Nothing beats learning by doing!

Where is the week going? It's now Thursday, and there are two days left of the sewing marathon. Well, not exactly, because Saturday and Sunday are jam-packed as well, but it's not the same. Those are FUN days where I get to sew and embroider and NO MORE PREP. 

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! Don't eat too much turkey!

The spin class was crazy -- it's starting to get busy, and I was surrounded by people on all sides. That hasn't happened in a while. But no worries -- we just get in there and turn the pedals! The two presentations yesterday went off without a hitch. All is good -- there are three to do today, two in French and one in English. I was hoping to have a bit more prepped for the English one, but it is what it is, and they have loads of stuff to contemplate. 

I did NOT get any additional applique done, although, at the end of the day, when I was totally brain dead, I did watch some more episodes of The Great British Baking Show. I don't know why -- I really wanted to go to bed as I was tired. 

So here's what happened around the neighborhood yesterday. Hmmm -- I do NOT understand why all these containers are hanging in a tree. Are they for the birds? There doesn't seem to be an opening for bird feed, and some of the containers are jars. That's a mystery. There is something written on the containers, but that might be just what used to be in them. 

Containers on a tree

I zoomed in, and they used to be baby food containers. But now, what's in them? 

And this is the progress on the house. Oh -- I bet you will be super excited when this house is back together again. I am NOT a pyromaniac, but I somehow seem to be fascinated by burnt things. Where did that come from? When I was little, I used to have dreams of running from our house that was on fire. It was terrifying, and I've NO idea where that originated from. Obviously, that tendency has stuck with me. 

New roof for the damaged house

I popped off to the mall. Not because I desperately needed anything, but while I was there, I did pick up a sewing magazine and a bottle of distilled water for the iron. I know, who else, but me, would carry a bottle of distilled water all the way home? 

The distilled water I carried home

I absolutely love the fact that I do my errands on foot. Anything further than 3 KM, I'll take the car, or I could take my bike, but closer than 3 KM - it's so pleasant to walk. Even if the weather is terrible. Our society today has gotten so cushy that people can't handle the slightest inconvenience or discomfort. 

As I was leaving the gym on Monday morning, I noticed the car beside me was running. I thought it might be someone listening to a song on the radio. Nope - that was the young couple following me. They had started their car so it would be warm when they arrived. Good grief -- it was about zero Celcius. God forbid, their bums get a bit cold sitting in the car for a minute to warm up. And they were probably already warm from their workouts. 

I think back to my parents' generation where they went to school with horse and buggy - no heaters - they were lucky if the buggy was closed in to keep out the wind and cold. I swear, we have made our society so afraid of being inconvenienced for a single thing or left uncomfortable for a single moment. We have lost our ability to be tolerant of ANYTHING. It's sad. 

Yeah!!!! Yesterday, I saw a teacher teaching her class how to cross the street! That is encouraging! Now, if she could just encourage their parents to walk them to school instead of driving them. Sigh..........

Speaking of walking, I have just over 200 KM to talk until I reach Signal Hill in St. John's. Wow --- that's about 16 more days, and I'll be done my cross Canada (virtual) walk. It took two years, but the end is near. I was trying to find a new route to walk virtually next year, and some people had suggested walking around Australia or across South America. I want a non-North America route. Do you know how far around Australia is???  It's almost 36,000 KM!!!!!   WOW -- perhaps I'll walk along one shore or across the center. I'm looking for something around 4,000 or 8,000 KM. I had thought about the Great Wall of China, but that's 22,000 KM. 

Almost reached my annual walking goal

Studio B is in total shambles. I had to remove my sewing machine off the table to use the steam press as there was no other space. 

The sewing machine has to sit on the floor

There are baskets and boxes of fabric and projects strewn on the floor. The ironing board is covered, as is the cutting table. 

The floor is covered with projects and fabric

Drawers are hanging open! Yep -- a bonafide mess. 

Drawers are hanging open

The best news -- I'm almost done with all the prep, and now I can start putting stuff away. It's going to take a week or more to make that happen. 

But here's the thing - I've been working with the serger. 

The Husqvarna Viking Amber Air S600 serger

While I've never been afraid of a serger, it's always made me apprehensive. My thoughts were it's hard to thread, I don't know how to choose a stitch, I don't even know all the stitches, and what are those loopers things for anyway??? Anyway -- you get the idea. 

Well, the last couple of months, I've been playing with several sergers, and WOW --- I went through them logically as that's the only way my brain works. So this is how all those moving parts work and why they are there. 

Best of all, I can identify the threads in a stitch, I can troubleshoot, and I'm feeling pretty confident in understanding a serger. Now, I have a few techniques to learn to construct certain items, but I'm feeling pretty good about it. Did I take a class -- no time. I read a couple of books, but I spent a LOT of time in front of the serger, and I played with the settings and threads and anything that moved. And it paid off. 

It's like anything -- the more you do, the better you get. It's like the spin class. When we had been away during the lockdown, it was agony to get back to it. Now I know I can easily crank out the 30 KM within my goal of one hour. Practice, practice, practice -- it pays off. 

I know I take way too many pictures of the girls and Murphy in particular. But hey --- they (she) are so cute, how can you not take pictures. 

She looks like a great sleepy lion!! 

The lioness

An can you tell me why she crams her body into this small bed when the big bed next to her is totally empty? 

Yep -- she's adorable. 

So - here's the thing --- at the mall, I was looking for paper napkins. They are tough to find! Well, neutral ones without Happy Birthday on them. And they are ALL over the place. Sometimes you see them in the party section or the seasonal section, but never in the kitchen section! 

Paper napkins

Here's a quick preview of what I'll be doing on Saturday afternoon. Wait for it -- going to be loads of fun, and I'm doing it virtually!

K for Kimberbell

One more QUILTsocial blog post is now available for you to read. You have to check out this post -- and think of Lavergne and Shirley! It's all about initials and sweaters!! Check it out! And if you have no idea who I'm talking about, Google it!! And look at images, and you'll see what I mean. 

A couple of reminders:

Facebook LIVE -- that's this Friday at 2:00 PM. I believe the place to find it LIVE is at this link. If not, this is where you can watch the previous videos. It's always fun when people come to chat and ask questions. I'll be wearing my sweater!!!

Virtual Retreat -- that's this weekend -- here are the links!

Saturday, November 27 from 6 PM -- whenever!

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89254233911?pwd=VGQrTnFybW1HMWpleHA4M2Q2NGVwZz09 Meeting ID: 892 5423 3911 Passcode: 982797

Sunday, November 28 from 10 AM to 8 PM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87246635892?pwd=VGY1cUUyLzRaRi9VUVV2ZWFINXc2dz09 Meeting ID: 872 4663 5892 Passcode: 440473

WOW -- that's it for today. I'd better get myself organized for those three presentations and make sure everything is prepped. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!!