be equivalent to approximately 6 to 12 months in humans..

Related Posts
Fat Injections for Breast Augmentation (November 6, 2008)
Complications After Autologous Fat Injections to the Breast – an Article Review (April 2, 2009)
Recent NPR Stories on Plastic Surgery (June 3, 2009)
ASPS Task Force Updates Position on Fat Grafting  (August 13, 2009)
Risks of Fat Grafting in Breast Cancer Patients (November 22, 2010)
Update: Stem Cells and Fat Grafting (May 11, 2011)