The dawn of machine embroidery

Regarding yesterday's post about changing needles, I wanted to add something. The "rule of thumb" is to change the needles after 6 - 8 hours of sewing. But what exactly does that mean? Some sewists could be sewing (needle moving up and down, NOT just in the sewing room) 6 - 8 hours in one day. For others, that might be several days or weeks. 

The guideline I use is to wind 4 or 5 bobbins, and when they are done, it's time to change the needle and CLEAN the bobbin case. You'll have to listen to your machine to see if that system works for you, but when you hear that pounding, you know you're past the time to change the needle. 

Film canisters were amazing for safely storing those dead needles, but you can also use an empty pill container or any small container. When it's full, you can toss it. I tried getting a small sharps container from a large drug store, but they were saving them for patients who used lots of needles. So, my small tin works for me. 

More presentations yesterday and more today and tomorrow. Since it's quilting and I have loads of samples to pull from, I don't have to make samples, but I'm still trying to get them all sorted into piles. Of course, I had a helper this morning. 

Mom - just helping you make piles! 

She just plopped herself amongst the piles of stuff! At least she wasn't laying on any samples! 

I have ten topics this month, and I think I have ten piles. I need to go back and do a recount! Some will require a bit more sample pulling and perhaps making a sample or two, but for the most part, it's all together. 

The piles of samples for the presentations

Then, all I need to do is open the link and grab the correct pile. All is good! I'm even managing to get some of the homework prepped for the weekend, and I hope to have TWO of the three presentations for Saturday completed by tonight. 

When we started the Zooms for the "day" job, we mostly did slide presentations, which can be boring. People want to see the real deal or see a live demo. So, I'm good to go with my four cameras and the switch box! It's a challenge sometimes remembering which camera to turn to, but I'm getting pretty good at it. I want to test one other thing out later today. I also have my phone connected to show people the apps. I can share stuff on my screen (software) and link to the internet. Yep - I'm a director as well! 

I finished the audiobook and am almost done with The Plot. This book would be a great one for a book club. Was the main character in the wrong? That's the big question. Someone obviously thought he was, but can you copyright a concept? An idea? A plot? 

I've mentioned before that I'm cleaning up some quilting magazines and going through a stack of random ones. Just odd ones that I picked up from who knows where. This one is small -- about 5" by 8". The date? May/June 1998!!!!

Creative Quilting from 1998

Several things come to mind as I browsed it. There were ads for hand-quilting frames. The ONLY frame you'll ever need. 

Hand quilting frame ad

Ads for ceramic quilt-themed items. OK - how many of you bought these? 

Ads for ceramic quilt-themed items

Let's not forget the calendars that used to keep people on track. These ones do NOT have quilt pictures on them, but they existed! 

Ads for calendars

And who doesn't miss this catalog? This company still exists, but nowhere in the same capacity as it was initially. I never visited that store, but I loved browsing that catalog! 

Ad for Keepsake Quilting

Don't forget the Classified Ads. This was a mix of getting jobs like addressing envelopes by hand at home! Seriously??? Companies that sold fabric (velvet) by the pound, quilting, buying squares, and many other things. Remember the section, Quilt Shows? 

Quilting Classifieds

Let's not forget the ad for TV Satellite. I guess this was a precursor to the filler booths you find at trade shows. 

An ad for satellite TV? In a quilt magazine?

There was also a marketplace selling tchotchkes. My mom would be ordering two of everything! 

The marketplace

Why did I read this magazine? I found this tidbit in the editor's comments at the beginning, which made it worth the effort to go through. Remember, this is 1998. 




OH MY GOODNESS --- the "introduction" of the embroidery attachment into the quilt world. Several months after this issue was published, I bought my HV Designer 1, the top-of-the-line embroidery machine. I would have LOVED to see the quilts that were submitted. 

Here's the last paragraph in that editor's letter. 

Like any advancement in other fields, what we can do now with an embroidery machine would blow our 1998 minds! 

I just had a quick peek on eBay and spotted this magazine with dates as early as 1988. There were a few issues later in the year (1998) than the one I had, but with the delay in publishing times, I doubt any of them had machine embroidery. That's OK - I have books that date back that far, so I know what the designs were like! NOTHING like today!

