Jelly roll quilts with a serger

 Well, this is undoubtedly a different retreat. As much as I missed the group sewing yesterday, it was certainly worth it for me to go to the training. 

What's the training all about? Well, it is the brand new PFAFF creative icon 2. Yes --- there is a new top-of-the-line PFAFF on the market. It's an embroidery and sewing machine, and it's impressive. they've added artificial intelligence, projection abilities for sewing and embroidery, and you can set up specific tasks via Alexa! (Yes -- I know Alexa is tied to that dreaded online company!) New stitches and so many things have been improved. Yes --- it's certainly exciting to sew on that. 

I was the assistant, so I got to help out when the attendees got stuck, and I also got to play. So that was all good. But the best part of all the training is that I finally got to meet a lot of dealers that I had only previously met via Zoom! No introductions were needed as we all knew each other! 

It took a little longer than an hour to get there and the same thing coming back, although I had to stop for gas on the way home. The sun was in my eyes, and I missed the exit and had to make a detour to get to the hotel. Oh well -- today, I'll be more alert! I took a different way home, but both routes were filled with many cars. 

When buying a new house, we all have requirements -- three bedrooms, garage, etc. One of mine is proximity to a major highway. At home, I'm at most 10 minutes from two major highways, depending on the lights. And if I go in the other direction, it's about 15. Here??? I'm miles and miles from the major highway. So that takes a lot of time. 

But I did get there in time to take a walk. I was down by a couple of KM from my usual distance, which is fine, but we're at the finish line, or very close to the end of our cross Canada walk. We have 66 KM to go. I don't think we'll make it by the end of the month, but we should arrive on April 1st. 

66 KM from the finish line

It's a tight race to the finish line, and we have no idea what position we'll be in. But that doesn't matter -- what matters is that we will accomplish this great task together!!! 

I got rid of three of the five sewing machines/sergers I had brought. I wanted to make a project on one of the sergers, but I had forgotten the Allen key required to change the needles. Grr!!! But one of my trusty colleagues brought one for me, and I was able to change the needle position, and I got to work last night after dinner. 

This was the jelly roll that I cut before leaving. I have a whole pile of the Oh Canada fabric collections (Northcott), and it is all going to Diane to make quilts for Quilts of Valour. Before it went, I wanted to make this jelly roll quilt. 

I started by sewing all the strips end to end. You have to love working with a serger because it cut all the selvages off as I went. 

Serging the end of the strips together

Sewing that initial seam is a killer. The strips were puddled at my feet, and I serged, and I serged, and I serged. Then I had to press it. 

The strips are together

Here's the new PFAFF serger/cover stitch machine - The Admire Air 7000. It's a dream to use  -- air threading, of course, so who cares if you run out of thread? It takes seconds to switch from cover stitch to overlock, change needles and thread it. That's the thing that people hate the most about a serger, but this one is a breeze. I even switched it from cover stitch to overlock without the manual, and I'm NOT a big serger person! 

The PFAFF Admire Air 7000

All of the 26 stitch techniques are built into the computer. So tensions, needle positions, etc., are indicated on the screen, making it easy to use. I was even able to explain all this in French to a group. I know all the terms for sergers -- French and English, and it seems like only yesterday that I had no idea how to even use one! 

The screen on the PFAFF Admire Air 7000

I have to say that when I got back to the retreat house and checked in with the group to see what amount of work got done, they were not very productive at all! They went shopping! But here's the thing -- we are all here on vacation, so if we do absolutely nothing and we are happy? Then it's a success!!!

Sewing into the night

And me? I have my tunes on my Bluetooth speaker, and well, I'm good. Paula is coming today, so I've moved all my stuff, and we'll make it work on Saturday when all six of us are here and need that sixth spot to sew. 

My Bluetooth speaker

Oh -- so you want to know about my jelly roll quilt. Did I finish it last night? Of course, I did!! I didn't bring the border fabric, but I got the strips together. I forgot to take a picture last night, so let me do that right now. And when this quilt was done, I went to bed and heard NOTHING until my alarm went off this morning. 

My jelly roll quilt

OK -- got the picture and made breakfast. Some of my strips were short, so I threw in an extra one or two. It's a bit square, but it'll be just fine when I add borders. I LOVE it. And what a great way to showcase all the Oh Canada collections. 

And I love the serged seams on the inside. So if you have a quilt that is simple to sew together and you have fabric that may fray a bit more than you would like, this is the perfect opportunity to get your serger out!!!

The serged seams on the inside

I have to see if I can find a drugstore this morning. I forgot to bring a nail file, and I broke a nail yesterday, and I left my lip balm at home. Grrr!!! But all things that are easy to remedy!

Well, that's it for me! I want to try and get 10 KM in today. I've got less stuff to load in the car, so I can get out of here earlier, and I will NOT miss the exit on the highway today! That'll give me enough time to get in an extra K or two. And then I'll just have to walk more at the meeting. 

Good grief -- I just asked Alexa to turn off the radio. I don't have Alexa here -- I'm using my phone and the IHeartRaAdio app. Habits!!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!