Dancing in the rain!

No gym this morning, but I was up early and loading a quilt. As I was working away, I realized something - I used to get up every morning at 5 AM and I would sew until 6:30. That morning time was my personal sewing time and didn't matter what happened in the rest of the day - that time was mine. Well with the gym inserted into the mix - I have lost three mornings a week and the other mornings seem to be taken up with whatever crisis is happening that day. I can't even remember when I last sewed during that time frame!!!  It seems the only sewing I get in now is on Mondays and Thursdays!!!!

Yesterday despite having tons of stuff to do, I headed off to the Hamilton Quilt Show. It is still on today so if you get a chance - you should check it out. The venue is close to the highway - Ancaster Fairgrounds, the venue is gorgeous, the quilts are spectacular, GREAT vendors. Yep - it is worth the drive to Ancaster!!!

I noticed a LOT of hand quilted quilts which is something you don't see that often. And then there were lots quilted by the long-arm quilters. There were a number of instances where there was more than one of the same quilts and they were hung together. Pros and cons to this but I thought it was a good idea as the quilts all had something unique to offer and yet you could compare them to each other - mostly in the colours. Who cares who has the best workmanship - we don't normally look at a quilt up close and if we do - then we have too much time on our hands!

I bought a couple of older quilt books in the member's boutique for $1 each. And look at the TREASURE I found there...............

There are 15 circles. I mean really - could I leave that behind?????   Not sure what to do with it yet - but a couple of ideas come to mind

Took loads of pictures which I will NOT share with you - you have to go to the show. But I will be sharing some of the photos with my machine quilting classes. I have one today. So last night - I was running around the studio like an idiot.  I decided that it would be a good idea to try some new embroidery designs - ooops - that means installing new software. Ooops - that is ONLY part of the required software - the missing part - I have to pay for. I have the older version that won't work with this particular machine. Can't use my old sewing machine - the hoop isn't big enough.  And let's get that new machine out that I am trying to get the blog posts completed for.  Oh yes - I seem to be able to create my own chaos with no problem.

Those tables just keep getting crammed with more stuff - now there is a serger and TWO sewing machines added to the projects!!!!

OK - so back to the pictures.  Hmmm - I could load them on my tablet to show the students today.  HEY - I could actually print those photos out!   What a concept that is!   I remembered from being in Shopper's in St. John's that they have instant picture printing.  There is a Shopper's very close - I edited the appropriate pictures - zipped off to Shopper's and 10 minutes later - I walk out INTO THE POURING RAIN - but I had my pictures, and milk and cereal and a new thermometer (M is sick with fever, sore throat).  Very inexpensive to get the pictures printed - everything else cost more!  This was around 8 PM last night. The pictures turned out awesome, the students are going to be happy and I am finally doing what I keep telling the students to do.  Once it is complete - I will share it with you. But I am making an inspiration book for quilting designs. Sorry - you have to take the class to get the inspirations!!!  Or just look around and make your own!


Oh - and the thermometer for M? I didn't give it to her.  I remembered that she had our thermometer (in other words - it wasn't me who lost it). Well she lost it in her room and was looking for the other one we had which I threw out because the battery was toast.   So I think she needs to take some responsibility and look for the one that she lost BEFORE I even think of giving her the new one.  Hey - she has a fever - don't need a thermometer tell me that.  I know - I am a NON-CARING Mom!!!!

This is the second time she has been sick like this in a couple of months.  Hmmm - she is getting lots of sleep, eating healthy - not sure why. Maybe she needs to eat more dirt!


Speaking of eating - I got some tips from Lisa on the teeth brushing thing. It would appear that brushing and flossing MULTIPLE times a day is the trick.  It is NOT enough to just floss ONCE - nope, two, sometimes three times a day. Lisa just had a dental appointment and they told her she could scale down the frequency of her cleanings because her teeth were so clean. WHAT????   That is a first - but it must be the multiple brushing/flossing routine. Not that we would call her obsessive!!!!   I will aim for flossing once a day - that is my goal.

Oh yes - back to M.  She is doing an internship at Fashion magazine.

November issue of FASHION

The fine print page

And if you look close - you will see M's name on that line with all the other internists!!!!    Way to go M - you are published!!!!  Well sort of!

This morning's task was to load a large quilt in preparation for quilting later today. The backing provided was a wide backing. Now in case you think you are doing your long arm quilter a favour in using the wide backings - there are pros and cons to this.  I do NOT iron those backings. What?  If the owner of the quilter doesn't want to press it - neither do I!  Unless they ask me and then I will charge them for that service. BUT here is the thing - one would expect that the backing would come off the bolt STRAIGHT.  NOPE - case in point - I was loading this backing this morning, listening to my audio book and I did NOT pay attention but once it was loaded it was CROOKED.  Too crooked to fix on the machine and so I had to take it off.   I did not take any pictures of the backing to show you what it looked like.

So off the machine - and I wiggled and jiggled and I got the backing to lie flat - the selvedges are lined up on one side and the fold lies flat as you see in this picture.

That fold is flat NOW!

Here you can see by how much I had to offset one end from the other in order for that to happen

This is the other end.

And you can see how wonky that end is once it was rolled onto the machine

BUT - the backing is nice and straight on the machine.

Oh well - live and learn!   Anyway - something to look at when you buy wide backings!!!!

On a VERY SAD note - check out this story about Pam Bono.  I am shocked beyond belief. Life just takes some wild turns sometimes. Here is another story about the situation.   No one will ever really understand why this happened, but does highlight that it is important to deal with mental health issues.

On that note - I have a couple of blog posts that need to get done this morning as I have a wild and crazy day ahead of me.  Exciting though!!!!



Have an awesome day!!!!!!!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!