That was a neat blast from the past, but the magazine is now safely stowed in the recycling bin and onto the next one! I'm slow, but I'm OK with that. 

So here's the next installment of the 50 Ways to Keep a Quilter Happy While on Vacation. 26 - 25 - 24 -23  Enjoy!

Oh - I just want to mention that after my spin class yesterday and every spin class since I started my new routine. I finish the class, go to the main workout area, and stretch for 15 minutes! Yeah me!! I must say that I don't feel as stiff as I used to, so that's all good. And with another price increase, I better get to that gym and stay longer to get my money's worth!!

And on that note, I'm out of here. I've got pictures to edit, PowerPoints to prep, emails to send, and set up for the next "live" presentation. Another busy day!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Myth buster - needles!!

Dare I say that I feel the paperwork is finally under control? That is so untrue, but I can breathe a bit, except for a few events that need rescheduling. There is still so much to take care of, and more writing looms on the horizon, but the pile looks neater and smaller!

I had more presentations yesterday—that is the story of my life these days. I love presenting, so it all works for me. 

However, I also feel like I'm a myth-buster these days. Some of the questions I get sort of blow my socks off. So when I saw this question in the Zoom chat room, I had to keep myself under control. 

The person referred to themselves as old-school and cheap. Why couldn't they use a needle until it broke? 

GASP - CHOKE! 

Here's the thing - this was a myth, and she's absolutely right that this is old school. I know this person is not alone in their thoughts. I've seen it in almost every class I've taught for 20+ years that people do not know about needles. 

Rather than stealing a photo from the internet, check out this link to see a picture of a needle past its prime. That is not FAKE -- that is what happens after continued use. Think about the METAL knives in your kitchen. They get dull and are hard to work with. That's the same thing for a sewing machine needle. 

And as for the cost? Needles are not cheap, but they are not expensive, considering other expenses associated with your project. And if you find you're using the same type and size of needle regularly, they can be purchased in packs of 100 to save money. In the SVP World, bulk needles can be bought for Universal 12 and 14 and Embroidery 12 and 14. Ask your sewing machine dealer how to get bulk packs of needles. 

This week, I've been focusing on free motion quilting, which requires that people practice. That means taking some batting scraps, as well as scraps of fabric, and doing some stitching. No one asked me this week, but I've heard this in the past. They do NOT want to waste fabric by making a sample or for practicing. They could NOT just make a sample - everything this person made had to have a purpose. 

Seriously? What a mindset. So, I ask people to reflect on their children's education. Did they send their kids to university? How much does one year of tuition cost? How much does one textbook cost? 

Now think about how much a meter of muslin costs, scraps of batting, and a new needle? Significantly less than a textbook. And most people have all those supplies in their house!

Practicing anything is education; practicing free-motion quilting is the only way to improve. I'm the only teacher encouraging people to practice stitching straight lines in free-motion quilting. I've never seen it anywhere, but it makes so much sense and will give people confidence. There are loads of reasons for that. 

So, I encourage people who can't waste anything to make small practice pieces, serge the edges, and donate the pieces to animal shelters. Shelters always need small mats for cats and larger ones for dogs. You know how our pets are attracted to quilts. They certainly don't care if the stitching looks wonky—they just love a quilt!

Here's something else to consider. People worry about the cost of needles, but I bet they have zero problems going into a store and buying a couple of meters of fabric. So the next time you are in a shop and nothing interesting peaks your interest (as if!), consider adding to your needle stash. Having extras means you'll never cheap out on the needles. 

I keep all my personal use needles in a metal tin, along with a screwdriver to change the needle and a smaller container to dispose of the dead needles. Cause they are DEAD! 

I'm sorry, but I don't have pictures of my needle tin. As I scrounged for something to write about this morning, this topic popped into my head. 

Here's another way to think about needles. If your husband is into woodworking - would he dare cut something with a dull saw blade? 

