That's a lot of thread!

Yep - I'd say that I've been abducted by aliens and someone else has taken over my body!!  While I am a good worker and get lots done - I rarely get things finished. But I MUST MUST MUST change that work habit - there are too many unfinished things and I cannot keep adding to the problem.

Let's see what got done yesterday!!!!

So remember what I was doing with the tubes?????   check back to this post (of December 31) if you have no clue what I am taking about. And this project got pulled out of the closet because of something that I pulled out to do for QUILTSocial. You will see what else I pulled out of the closet for QUILTSocial next week.  My posts start on Monday.

I am busy working on these tubes and OH CRAP  - I am going to run out of thread!  NO - I don't want to stop. I have deadlines - OK - my own deadlines!  But still it is a deadline.

Running out of thread

WAIT - NO - I did buy another spool of thread and it was in my purse. I ran to get that and I was back in business.

Another spool of thread to keep going

OK - let's step back one bit to catch you up. This is where I left you with the story of this project.

All the tubes together - more or less

 I cut up the tube sets into blocks. The pattern called for 15 blocks, but that was too small for me. Oh yes - if you are going to make something - make it a decent size. Besides, I doubt Sparky would fit on 15 blocks. So I made 20. Well - I aimed for twenty.  I had enough for 18 blocks. Oh yes - I had to cut apart some of the leftovers and resew them together to get those 18 blocks!!!!    NOTHING goes to waste in this house - not if I can help it.

My rug with 18 of 20 blocks. 

BUT - I had this for leftovers...............

Leftover bits from cutting the 18 blocks. 

 So I match the bits up by length as best I could and sewed them together in groups of 12.

Two partial sets

Then I joined them and cut one more block

Made two new partial tube sets, joined them and got my last block!!!!

Of course - Sparky had to check out the rug/. Actually she was eating a treat that she stole. I had given it to Sammy who hid it in the shower!!!!   I know - poor dog. Then DH brought it down to show me - I put it on the table and Sparky stole it!!!!!   Sparky is NOT allowed upstairs so she couldn't get to the shower. 

My TWENTY blocks!!!!!!!!!!!!   Can you tell which ones are joined????   If you didn't know that I joined two of them  - you probably wouldn't notice right away!!!!

This is what is left over. The smaller bits went into the scrap bag. 

 Now it is time to bind the raw edges of those blocks.

Adding the binding to the raw inside edges of the blocks

All the binding on the raw inside edges - DONE at last. That was a LONG hard boring job!!!!!

 Oh let's say that sewing the rug together was FUN.   Almost as bad as that bag - it was tough as you really had to shove those pieces together!!!!

Time to get that binding on. ACK - I ran out of thread AGAIN!!!!!!    AGAIN!!!!!!!   

 Back to Fabricland to get one LAST spool of thread. But had to wait since I ran out on New Year's day when the store was closed.

And VOILA - the rug is done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Completed rug!!!!!

Let's just say that making it bigger wasn't necessarily a good idea. It was like sewing a big piece of cardboard at the end.  Hmmmm - that seems to be a common theme with my projects these days!!!!!    But I got it done!!!!!!!!!!! That is pretty much unheard of for me!!!!!!!!  

The pattern does mention that the project takes a LOT of thread. What do you think????

That's a LOT of thread.   I am thinking I could have made a model of the Parthenon with all those spools!!!!

And now the last part of the project - what to do with the remaining bits.

The remaining bits

ACK - I felt they were too stiff to throw in the scrap bag - more on that later. So while I watched Modern Family - FIVE episodes - I ripped them out.  I know - I can't help myself. But I find it very therapeutic. A mindless task with no pressure - and I was happy as a clam.

The scraps of batting went into the scrap bag and the pieces of brown went into the brown scrap box.

The leftover bits of brown.

 The pattern is called "Bat's in the Rug" by Aunties Two Pattern.   The purpose is to use up those leftover batting scraps. Well - it did use up a LOT. Here is the picture of the original rug.   I will be making a few more projects from her web site!!!!    Lots of cool interesting things and using up scraps which I like!!!!




Yes - I am developing the patience of a saint. And you know what - I don't think that is such a bad thing. If we don't stop and smell the roses and just do mindless tasks once in a while - our brains are going to seize up.

Of the TEN projects - Number TWO - is DONE!!!!!!!    Yes - this was one of the ten projects!!!!

AH - but you are saying - you didn't technically finish number ONE which was the Chubby Charmer.  Oh yes I did.  Off to Canadian Tire to get duck tape.

All the edges of the sign board are taped up

Safely inserted into the fabric sleeve

And nicely tucked into the bottom of the Chubby Charmer!!!!!!

That makes TWO days and TWO projects.  Am I happy????   You bet and I have project number three all lines up and ready to sew sometime today!!!!!   That one shouldn't take very long.   I am very SERIOUS about this mess. It is like trying to quit smoking - you can't quit until YOU (the smoker) has made the commitment. And in this case - I have made the commitment to get a good part of this mess cleaned up.  I even think about the projects when I go to bed (no dreams about them - thank god), when I wake up, when I am walking the dogs.  There are several that have hurdles - I am trying to fix the hurdles in my mind BEFORE I get to them - then it is easy to do the actual work.


Got the binding on the community projects quilt. So all four are ready to be hand stitched!!!

Binding is sewn on the quilt

 And I got a customer quilt quilted, trimmed and delivered!!!!

Customer quilt

Oh yes - I was on a roll yesterday.  I have a TO DO list that I create everyday - I LOVE checking things off. I decided that instead of hand writing it - I will do the list in WORD - then everyday - I can delete those things that got done and add a few more things for the next day. Not sure that is the best way - but I am going to stick with that for the time being - until I get side tracked and do something else.


Don't worry - I am having loads of fun as I work my way through all this stuff. The studio looks a smidgen cleaner than it did but I am also putting Christmas decorations away so - too messy for photos. But later -

On that note - I am off to get even more done today.  I am so excited!!!!!


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


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