And the marathon begins..........

Ever get yourself into one of those situations when you aren't over booked, but you have something going on for days cause it just works out that way????

Let's just say that the next FIVE days are like that!!!

I have realized one thing - I need to have MORE people come to my house. I have been super motivated to get everything back to normal (if that even exists!). The quilts that we took down when the floors were done in MARCH are back up except one because I hope to upgrade the hanger it is on. Two pieces of furniture are moved back into their original place - only three more pieces to move. The kids moved all the stuff from the dining room/office that had to be sorted into the garage (ah - the benefits of a garage!!!)   But I am REALLY REALLY motivated to get it sorted. A few more pictures to hang up and then I think the house is pretty much ready for the party tomorrow night.

Then the studio has taken a beating as well. The last three pieces of design wall that has been sitting here FOREVER are almost ready to go up. OK - half is done. The tables are cleared - well mostly. And now just two quilts that are on the wall have to be sewn. Then I am ready for my sit n sew day on Sunday.

I "employed" the kids to help out. No free labour from teens these days.

Berke and M building an Ikea cabinet - the Alex

My two Ikea (Alex) cabinets. I had one built, but no time to do the other one

Stacks of stabilizers, interfacings  to be "filed"

Another container of stabilizers, interfacings. No wonder it was easier to go and buy more. They were jumbled together and I had no idea what I had. 

While they are still not perfect, at least like things are together in the same drawer, except the stabilizers where there is LOTS and LOTS. At least I know where to go when I want some. No more buying stabilizers - at least for a while.

Since I got my sewing machine back - I decided it was time to wind bobbins. I spent a LONG time this morning winding bobbins, but I won't have to do that job for a LONG LONG time.

Are you going to count them?????   There are 34 - I think!!!   That should last a month or two - depending on how much time I devote to the machine!!!!

And the bobbins in the "sewing away from home box!" - Yep - there is a retreat coming up!!!!   - I really really cannot wait!!!

And now for that design wall.......

Step one - gather the materials - 2' by 8' insulation boards - I buy the 1" thick ones. I use white flannel that has been washed. Masking tape. Then cut the insulation board with an exacto knife to get the proper height and cut out any electrical outlets or whatever. Then lay the flannel on a table and lay the insulation board with the writing to the top. Using the masking tape - upholstery the flannel to the board.  I start by roughly placing the masking tape.

Once that has been taped - I run another piece of tape - the full length alongside the first. 

Then pulling tightly - tape the other side. I tape in sections - pull about every two feet and go back and pull in between. Using lots and lots of tape. Oh yes - I know why I have put off this job. The pressure of pulling just kills my wrist!!!!!  I don't know why - the fabric isn't stretched that tight!!!

Then place another layer of tape over that entire section. Pull up the ends of the flannel and tape those in place and the panel is ready to screw onto the wall. I'll get to that tomorrow - I hope. I had better because we need to move these banquet tables to the kitchen where we are going to eat tomorrow night!!

FOR SALE - I had planned to make the design wall even BIGGER. But decided that I didn't need that. So I have TEN METERS of white (prewashed) flannel for sale. Any takers???????

And those two quilts that are currently on the existing design wall?????

Christmas Heart Light - the top half of this is together

One block of the Halloween - look how nice those orange sashes match up!!!   Thanks to all that trimming in the right spot!   Only nineteen more blocks to make!!!   A bit of a challenge to get the colours and the sashes (the in and out seams) in the right place. I know - I am anal about this!!!   I think that is part of the fun - more fun to figure out the logistics of sewing it together than the final product!   That must be why I am so good at solving problems for others - that is my favourite part or so it seems.

I spent a good part of the day helping the Halton Hills guild set up the quilt show.  This is what the room looked like when I arrived at 9 AM.

The room at 9 AM

And what did it look like when I left at 2`:30 PM?????????  

Well - it looked like this.......




HAH - of course -I am NOT going to show you. You have to go and see for yourself. It is an amazing show. There are some absolutely knock your socks off quilts - there are art quilts, traditional, big and small, machine and hand - a real variety. This is a GREAT opportunity to take lots of pictures for inspiration and for quilting ideas.

The members boutique was brimming with goodies for sale and very reasonably priced items which would make great gifts. After all - you know you will NOT get all those projects done by Christmas to give away.

There are two gorgeous raffle quilts which you can purpose tickets on - you should be very familiar with those two raffle quilts - I will have to find the pictures - one was log cabin and one was the birds. I will take pictures tomorrow and post them.

The little quilts in the toonie draw - I want them all - they are gorgeous. I know where all my money is going to go. You can decide which challenge quilt you like while you munch on goodies in the tea room and there are LOTS of vendors if you still have some money left!  And have a peek at what the outreach (community group) - lots of gorgeous quilts there as well.

I don't think you will be disappointed - well you will be disappointed if you do NOT go.

Where is it - Croatian Centre on Winston Churchill, a couple of KM north of 401.

Dates - Friday, October 14 - 10 AM - 5 PM
            Saturday, October 15, 10 AM - 4 PM



After I got home from setting up the show - I decided that I was going to send a reminder to my distribution lists to remind them of the show. WAIT A MINUTE - my distribution lists were ZAPPED in my recent Outlook woes!!!   Crap - can't put the recreation off any longer - so FOUR hours later - the lists were recreated and the e-mails were sent. I have printed out the lists (there are 10 of them) so that in future should this happen again - I won't have to go searching for them. But still a lot of work to reinput them.

I only have my calendar to recreate and then I think that issue will be completely put to bed. Let's hope something else doesn't go wrong. I just don't have time to redo that kind of thing!!!!

Well - I think I am going to go and ice my hand/wrist before popping into bed. Oh yes - I can play Scrabble on the iPad (haven't played all day!) and ice that hand.

Have a great day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!