Unfortunately, many quilters think they are saving money by going to the dollar store to buy cheap tools or supplies rather than the proper ones. They think they can get away without that tool, without changing it, or using something even if it doesn't work properly. One person asked if they could use paper instead of a stabilizer for machine embroidery. NO—just NO! 

This is your hobby—you want to enjoy it—but sometimes, having a hobby means "wasting" a bit of stuff and time to get better. If you're a runner, you train to be faster; if you're a chef, you try new recipes to be successful. It's the same for quilting! Practicing, failing, and finding a new way are part of the journey!! And instead of always spending your money on fabric, buy good supplies!

And that's all I'm going to say about that! I managed to get the outer border on one block for Chatsworth. I have TEN more blocks to finish. 

One Chatsworth block

I got this far on the next one but ran out of time. I was going to finish it once I finished my last call of the day, but by then, it was "late" in the evening, I hadn't finished my dinner, and I was done! I shut everything off and went to read! 

Working on another block for Chatsworth

I returned to the audiobook and listened to the part I was confused about. OK - so all is good on that point. As for The Plot? The plot thickens. Who is the antagonist? I won't finish either today, but I'm making good progress. OH CRAP -- I just checked the internet as there is a sequel to The Plot, and well, I know who the antagonist is, and it's who I thought it was. Well, that's OK. I had figured that out but didn't think it would be that obvious. 

Here's the next installment of 50 Wayt to Keep a Quilter Happy While on Vacation. Enjoy! Numbers 30 - 29- 28 - 27

Well, I'm off to spin class, so I'd better organize myself. Today is all about more sewing, paperwork, a meeting, and presentations—another typical day in March. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Co-conspirators!

 It's funny how the days just seem to jumble together. It's almost like Ground Hog Day when the same things happen repeatedly! I am somewhat "chained" to the house because of those presentations. They are all over the schedule, so I must watch the clock. But all is good! I had two presentations yesterday, and both went well. I'm back in the groove for the new topics, although I still have some samples and supplies to organize. 

Guess what I did with my "free" time this morning? I sorted and organized, and every little bit made me feel more under control. It's all going to happen. I will feel a lot better once I have the rest of the supplies and samples sorted for the other topics. 

This was the mess I left when I finished the first presentation. I had too much stuff, and some had fallen to the floor. I couldn't find a thing. 

What a mess! 

It's since been culled and sorted, and the second one went much smoother. I tidied up the area this morning and am ready for the next presentation later today. I got a chuckle while I was presenting yesterday, as the LOW battery alert came on my iPad, which I use as a monitor to see what the participants can see. I had 10% left. OH - I don't think I have enough power to make the end. I'm not sure why it had got unplugged. But luckily, the power cord was hanging there, and I could quickly get it plugged in and continued as if nothing had happened! 

The next presentation is ready to go! 

I have some sewing to do this morning, so I had to clear a spot so that could happen. Thread boxes were removed from the table and put away, thread ends were placed in the garbage, and presser feet were returned to their appropriate boxes. Bags of needles are back where they belong, and the extra quilts are waiting to be taken upstairs. Oh yes, it was a good tidying-up session. 

This is the result of my embroidery session last week, and those are in a bag to be donated. 

Empty spools and bobbins

Then, I tackled more of Diane's stuff I had brought into the house. I found two more quilt tops and put them in the storage room. I'm trying to deal with all the odds and ends as that is the hardest to find homes for. The fabric will be easy to deal with when I get to it. There are four boxes with scraps, and there may be one more bag of odds and ends. But slow and steady, it'll all be dealt with. 

Two quilt tops

I found numerous yardage pieces that will work for quilt backings. They are measured, labeled, and stored in the storage room. More fabrics were added to this pile, but I guess I didn't take a picture of all of them. I think I found six that were over two yards long. 

Fabric for quilt backings

There are some rogue fabrics, some scraps, and three project bags still to sort through, but those will have to wait for another day. I've done what I can at the moment. I need to get back to prepping for the weekend classes. 

I'm making good progress on the audiobook, although there seemed to be too many characters floating around all at once, and I may have missed something. The bottom line is it's all about scandal with the family. What else is new? 

