What a super day we had yesterday. I don't think we had any new faces on our Zoom Virtual Retreat, but gosh, it's so nice to check in with everyone. We had people connect all the way from Germany to Cochrane, Alberta. Hello everyone!!!! So great to see everyone and thanks for stopping by to chat. I feel like I really know you all!!!
Don't be shy - you don't have to stay and sew, just pop in to say HI. It's great fun to get to know some of you a little bit better, and we had some fascinating discussions. We don't just talk about quilting, but a vast range of topics came up yesterday, and what a great place to really hear what's going on in other areas, especially since we're all going through this pandemic regardless of where on the planet you are.
I think I was the most productive at a virtual retreat as I've ever been. I was prepped, and I actually sewed all day!
When I have a few minutes of downtime, I rifle through those bags of stuff to see what is in there. AHA -- I found a few things that I knew I could quickly find a home for. The first thing was a bag of license plates from the Row by Row Experience. They are from 2016. Oh my - I thought all the license plates were in the BOXES of stuff for Row by Row. Obviously not. So now this bag of license plates is with the rest of the Row by Row stuff—one less bag of things to deal with from the IKEA bags.
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| Row by row license plates |
We got to talking about my automatic sock knitter. No - it's not set up at this point, which I sort of promised that it would be by this retreat. I didn't have time. BUT, I found a ball of sock yarn that I had purchased two years ago to try out on the sock knitter. That is now in the box with the sock knitter so that when I do get it going, I won't have to search for the yarn.
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| A ball of sock yarn |
Then I found this zippered pouch that I made several years ago. What's it filled with??? ZIPPERS - lots and lots of zippers. Oh - you are kidding me!!!!
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| Zippers |
The zippers are now in the container with the rest of the zippers. Did I mention that I've had to expand my zipper collection to TWO boxes as they no longer fit in one box? That's sad! Obviously, the plan was to make more of those pouches. Well, I don't think so. Let's move on!
That's all that got pulled from those bags yesterday, but I swear that by the time I get all the CLUTTER out of those bags, there won't be much left to put into the NEW and UFO tubs. That's a great thing, and all those odd bits are going to be in their proper home, so when I need a red zipper, I'll know what I have.
It's actually loads of fun to go through all that stuff and finally get it in order. It's like Christmas. Once those bags are in order, I may just keep going and hit ALL the storage areas where projects and supplies are hoarded away. It's not really that bad - I think there is just that metal shelf in Studio B that should be looked at, although most of what's on it are UFOs and there's a closet in Studio B that should be looked at as well. Yes - I might just do that since I'm on a roll, but baby steps. Let's get this current mess under control, then I can start another one.
I started the day by working on the disappearing nine-patch. I'm trying to get it done by next Sunday. I have ONE week. I'm not sure that I'm going to hit that deadline, but even if I don't, it doesn't matter as I've made HUGE headway into getting it done, and there is no money on the table for this month. I do have the other two projects that I would like to get done before our UFO meeting, and those take priority over this one since this one is the BONUS project. Aren't I the lucky one who gets BONUS projects to work on!! I have that list of UFOs, and I want them DONE! I'm motivated - that UFO monthly meeting keeps me motivated. Not so much for the $10 that I will get to keep, but by showing the others what I accomplished. Oh yes - peer pressure!!! If you have a lot of UFOs and want some motivation, I'll be rerunning the group next year, and the year after that, and after that, and well, you get the picture!
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| The disappearing nine-patch |
I really like this quilt, and for the moment, I'm keeping it. I've been trying to not have two of the same fabric side by side. Kitty-corner is OK, but not side by side. Well, when I put up the latest row, I've got two fabrics side by side. Thankfully, it's on the section where several rows are the same length, so I might be able to do a switcharoo before I start sewing the rows together. I've turned the corner and now working down the side!! Sixteen rows are sewn, and sixteen left to sew or something like that.
That took several hours to get those two rows done. Then I left that so I could work on my Summer Moon quilt. I got enough of the blocks done last month to show the group the tips, but I never went back and finished the rest of the blocks. We are making three different sizes for each block.
Now all three sizes of this block are done! I had to make the small and the medium ones yesterday.
