Thanks to a couple of US-based friends who offered to receive that Cherrywood Challenge book and forward it on. I also got a lead on another option which will have the package forwarded close to me for a wee extra fee. So I'm going to investigate that one first. Thanks, Laura!!!
Hmm -- we may have to turn the furnace on soon. It's getting a little bit chilly in the mornings. But then, when you get moving, you don't notice the cold. I really notice the cold with my hands the most.
I'm happy to report that I got one of my writing assignments done yesterday. That was a follow-up to a class, and well - I'm of the mindset that if I'm going to write something, it needs to be done well. So I had a bit of extra research I wanted to do. AND OMG -- I found something that I hadn't remembered I had until I saw it on the internet during my research! I think the class will be pleased that they had to wait.
AH -- that would be the Pellon Retail Guide. I remember getting it when I went to Quilt Market one year, along with BOLTS of their product that they didn't want to ship back, so they were giving them away free. Yes, I've used some of the products, but most of the bolts were more obscure products, but I hope to get into other types of sewing soon, and they may come in handy.
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| The Pellon Retail Guide |
But inside the guide is a description and a swatch of all their products. If you want to see it, I'm sure your local quilt store has a copy. Perhaps they would let you look at it. It might be helpful if you have products that you're trying to identify!
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| Inside the Retail Guide |
And where was it? Well, I have this little cubby on my desk, and when I used to use swatch books a lot more than I currently do, I placed all that kind of stuff in that cubby. My brain got triggered by the photo on the website and VOILA.
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| Storage for swatch books |
I have a drawer with all my stabilizer and interfacing samples, along with all the pertinent reference material. This will now be added to that drawer. See -- it's all about putting ALL things related to the same topic in one place. The materials were organized; they were just not together.
I have been through the swatch books and may go through them again to see what can be tossed. I used to COVET those lookbooks from fabric companies, but it can all be seen online now. It seems a waste to get a hard copy of them. So I may find a bit more room in that area of my desk!
OMG -- I just pulled all that stuff out of that cubby and found a SECOND one of those guides!!! How did that happen?? Well, I don't want to give it away, but I could lend the second one if anyone would like to look at it. It's a bit challenging to lend things these days! Hmm -- I'm sure I'll find a worthy home for the second one as I surely don't need two of them.
Speaking of organizing, I decided to bite the bullet, and this is what happened.
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| The table is wiped clean - almost |
There were a couple of empty spots on the bookcases, so I filled them with stuff. And I found homes for the rest of the stuff. Everything except ONE tray filled with paper.
Then I took everything that was on the floor and moved it to the table. This is all the CURRENT stuff that I'm trying to deal with. At least, I now have some room to lay it out, select what I need for that day, and the rest is out of the way.
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| The current paperwork situation |
And none of it will get muddy pawprints over it as Miss Murphy feels she must stamp everything with her signature! I guess she's trying to help with the paperwork! "Hey Mom, this is approved! Now come play with me!" Yep -- I'm sure that goes through her head all day long!
So hopefully, that move will help keep my current stuff a bit more organized and encourage me to get it done and filed or pitched or whatever needs to be done with it!
I'm in the same boat with the cutting table. I NEED an active workspace, whether that's in the office or the sewing room. The important thing is to use it as an ACTIVE workspace, NOT as a storage place or a place where items with no home take up residence. That's when it becomes BAD. I don't think I've ever thought of that for the office. DUH!!! I've wanted that but never thought of it in the sense of active workspace. My computer desk does NOT allow for that functional space. It's not large enough.
So this is the cutting table this morning. Looking pretty good, I have to say. The project on the left is one that I cut borders for this morning, and I'm not done with that fabric, so it's still sitting there. But everything else for this project is now filed in the stash room, scraps, and yardage - all gone!
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| The cutting table |
I have to say that it feels incredible to have that wide-open space. I wish I had been more prolific with picture taking before when I had a 12" corner of the cutting table to work on! Yep -- I used to be like that!
This is the other half of the cutting table. I could move these to the current projects table (the "table in waiting"!), but I really want to get these things finished. Most could be cleared up in a short timeframe. So nothing that needs to be filed - just finished and then filed! I'm keeping it here for the moment because I'm determined to get this cleared up! And cleared up BEFORE anything else goes on there.
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| The other half of the cutting table |
Then there's the stack of stuff sitting by the sewing machine that is waiting to be sewn. There's a Virtual Retreat tonight and all day tomorrow. My plan is to make significant progress in both areas. But I do know that everything takes way longer than we anticipate it will. So we'll see how it goes. Actually, that box on the cutting table contains the fabric for the next magazine quilt, and since that deadline is approaching fast, that's probably what I'll work on this retreat! One must be realistic!
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| Projects ready to sew |
I got one more quilt quilted yesterday. I love the colors of this one - bright orange and grey! No issues!
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| Customer quilt - DONE |
You have to love the Wi-Fi-enabled sewing machines. This morning, I found loads of Halloween projects in there. Most with a decorative stitch or an embroidery file that I can download to work with. That's pretty cool!
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| New Halloween projects in the mySewnet blog |
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| New decorative applique stitches to download! |
We also can give our machines a nickname that you can program right into the machine. I've never given any of my possessions a name. Not my car, not my sewing machine. Weird, but it works better for me. Can you imagine explaining to my customers why I'm sending a file to "Bessy" instead of my Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2??
OK -- so we had a great class last night with the Urbanalogie group. OK -- so we were only three people, but we chatted for an hour, and we chatted about new classes. That's a very dangerous topic, but Maria offered up the most fantastic class idea ever!!!! It was a super interesting conversation. Hey -- that's an idea -- why not invite a few people to a brainstorming session on different classes? That would be awesome. Well, maybe we can do that during the Virtual Retreat.
I've got a couple things to confirm, but I hope to put out a list of my classes for 2022 by the end of next week. Don't worry - there'll be loads of room for everyone. But I think you'll be pleased with the offering! So if you have an idea for a class, this weekend is the time to get it to me! E-mail me or pop by the Virtual Retreat to let me know your thoughts.
OH -- I can't wait! Seriously?? I'm still working on finishing up stuff for this year! However, I will say that I'm in EXCELLENT shape for finishing the FIVE quilts that we did this year. Most of them just need the final border(s) put on, and then I'm done!! So that's pretty impressive. No UFO status for those projects.
Don't forget that it's Virtual Retreat weekend. That would be tonight and all day tomorrow. Here are the links and the hours. I hope to see you! Stop by to say hi for a bit, set up your sewing machine, or get some handwork and sit and sew. We talk about everything and anything. It's a lot of fun and sure beats sewing by yourself! Plus, we solve world issues, but more importantly, we solve sewing issues that we may encounter!
Saturday, October 23 From 6 PM - 9 PM
Sunday, October 24, From 10 AM - 9 PM)
I'm pretty much ready for my two classes this morning, a meeting this afternoon, and then SEWING!!!!
Well, it's time to get out and walk the girls. Gosh -- it's still pretty dark outside, and it's already 7 AM!!! But I don't mind!
Have a super day!!!
Ciao!!!
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