Then, I went back to reading The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Apparently, this is a hot-selling book, but I struggled with the first part. Just too much whining, and I did NOT like the character. The bottom line is that I should be able to finish all the books I had out and let lapse last time. So that is good. Then I'll probably put the reading aside, although it's a good activity to do in the evening. 

The second I head to the living room for peace and quiet, guess who follows me? Yep -- both of them. And I didn't quite catch it, but the two of them had their heads together in the corner, and their tails wagged furiously. They looked like co-conspirators for some mischief!

Mom - NOTHING going on here! 

Ah - the fun and games those two come up with! You never know, and Murphy has developed some strange behaviors. She sometimes comes down and harasses me when I'm on a call, but not too often. I have to ignore her, which she doesn't like. So now there are times when I go upstairs from the main floor, and she goes downstairs. It's as if she goes to see if I left anything for her. Or she's mad!

I hope you are enjoying the 50 Ways to Keep a Quilter Happy While on Vacation series! It was so much fun and hard to repeat. I have to laugh as it was originally written ten years ago, and some things, like using a GPS, are pretty outdated! Or searching for a magazine in a store. While magazines still exist, they are getting fewer and far between. 

Here's the following link. 33 - 32- 31-30

I have some paperwork this morning, but I'm giving myself one hour to finish as much as possible. Then I need to get downstairs and sew! 

The temperature is above zero this morning, but it will likely be chilly because of the dampness, as we expect rain. Before we know it, all that snow will have disappeared! 

On that happy note, I'm out of here! 

Have a super day!! (squat, squat!)

Ciao!!!!

Progress is progress!

Oh gosh—I messed up that link again!!! I went back and fixed it. I try to be very aware when copying links, but I don't remember having to be this careful. Sigh. So here are two more of the 50 Ways to Keep a Quilter (and her family) Happy While on Vacation! Enjoy!!!!

Here is that one again, so you don't have to return to yesterday's post. 

And here is the series's next one (37, 36, 35, 34). 

Hopefully, both work! I double-checked that the https:/ was included in the link, but it seems to disappear if I don't copy it immediately. Why is that? It never used to be an issue. It's another mystery of the internet. 

OK, so at dinner last night, I was looking up something for DH, and within minutes, I started seeing ads for that item. Wow, the internet is getting pretty invasive with everything. It almost makes you want to turn it all off and return to the simpler days when we had only print!

I had the best-laid plans for yesterday: quilt a quilt and finish all those blocks for Spice Market. Well, I got some of that done. I didn't slack off; everything just takes much longer than we think it will. 

However, I'll just call any progress progress. That's all I can say about that. It shows that even with a computerized long arm, you still have to be there for it. You can't just press START and expect to return in four hours, and the quilt is done! 

Here is the customer quilt I completed yesterday. I need to trim it this afternoon so it can be picked up! 

Customer quilt - DONE

As for making the 30 small blocks for Spice Market? I got seven done! Seven is better than none! Those are the ones in the leftmost column. 

Blocks for Spice Market

I must set that aside because I have prep work for five weekend classes. This week, I also have a full slate of presentations on quilting. It's going to be a busy week! 

AHA—I know why DH gave me that article on being bored to read. He thinks I'm too busy! He doesn't realize that I spend a fair share of time alone and "bored." I walk the dogs and go for my afternoon walk, and I rarely work past dinnertime. My brain and body just don't want to work! 

Since I finished the other ebook that I had let lapse, it was time to tackle the second one. The first part of the book was whine-whine-whine on the part of the character. I let it lapse at the end of that whine fest. What the character did is returning to haunt them, so hopefully, this second part will be more interesting. I have 17 days to figure out what will happen to the character. Even with my workload, I should be able to finish the book. 

Then, I only have four books on hold, with the first scheduled to arrive in nine weeks. By then, I'll be way past the busy part of my annual calendar. Again, it was a book I let lapse. I don't usually do that, but I just couldn't get into reading for a while. That's OK - Libby, the ebook reader, knows precisely where I left off. I start back a few pages to refresh my memory, and then I'm good to go. 

