Thursday, November 5, 2015

It's time to get signed up!



I love my job, however it meant that I had to cut back on many other activites including teaching. But I am not giving teaching up entirely.  If you want to be part of the fun - here are a couple of things to check out.

There is a class on November 21 from 1 PM - 3 PM at Sew Sisters.   It's all about Improving your sewing/quilting techniques.  I'll be demoing many problem areas and answering questions.  If you plan to come (and you should!) bring samples of your problem areas and I'll help you fix them.  I'll have my books for sale that day as well.

Want to get involved in one of the Saturday (year long) projects?   These are so much fun.  Not only do we end up with a great quilt at the end of the year, but we have loads  of fun throughout the year as we check out what each other has done.  So nice to admire how different the quilts all look with different fabric and let's face it - most people end up changing at least one thing.  Always great fun.

There are two great projects for next year. The first is Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt.  This pattern is a popular one.  Not only will we be checking out some beautiful blocks with neat sewing techniques, but it's an opportunity to explore designing your own setting for the blocks you choose to make. I have a feeling that some EQ7 might be covered in this class - just saying.......    And this is the quilt that I am going to pick to use busy backgrounds.  I struggle with this and well - I'm going to throw caution to the wind and use busy backgrounds.  Now that I have publicly said that - well I have no choice!!!!!

Farn Girl Vintage by Lori Holt
 Here is the link at Sew Sisters for the sign up information.



The second class is Vintage Moments.  This is a gorgeous Medallion quilt that is loaded with learning opportunities.  Eight pointed stars, fussy cutting diamonds, applique (just a teeny bit), coping border strips and much much more.   The quilt is beautiful and you could have your very own version - all it takes is to sign up!
Vintage Moments by Marsha McCloskey


Here is the link at Sew sisters for the sign up information

While both of these patterns have vintage in the title - there is no reason to not make them bright, use batiks, or dark fabrics - it is time for us to get out of the box and explore new color schemes.




I was looking for my "away" rotary cutter the other day - where the heck did I put that thing.  Well when I got to work on Tuesday and pulled out the box of stuff that I brought back from Market - I opened it up and right on top was my rotary cutter (on the left).  Duh - I needed some class supplies (I know - this was for classes during Market, not during Festival) and I knew I wasn't going to need this stuff so I shipped it home on the crate.  Ah - my little box of other "away" tools was there as well. No wonder I couldn't find anything at home when I was trying to sew.


My rotary cutter and tool box
 Instead of grabbing the backup "away" stuff - I grabbed what I use off my sewing table.  That was bad.  The only thing I could find the other day was an extra seam ripper.  Hmmm - not good when you have a LOT of seam rippers.

This was the box of "stuff" that I accummulated during Market.  There were a few things that I purchased, but it mostly came from classes and freebies from booths and business cards and brochures.  Lots of business cards and brochures.

Box of stuff to sort through


Best to sort it by category and then deal with each category one at a time.   I spent the entire day Tuesday and a good part of the day on Wednesday editing those two patterns.  BUT - all the changes have been sent to the pattern designer and we are good to go.  Now I don't want you to think that I am slow and that we had a terrible pattern designer because that is NOT the case.  I want to make sure that if we say - the quilt should measure 41 by 57 1/2" - that in fact the math is correct.  And that is one of the things that I hate because it takes a bit on figuring to not include seam allowances, border sizes/blocks are different and god forbid that we make a mistake.   Let's not foget that this designer wrote pretty indepth instructions and the patterns were both about 10 or 11 pages long. That is a LOT of brain power required to make that happen.

There is also the fact of how things are worded - you might read an instruction  and think this is the best way, but if I puzzled once over reading it - then I reworded the insturctions.   Hopefully it will make sense to the makers.

The last one to edit today is my own.  The pattern is only four pages and so should go fairly quickly. I hope because I have a ton of other things that I need to catch up on.

My desk when I left the other day - didn't put a thing away. 
 And there is usually one or two quilts hanging around on a chair or on the floor.  Or bolts of fabric or both.

Rich and I had a meeting yesterday with the management team about our findings when we were at Festival. I had a hard time convincing them what a sacrifice it was for me to be there.  I don't think they bought it for a second.  But I had done my research and had lots to show n tell.

I sorted through all my Market/Festival photos and will be sharing them with you over the next week.  All the quilts have been unloaded from the crates and were unceremoniously piled in a pile on the floor.   Oh no -  well I was looking for a new quilt for my wall.  It was time to take down the Halloween quilt.  I found this one in the pile and "claimed" it as my own.  No one else is that interested in changing up the quilts so I make it my job to make sure my office has something new all the time.

This is a new fabric that will be coming - it is called Nature Studies and comes in several colourways.  The orange is ONE fabric that has an ombre effect.    I really love this quilt and hopefully it will stay up for the next month until it is time to hang a different season on Decemer 1.

This is also a pattern that we will be promoting - gosh it is from Wanda's Designs but I can't think of the name.   It is either Tango or Rumba.

Tango or Rumba by Wanda's Designs with Northcott's Nature Studies fabric


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On that note - I have a couple of things to get done before I head off to work today.

Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!!

PS - don't forget to sign up for one of those classes.


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