Questions to contemplate for cutting with the Scan and Cut

 OK -- so I have FOMO. Linda's Sonos speaker works with Alexa!! I think I could make that happen, but it has to be connected to my phone via BlueTooth. I'm not quite awake yet - I may need to think about that one. 

The GREAT news -- I'm done working for the week! I can now enjoy the rest of the retreat, which is super exciting. At first, I was slightly miffed that the timing was terrible, but it worked out OK, and I'm glad I went. Met new people, visited with people that I already knew, and it was worth my time to be away. 

Now I'm organized and ready to sew. OH -- we're going to a quilt shop this morning, and I signed up for a zoom class tomorrow! LOL. I'm don't really care how much I get done -- I'm on vacation, and I can do whatever I want!

I came back with a HUGE sewing machine in a box, which filled up the car. I'll need to go out and rearrange everything later today to make sure I can get the rest of the stuff in my car when we pack up on Sunday. 

I've got my projects set out for what I want to accomplish today. I'm not too optimistic -- finish the binding on a small quilt, attach a flap to three tote bags, finish my greens scrappy quilt, and make a tote bag that is all prepped. So -- will it happen? Let's see!

Here's my scrappy green project. I finished all 49 blocks last night, and I want to get all of them together. Then I'm going to use it for something else, which I'm not sharing! - At least not yet. You'll have to wait for that, and I hope to get at it this coming week. 

My scrappy green quilt

So I bought a Brother Scan and cut a couple of years ago. I haven't used it much, but I really want to use it. I want to cut applique shapes with it for machine embroidery applique. Now that Katheleen has a larger embroidery machine, she also wants to do the same thing. OK -- she is more motivated than I am, but I dare not let her get ahead of me!! 

We are both determined to learn this, and there are many steps along the way to make it happen. Lots of software is involved, scanning, cutting, and a lot more. So -- that is why I signed up for the Zoom class on Saturday. Shoot -- I hope it's a Zoom class. It better not be an in-person class, as I'm not driving to Kingston for that! I never even thought to check, and it doesn't say on the website. 

 ACK!!!!!   -- It's an in-person class! Why didn't I check that before I signed up! Good grief --- I'd better get myself together for future events. OK -- so I really want to see this information but not this weekend. 

But here was Katheleen last night cutting away. She cut her applique shapes and had a lot more on the wall that she had cut earlier in the day. 

The Scan and Cut hard at work

The shapes came out great -- just a wee glitch on a couple. But I'm wondering how much time this is saving? Even if you do the machine embroidery applique and have the embroidery machine do the final stitching -- are you saving time? You will undoubtedly get a better-looking end result unless you're really good at applique stitches which I am. But it's all in the spirit of using the technology, and once you learn how to be proficient at it -  it should go smoothly. OK -- going to have to get in the groove of testing and see how quickly I can make that happen. I really think it'll depend on the project. 

How clean is the original file? How quirky are the shapes to cut? What results do you want? How will you finish the edges? I can see it being handy and much faster if you had a lot of the same shape -- that certainly speeds up the process, but if you had to clean up and scan and position a bunch of one-of shapes -- that would take a LONG time and probably way faster to do by hand. 

However, if you purchased a design that already had the SVG files created --- that would be a time saver. So like everything --- there is a time and a place. I'll be spending some time investigating this line of technology, but I think I already know when and where I'll use it. 

I dug out a small bag of enders and leaders, so I'll be good to go as I sew my green top together. 

Enders and leaders ready to sew

Here's the update on our virtual challenge of walking across Canada. We are 11.2 KM from the end. Shoot -- if I had been able to walk my typical distances the last three days, we would have been there. However, we have one person who enters her data every couple of days, so we should be there if she inputs her data TODAY! And we will have finished on March 31. This is the LAST time you'll see us on this map! 

Almost at the finish line

I'll let you know our final standing -- 65, 66, or 67? I have to wait until we cross that finish line. It looks like it's only us near the finish line, but there are three teams very close, so it depends on who gets the date in first! 

There's nothing like a little friendly competition! 

I had a great sleep and stretched out my IT band along my leg a bit. I was in a lot of pain yesterday because it is so tight. That's what happens when you don't stretch properly. Nothing to do with my hip joint, just a darn muscle that is not happy! So I'll go through the pain and torture of breaking down the fascia today with my foam roller. Oh yippee -- I love self-torture!

On that note, I'm all set up and ready to sew until it's time to visit the quilt shop! 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!