We all survived the cold weather over the weekend. On Saturday, while it was cold, there was also a very bitter wind that would take your breath away. That's gone, and we are back to some almost springlike days. 

I have a morning presentation, and I'm not quite ready for it, so as soon as I get back from spin class, I need to finish preparing it. It will all be great, although I had a dream about it. For some reason, several of us were streaming from the same room with a huge audience. What was that all about? 

I'm off to spin class and get ready for a crazy day! 

Have a super day! (Get those squats or stand-up/sit-down in! It's important!)

Ciao!!!

It's OK to be bored!

Yesterday was such a different day from the past month. I puttered all afternoon, but I also got some sewing done. OK, I mostly sewed and didn't putter much. I'm good as long as no one can see the mess on the screen. The camera faces a wall, so there is plenty of room in front of it to stash the mess! 

With everything going on, I haven't been reading much lately. However, I recently received notifications about two ebooks that I had let lapse without finishing. I accepted both—more on that in a minute. I also got a notification about an audiobook I'd waited eons for and accepted it. It has one week left. 

So, while I sewed, I listened to the audiobook. I'm not sure who recommended the book, but it's probably not one I would have chosen. Now that I'm into it, it's good. It keeps me entertained while I work. Oh my - did I just say that? I've got a story about that. 

Then, in the evening, I returned to one of the ebooks. I think I found this one in the Globe and Mail book review. I just checked my list, and YES, that's where I got it. Her reviews are usually right up my alley, but she raved about this one, and it's a challenge to read, so I let it lapse before. It has sci-fi elements, and while I'm OK with that, this one is way off base. I will NOT be recommending this one to anyone. 

It also lacks the thriller aspect I like—it's just hi-tech silliness! But I'm almost done—thank goodness for that! If I had to pinpoint exactly why I don't like it - it has a plot, but it seems all over the place. There doesn't seem to be any meat in the book, and the author just rambles on about random things and then goes back to the plot. There is very little character development, so they may as well be cardboard figures. I have less than 50 pages to go, and the ending (according to another review I read) is good, so I will get to the end. This Canadian author will NOT go on my "to read" list. The book is called Glass Houses by Madeline Ashby. 

And now about the other story. I primarily work alone in the house and don't need anything to entertain me. I don't need music when I walk; I don't need white noise in the house. I'm pretty good at entertaining myself with my thoughts. I also love the solitude! There was a story on the Editorial page of The Globe and Mail yesterday entitled: "Just (don't) do it: The power of being bored." 

Here's a quote: "But these things never really "cure" boredom. Too often, they merely fill empty hours with the empty calories of dopamine-igniting distractions." And it goes on to say that we NEED to be bored. I couldn't agree more. We seem consumed with filling our time with entertainment. Do we need to read 1000 books a year, be entertained 100% of the time, attempt to do everything, and then wonder why our society is so stressed? Why are young people (and older people as well) suffering from more mental health issues? 

Have we ever thought that maybe our brains are overstimulated? Our brains never have a chance to shut down and do nothing. In essence - be bored! The author also mentions that fear of boredom may also be building loneliness. They refer to how social media is taking over our lives; without interaction, we are lonely. 

I may be alone frequently, but I will NEVER be lonely. I have too much going on in my brain that I don't have time to be lonely. So the next time you don't know what to do with yourself, why not sit down and look out the window. Watch the traffic, birds, and people, AND be BORED. You will be uncomfortable and want it to end, but this is quiet time. Your brain needs that! Encourage your kids and grandchildren to get bored! It's good for them!

That's why I love my gazebo in the summer. I could sit out without devices or books and just listen and watch. And then I'd nap! We need more daydreaming! 

But napping in the gazebo is not allowed today. We have been experiencing a cold snap for two days, and it's pretty chilly outside. 

As you saw yesterday, the cutting table for Spice Market was a huge mess. There are many little blocks to make, and I am cutting as I need the pieces. 

I also laid all the blocks on the design wall. 

The blocks so far for Spice Market

Then I cut the first pieces and went to sew. OH - something is missing here. 

What's missing?