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| Three blocks for Summer Moon - done |
I also had to make the medium and the small one of these blocks. YES - I know the value contrast sucks, and so does the color contrast. I'm over it. The bottom line - the blocks are done!!!
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| The second set of blocks for Summer Moon |
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| The third set of blocks |
Each of the blocks needs a frame sewn to them. I was behind on getting the framing cut for this series of blocks, and I wanted to have all the framing cut for the rest of the blocks that we haven't made yet. I'm happy to report that all the framing for the medium and large blocks are now cut and ready to sew as the blocks get finished.
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| The framing for the blocks |
The small blocks require a pieced frame, and half of those frames are cut and ready to sew on when the appropriate block is made. Don't worry - everything is up to date!! Yes - I'm totally up to date on this project. The next class is this coming Saturday and guess what? I've started to cut out the next series of blocks, and I'm going to sew them today. I hope to get ALL the blocks (nine of them) sewn today, along with the new set of framing. That would be a huge task to accomplish today. Then I can write up the homework, and it'll be ready to go out next weekend. That would leave two other projects to prep before the weekend, plus my UFOs. So you see - there's a lot to do this week.
I did get all my framing caught up as well. The frames are on the large blocks for last month.
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| The framing on the large blocks |
The frame is now on the one small block that could be framed. Oh - I lied. I'll be adding the framing to the medium blocks today. Then I'll be entirely caught up!
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| Framing on a small block |
I had an emergency of sorts as I was piecing last night. I had some watermelon while I was sewing, and instead of putting the bowl aside, I placed it BEHIND my sewing machine. Why?? No idea. Well, the next thing I knew, my blocks went into the bowl of watermelon juice. Usually, I drink that juice, but I thought that would be rude to drink from that bowl on Zoom.
NO!!!!!! There was a bit of red on the block, but I rinsed it out, and it seems to be OK. Alright - so you can't see the red. It's going to be just fine! I'm over it!
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| Block hit by watermelon juice |
I have more serious issues to worry about with that quilt. Whites!!!! GRRR - they are a total pain. I thought I was working with white fabric on this quilt. I knew I didn't have enough, so I whacked off another piece from my bolt of solid white fabric. Only to realize that my bolt is SUPER white, and what I was using is WHITE. Oh god - well, you know what? I'm over it. It's not really going to make a big difference in the quilt. And I'm not stopping to find more white that I know I don't have. Let's just get this done, and I bet if I didn't tell you, you wouldn't know.
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| My WHITE fabrics |
Hey, now there's a wee chocolate stain on one block, watermelon on another, and the whites don't match. It's called Summer Moon, after all. All that adds to the patina of this summer quilt! Besides, who would make a WHITE summer quilt? Imagine the grass stains!!!
Speaking of white things. Isn't this dog supposed to be white? He sure doesn't look white! M had better not see this photo. That little guy is positively grey and needs to be whitened up! We had a great chat about dog grooming, and thank goodness, my two were NOT around for that. They would be demanding baths regularly. In the tub in the bathroom, no less! Others are much braver than I!
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| the not so white dog |
Little Bear is now going to get a nightly facial before bed to try and get the goop out of his eyes. Apparently, it's a big deal in these little white dogs. Oh well, I'm failing at babysitting granddogs! But that's OK - they are having a lot of fun, and I'm all about having fun! But I'm good with the facial!
We started last night. He needs to get used to it. He didn't object, but we didn't get a lot of gunk off. I need a hotter washcloth. He's trying to be tough, but I know he loves it.
I was cutting out the next blocks this morning, and here are my strips of white laid out. It's the best way to cut blocks for these kinds of quilts—lots of the same background fabric used in each block. There is so much waste in some of these quilt patterns, but not the way that I cut them. No waste.
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| Strips laid out to cut the next series of blocks |
Here's the Zoom link for today.
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86773284159?pwd=bVRsVVYxV1pxRWM3OGpqM1JqcUFIQT09 Meeting ID: 867 7328 4159 Passcode: 377484
I can't wait to spend another day sewing. It's so much more fun to sew all day when you have great conversations. I could be listening to an audiobook, I could be listening to the radio, but it's not nearly as much fun as having real people to chat with!!!! So if you get a chance, pop in and say HI.
On that note, I'm out of here.
Have a super day!!
Ciao!!!
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