Progress in the sewing room

 The pandemic and Zoom have really changed our lives! I taught an in-person class yesterday, which still took time to prep (collect all the stuff), then it took several hours of travel time, then to teach the course and drive back home. The day was gone! If the class had been on Zoom, it wouldn't have taken HALF of the time! Just something to think about as we go forward. And look at this. 

The gas price is almost $2.00 a liter

Yep -- we are on the verge of $2.00 per liter of regular gas. The gas pricing people just couldn't bring themselves to flip that over! So that makes you think of where and how you drive your car or at least makes you combine errands, so you're not going all over the place. I'm pretty happy that my $80 tank of gas will get me over 700 KMs, so it doesn't hit the pocketbook so much. But it still hurts! 

There is something to be said about walking to do your errands (if that is an option). I'm very fortunate to live in an area where everything is mostly within walking distance. The mall, my doctor (not that I ever go there), the dentist (I need to make an appointment), the bank, the grocery store, the library, the dog park -- pretty much everything I need is close. The gym is just over the cusp of my walking distance. It's not really the distance to the gym -- I could walk it, but the entrance is poorly situated with a ditch, so you have to walk around -- well, I could ride my bike. Let's just say that it's not located in a conducive spot for riding or walking - at least not from my house, as I have to cross a bustling highway (on an overpass, of course!) with loads of traffic always! 

And we lucked out with our house location. While we are close to everything, we live on a dead-end street backing onto the forest. It's quiet, and yes -- there are many days when the wind is right that it's as quiet as if I were at the lake! Oh yes!!! 

Speaking of walking, look at what is new in our neighborhood. What??? 

Garbage bins - at last!

Yes -- there are new garbage cans along my dog walking route. I shouldn't say NEW because there were never any garbage bins before. At each of the three bus stops along that side, there is a garbage bin. That is very exciting news for a dog walker, as I no longer have to cross the street or carry if the need for a container arises along that part, which it does. 

I spotted these tulips on the walk the other morning - in full bloom. These tulips get full morning sun, so they were out. I have two tulips, and they have still not bloomed, but they are closer to the house and a few days behind. 

Tulips in bloom

And finally, that house with the fire has been rebricked. That took forever, as they started and then stopped, then started and stopped. No idea what the issue was. I certainly would NOT want to live in this house. Oh - and it looks like they got new windows as well. Maybe that is what they were waiting on? I guess the pandemic and building supply shortages didn't help the situation. And they have finally cleaned up all the mess in the driveway. It was becoming quite the eyesore. 

The house is finally rebricked

And now for some sewing. This is what I accomplished during Monday sewing. I was behind (and still am) on my Boho Heart quilt. I need to get one of these quilts done -- WAIT -- I need to get them all done, and I'm not sure how to make that happen as I have loads to do, and days like yesterday -  they throw a wrench into my schedule. 

We are just not used to being out of the house and doing things that take time away from our house stuff - or in my case, sewing schedules!

This is one of the grandmother's flower garden blocks. I think we had to make three of them. All the hexies were stitched together, but they needed to be appliqued to the background. 

One block - DONE

The background for this block was done, but it needed to have the circle appliqued in place. I had to make the center circle larger than in the book, and I thought I had already done that, but I had to cut a new one. Then cut out the block as the background was created as a large circle. 

Another block is done!

The background for this next block was partially pieced, so that got pieced, and the center (again, I had to cut a larger one) was appliqued in place. 

One more block is complete!

The Dresden plate was stitched together but not appliqued to the background. Once that was done, and the center was also appliqued, I added the borders. Another block - DONE. 

Dresden plate block - DONE

That took care of all the invisible applique that needed to be done. Then it was onto some pieced blocks. The pieces for the subsequent two blocks were cut, so some diagonal seams and the Puzzle Block was together. 

Pieced block - DONE

Then onto the Sawtooth Star block, and that was done as well. 

The sawtooth block is also complete

So while I am still behind -- I have a couple of small blocks to piece and a few fusible applique blocks to stitch; I made excellent progress which is good since the remainder of the quilt needs to be finished. I think we still have 7 blocks to make and assemble. Baby steps -- I needed to catch up first. 

The remainder of the half-square triangles for the Tula Pink Butterfly are also finished. Remember that I had used a couple of too-small white squares, and the units couldn't be trimmed down properly. 

Half-square triangles for Tula Pink Butterfly

And some of that got added to the design wall. It's positively overflowing with quilt pieces! 

The design wall is FULL to overflowing

What isn't fitting on the wall is sitting on the floor. I will be glad to get some of this area tidied up soon. By the end of June, most of this should be done, and there will be no more cases sitting on the floor. Or what is left to work on will fit under the table legs. Patience!!!

The ongoing quilt project boxes

A day rarely goes by without some silliness from the girls. Can you tell me why a Husky needs to sunbathe? 

Lexi soaking up the sun

And yes, her mouth is hanging open because she is hot, but it almost looks like an evil smile. 

Smiling an evil smile

And NO -- she can't get up to investigate anything, so she simply raises her head to check it out. I swear her neck has a 360 swivel! 

How a lazy dog howls

And then you have Murphy, who couldn't lie still if her life depended on it. Yep -- the ball is in the pond once again! 

MOM -- a little help here! 

Although I'm not much better. The other day we played ball, and I threw the ball INTO the pond three times in a row. That's how bad my throw is! Sometimes, it would hit the rocks and bounce into the pond. And then she is NOT happy and starts to bark! Let's just say that I won't be playing baseball anytime soon! 

And she will never look neat. She looks like she has bed head all day! Oh, Murphy -- thank goodness you are cute! 

Bedhead Murphy!

Look at those lilies in the pond. They have hit the surface and all that happened while I was away. 

The lilies are at the surface 

The trees are out in leaf and soon, we'll have our green forest wall. This just seemed to happen overnight. The same thing with the temperature. One day it's cold and windy, and the next, warm and sunny. 

The leaves are almost out in full

We need to be out there enjoying it because the cold and windy days will return before we know it! I'm trying to spend as much time outside as I can - lounging in the gazebo, if possible. I only get one shot at this life, and I want to enjoy every minute of it. Zero regrets!!!

Well, I see it's almost time for the spin class. ACK!! Then back to the house and lots of work to get done today! OH -- before I go, check out the brand new retreat house opening soon. It's called Spring House Retreat. I already have my dates booked for this year and 2023. Thankfully so, because the retreat house in Huntsville is already booked for 2023 with only one possible date for us. That's crazy, and there's definitely pent-up demand for these getaways. They are inexpensive, so much fun with a small group, and this new one is 1 hour from my house! Yep --- I'm in!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!