There was no foot pedal, although I usually embroider with the foot pedal attached in case I need it. Alas, I had not done that. So, I went to find the foot pedal. Because I am trying to put things back where they belonged, the foot pedal was sitting right where it was supposed to be. 

I cut and sewed, cut and sewed (and pressed) throughout the afternoon. Wait—I got some critical paperwork out of the house in the morning. That needed to be a priority, but I have more to do today. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for that, but as soon as I finish something, more is due. 

Cutting the pieces

At the end of the day, I put up the blocks that I had completed, the three columns on the left. While it doesn't seem like a lot to accomplish in a day, I only sewed for a couple of hours in the afternoon. I'm happy with my progress, and I have 30 more small blocks like those on the extreme left to finish, and I really want to finish them today. 

My blocks for Spice Market

I'm still behind, but I've made good progress, and that's all I care about! It's definitely a puzzle quilt. I'm not worried about where those blocks will fit into the final quilt colorwise—if the colors go together, the blocks will go together. I'm using the colors equally, so they will be spread throughout the quilt equally. 

I also entered my FitBit data into the tracker—that's good! Now, I realize I'm slightly ahead of schedule on my walk around the US. 

Progress on my walk around the US

So that is good news. Now I need to enter the date regularly, and everything will be good. 

I have two Zooms this morning, one where I'm an observer and one where I'm the facilitator. I have a few more pictures to load into the presentation, and everything will be good. I also hope to get a quilt quilted today, so it will be busy. But do I need any mental stimulation to do that? I don't, but I want to finish this audiobook, and it'll be the first one I've listened to in a LONG time, so I'm allowed a little bit of leeway! 

Another aspect of boredom that we are losing is patience. If you are willing to be bored, you have learned the art of patience. If you need constant entertainment, your patience level is reduced. You want everything, and you want it now. There is something to be said for being bored. 

So, I'm trying to incorporate those squats into my daily routine. I know - instead of being bored while I wait for my lunch to heat up, I'm doing squats in the kitchen! Poor Murphy - she does NOT like when I try to do anything like that. She's moaning and groaning and trying to get in the way. I don't know what it is about her. But I can easily manage the squats in groups of ten without the aid of the counter. The first couple, my knees were crunchy, but as I continued, they loosened up and I was golden! 

Plus, it's increasing my mobility on the stairs (always being cautious), but that is fantastic news. I refuse to get old before my time! 

You now have two jobs: doing squats (or standing up/sitting down) or tidying your house. Responsible adults need to be aware of these responsibilities. 

And here's a quote that says it all. 

I forgot to continue posting the 50 Ways to Keep a Quilter Happy While on Vacation series. So here's another link. These are numbers 41, 40, 39, and 38. 

Well, I'm off to freeze my buns (but I might wear my wind pants), and then I've got a chock-a-block day. But don't worry - I have loads of downtime between what needs to be done! Boredom? Bring it on!!!!! And I let myself be bored! I don't find fillers like games or social media!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Keep your strength!

OMG -- did you see the exercise Elle recommended for strengthening the legs? Squats! I hate squats. Well, I hate them because my legs are so weak. But she's right! In the short time that I've become more aware of my situation and doing something about it, I feel much stronger. Not using hands to get out of a chair or using hands to sit down. Let the legs do the work - they are quite capable! People -- we do not want to walk with canes or walkers or, god forbid, we'll need someone to help us get out of bed. That will come later, but we're too young for that! 

Just say NO!! You alone have the power to stop this from happening to you! Move that ironing board into another room. Having it beside you is convenient, but think of muscle atrophy! So get up and walk around. I'm willing to bet that many of the knee issues we're experiencing (I've included myself in that group) are self-inflicted! 

I'm happy to report that despite the "torture" that Brooke put me through yesterday, my quads and core feel just fine today. So that means I still have a good base from years ago, but it's starting to weaken, and I must NOT let that happen. 

There are too many exciting adventures in the world to participate in, and there's the fact that I do NOT want to walk with a cane until necessary. 

Now -- I totally get that people have arthritis (it's likely going to happen to me), but if I can keep those muscles stronger to take more pressure off the joints, then I'll do that! And I MUST keep my hydration level up! 

