Fast, Fun and Fabulous

Yesterday was a GOOD DAY!!!!    I know - not ONE but TWO appointments with dental related people and it was a good day????

I had to laugh at the periodontist. The assistant comes in - asks all kinds of medical questions.  For heaven's sake - I am just here for a consultation. Not getting any work done!!  Nope they ask me about everything that has ever happened to me!   Then she takes my blood pressure! Seriously???  I think they are trying to find the hidden sick people or those with white coat syndrome.  I asked her what my blood pressure was when she was done.   90 over 60!!!!   No white coat syndrome for me!!!!!!!

After much poking and prodding and taking UGLY pictures of my teeth - the periodontist and I had a chat.  Bottom line - no major issues.  I have UGLY but stable implants, but since no one can see them - there are no issues.  No bone graphing will solve my problem which isn't really a problem (dentist is just being cautious!) and if anything - I would need to have some gum tissue removed (I know - who would have thought!!). But for the moment - NO ACTION is required.

Ooops - let me rephrase that - these guys are scaring the devil out of me and I MUST MUST MUST continue to be scrupulous with the cleaning or I will end up with major issues.   Anyone know anything about WaterPiks?????   Not necessary, but may help.   I have HUGE holes under those loose gums!!!!


Dentist did his thing with my cavity.  Took a half hour and I was out of there.  No BIG deal.  I have learned how to relax at the dentist and I just zone right out of that room.  Good thing - since I have ONE more cavity next week.


Yeah - the things I was dreading turned out to be no big deal!!!!   BUT I must must must keep those teeth clean!!!  And let's not forget to floss!!!!!   I did get the hygienist to show me how to brush last time.  I know - sounds weird, but obviously I have been doing something wrong all these years.


Back home and got some quilting and sewing done.

I got the borders put on this curved piecing quilt.  No top or bottom borders - just the sides. The binding is done - I just need to get the backing stitched together.  Hmmm - I might take it and show my class today how to do it since we are working on backings. 

Then back to the quilting machine.  After the  classes that I have taken in the last couple of months I have made a couple of decisions.  It is time to be FAST, have FUN and get  FABULOUS.   I keep trying to communicate that to my students and while I enjoyed my quilting - I wasn`t really having the most fun that I could have.  That is going to change!!!!!   I am so excited about this change (mindset change) that I can`t wait to attack those buckets with my own quilts.  In the meantime - I will be heads down for the next couple of weeks trying to get everything caught up.

But have a look at this quilt

Customer quilt - done

Customer wanted loose feathers in the border.  I don`t have a stencil that is that width so I partially marked the feathers using the stencils that I had.   The colour of the border fabric is very hard to mark.  I finally decided to just wing it.  And you know what - I had FUN, I think the feathers are pretty FABULOUS and it was FAST.

Free hand feathers

Now there is one thing that I have learned - I can do feathers no problem, but I can`t do them upside down. So my homework is going to be practicing drawing them upside down.  Because my upside down feathers weren`t looking like feathers - I had to take the quilt off the machine and turn it.  Remember my theory of FAST - well that is not fast - so got to learn.


There are several things that I have learned over the last couple of months about machine quilting - hopefully they will help you as well.

1. NOTHING (I mean NOTHING) is perfect (nor should it be especially on a quilt. Claudia equates her quilting to her handwriting - I LOVE that anaology!)

2.  Practice - practice - practice (this wasn't something that I just learned but it is very important).   Get the paper out and practice - practice - practice on the paper.  Critical to success. Then get some muslin and practice with the sewing machine, trace with your finger - THEN you are ready for the real thing.

3.  Look at examples of quilting that you like - how can you break it down into units that you can do???   Make an inspiration book.  You would be AMAZED when you start breaking down densely quilted quilts to see how they are quilted

4. We should be having FUN while we quilt.  How does one have fun? Well - look at the above - don't try to learn everything at once.

5.  The MOST important thing about - STOP STOP STOP being so critical of yourself.  PERFECTION is NEVER going to happen.  And it shouldn't either.


So sit down - relax - STOP stressing and have FUN with your quilting..


On that note - I have embroidery this morning and I hope to get another block done!!!!!!!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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