In the afternoon, I finished my last presentation for February. While I had planned to continue working, I did not. Instead, I shut the embroidery machines down and read a book. I just needed to escape Studio B, which is in quite the disarray. I'll get down there later today and start tidying up, but I also need to finish some work. 

There's one piece of URGENT paperwork that has to go out the door today. I had a lengthy work-related Zoom, which killed the morning. 

I fired up both embroidery machines, which helped the work go faster, but I didn't quite accomplish all I wanted. 

Machine number one

Machine number two

This was the state of affairs once I was done yesterday. When I finish a Zoom, I turn everything off and walk away. Most of the time, I leave all the samples on the floor. Too tired to pick them up and put them on the table. 

Goodbye, Zoom area for the day!

Murphy has been pretty good about leaving me alone when I'm on Zoom. But yesterday, as I was waiting to get on the work-related call, she was bugging me. "Mom, I need to be petted, and I need it NOW!" I had my back turned to the camera as I looked for something while waiting to be let in. Oops - I scolded her, and I was in the meeting! 

Then, in the afternoon, when I was in the middle of the Zoom presentation, she insisted on being there! "Mom, I need to talk to you RIGHT NOW!" When I ignored her, which was hard since she is big and very insistent, she just lay down on my samples. Sigh...................

MOM - I NEED YOU!!!!

We usually go out on Friday night, but I wanted to finish my book. So I told DH to give me 15 minutes. Well, I'm not that fast of a reader, so it took longer than 15 minutes. We ended up ordering in! 

I was so excited about my day off that I had trouble sleeping. I did not have so much trouble sleeping, but I woke up several times. Luckily, I was able to drift right off again. But I've been up, looked at Studio B already, and wondered where I should start. 

Can you believe this is the first day since January 25 that I haven't been at a retreat (in front of people) or on Zoom? And I get ONE-day reprieve before it all starts for another month. But I enjoy it, so I'm not complaining. It's just hard to stay caught up on other things!

So, what did I pick to work on today? I need to get my Spcie Market quilt up-to-date. I'm so far behind. I've got bits and pieces of the blocks sewn together, the fabrics are a mess, and I need to make some semblance of order with this one. 

These are all the "finished" or partially finished bits. 

Parts of blocks for Spice Market

And this is my cutting for the next group to be sewn. 

Cutting bits for the Spice Market quilt

After I finish my writing this morning, I'll head down and try to clean up this as much as possible. I will also have some free time tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully, between the two days, I can make a huge push to get it up to date. 

We all laughed on yesterday's call, as the shop owner does custom embroidery for people. Can you believe what type of garment she was given to embroider? Yep—a pair of leopard-print thong underwear! Now that's a challenge! Good luck, Barb—I know you'll do a good job! 

If you're a Louise Penny fan, you will have received your newsletter in your inbox this morning. Her assistant has compiled some of the advice people sent her in January. My piece of advice was included in the book! However, they added in an extra word, but it still makes sense. If you want to read the book of advice, here's the link. There are some great pieces of advice in there. 

Can you believe it's been 20 years since she released her first book - Still Life. She was unknown; no one cared when she promoted her book at local bookstores. Now, she needs a huge convention center to release a book! She deserves it - she's a Canadian treasure! I got the opportunity to see her in 2013. A lovely lady, so gracious, so kind and thoughtful. If all the world were like her! 

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it's M's birthday today. Oh my -- she's 29. I swear she plans to be on vacation for her birthday. And where's Little Bear? At the dog sitters! At least he's not with his other grandma! But if we were closer - he could be with us! Happy Birthday, M - we love you and send you best wishes for the day!! Feliz cumpleaños

And on that note, I'm out of here! I've got loads to do today and no one to answer to! I can't wait to get the day started!!!

Have a super day! --- Stand up and sit down (no hands—keep your back somewhat straight—imagine you are being pulled up by your head like a puppet). Don't forget the squats!!!!! You can't go deep -- don't worry - do what you can. Every little bit will help. 

Ciao!!!

Machine embroidery marathon

The blog is a bit late today, as I was at the gym with Brooke. Oh boy—what an eye-opener it was this morning. When I had my massage this past week, Misty mentioned that my right leg was significantly more muscular than the left. I mentioned that to Brooke, so we did some testing. EEK!! Both legs are very weak, but the left one is worse! It's almost embarrassing to say this, but I've let my legs weaken.

Yes - I walk a lot, but it's flat urban walking, and well, I'm not sure I get any benefit from all that walking except a good mental break and the knowledge that I'm reducing my carbon footprint. 

Guess what happens when your leg muscles are weak? It leads to significant instability in your knees. I need to get this under control and hope to get to the gym or find some strength exercises for my quads at home. The other thing I've noticed is that when I stand up and sit down, I lead and often put more weight on my right leg than my left. 

Am I favoring the leg because of its issues? Probably, and I bet I do the same thing when I walk! "Well, we'll get that figured out next month after my MRI, and then we can figure out how to proceed. I do NOT want to lose my mobility. That is my biggest fear, so I will keep at it! I've already seen a HUGE difference in my mobility and stability. Stairs are easier, getting into and out of bed - is much more manageable, and going to the washroom is definitely easier! And it's only going to get better! 

This is what Lexi thinks of my paperwork! It's a good place to lie down, so Mom can't see it!! Good dog, Lexi! 

Mom - I'm hiding all your paperwork

On the other hand, Murphy just barrels in and walks all over it with her wet feet. 

Mom - it's better to destroy than cover up!

Just got up to let Murphy in the house. Remember to push more with the left leg than the right! 

It was a big day for me in the embroidery world. After doing my chores, I went downstairs to see why the embroidery machine had stopped. Oh dear, there was a slight issue with the top thread, but there were no broken needles, so a quick fix got it back in business. 

An issue with the spool of thread

Oh dear, then I ran out of top thread, but luckily, I had another spool, so I'm back in business again!

Ran out of the top thread

Good grief - am I ever going to get this embroidery done? I now ran out of bobbin thread! But I'm happy to report that the embroidery is done! 

No bobbin thread

I was on a roll, and as one project was stitching, I was prepping for the next one. 

The next project prepped

And while that one stitched, I got two more ready. 

The following two embroidery projects are ready

And then I added a third one. 

And one more project to stitch

I really should have fired up both embroidery machines, and I think I'll do that this morning as I still want to complete a lot by 3 p.m. today! That will be my last embroidery lecture for February! At the beginning of the month, it looked like a daunting task, but I got through it, got great feedback from everyone, and learned a lot. 

Yep - even though I'm the person giving the lecture, I'm constantly brushing up on my techniques and knowledge, and then I, in turn, pass that along to the groups. 

I'll share the stitching another day. I have threads to tidy up, trim, and so on before they are presentable. 

I keep looking at my calendar to see if there is a mistake, but this weekend is mostly free. Two almost entire days with zero commitments? How did that happen? 

It would have been the same in February, except for the machine embroidery retreat, which messed things up, but all the fun we had was worth it. I have a lot to catch up on, and I'll be up early each day. 

Yesterday, I completed more paperwork, but one urgent task still needs to be completed. The draft is complete, so proofreading shouldn't take too long. Once that is done, some of the pressure will be off. But it's all about being slow and steady. 

There's that Murphy girl. She just can't resist those two toy boxes, and every day, I'm finding more and more toys out of them. Then, I have the pleasure of putting them away for her. She really should learn to do that herself! 

Mom - Best toys ever!

And what was up with the gas price yesterday? When I first walked by, it was 151.9, and it continued to drop throughout the day. It's just weird and a lesson to everyone who buys their gas before 7 a.m. Don't! Buy it in the afternoon, when the price is always much cheaper! 

Fluctuating gas prices

Well, that's it for today. First thing in the morning, I have a meeting and then some writing, and then I can get to the embroidery machine. Wait—I can start the embroidery machine and do my work while it stitches. And if I'm smart, I'll get both machines going! That will save a lot of time. 

And yes - I voted. That was my "errand" for the day, and I walked there. It wasn't far. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!