Efficiency is the name of the game!

I'm so amazed at what I'm accomplishing. I have ZERO ideas about where the drive comes from, but I'm so happy that I found something creative and useful to do in this "downtime." Technically, I could be working well ahead on my homework projects, but that will come later, and then YEP -- I'll be in a mad panic, but then where would the fun be without some panic? 

I know one way I'm able to get so much done is to be EFFICIENT. Make every movement or step count, and I've been getting in many steps these days with all the prepping and whatnot happening in the quilt world. 

I had nothing prepped when I started yesterday, so I had to press the backing, which had a lot of seams --you'll see that in a bit. The top wasn't pressed, and the batting was still highly compressed in the plastic bag. 

The roll of batting for Quilts of Valour

I wanted to keep the bag in case I don't completely use up this roll for my 22 quilts, and then I would have something to store it in. So I had to disrobe the batting of the bag by pushing it down until it was free. That was a workout all in itself!

Removing the batting from the bag

Then I laid it out to measure the piece I needed, and look how straight that is! NOT!! The fold is toward the bottom of the photo. I wonder where they measured from? I've never seen an end-of-roll this wonky before. Sigh..............

A wonky end-of-the roll

Then I looked through the quilts to see what was there and how big they were. 

Sorting the quilt tops

I spotted one without a size on it. WHAT??? Diane never forgets, and then I realized it was a top I made. Oops!! How did I know I made it? It was serged! 

A serged quilt top

So the backing and the quilt top got loaded, and away I went. 

Quilting the first quilt of the day

And while that one was quilting, I was prepping the next one. The floor looked like a disaster zone (at one point, it was way worse than this!), but it's all tidied up this morning. I am so fortunate to have all that space. 

The floor is a great temporary holding space

And this was a HUGE quantity of black flannel that I found in my stash that I washed to use for backings. 

A large quantity of black flannel is on its way to being washed

And here's the next quilt waiting its turn on the long arm. 

The next quilt is prepped

The first quilt is done. 

Quilts of Valour quilt -- DONE

I spied this next quilt in that pile, and OH -- this quilt will NOT work for Quilts of Valour. The RCMP and the Military are NOT the same branches of law enforcement. So I have pulled this one. However, in my generous mood of getting rid of things, I spoke to a family member who has contacts with the RCMP, and they can find a good home for it. So it's now got a backing prepped, and it'll go on the long arm today (using my own batting, not the Quilts of Valour batting), and it will get completed and out the door by the end of this coming week. 

An RCMP quilt

While in that generous mood, I remembered a quilt I had designed and made several years ago, also using this panel. I don't use the quilt and thought someone else might. So I offered two quilts for the RCMP, and both will go to a good home. I have to wash this one as there is a bit of dog hair on it. Oops. 

A quilt that I'm donating to an RCMP member

And the second one went on when that first quilt came off the machine. 

Quilt number two is on the frame

And it's now quilted as well. 

Quilts of Valour quilt - DONE

Both quilts have crazy backs, but it was a great way to use up those panels created for the Sesquicentennial, of which I had a few. Diane did the piecing of the backs. There weren't many, so I'll be using that black flannel, and I found some other Canada-themed fabric in the stash that I had reserved for backings. 

A pieced backing for the quilts

There are NO untrimmed quilts, and all the bits are taken care of. I have labeled the more significant batting bits so I know who they belong to and they reside with the batting bag. Once I have enough bits, I'll join them to make a batting. I'm trying to get as many quilts from the roll as possible. 

Batting bits are labeled

I'm using the Maple Syrup panto for all of these quilts. And with the Power Panto, it's super easy. 

The Maple Syrup panto

For whatever reason, I find the new software is much easier and FASTER to use than the previous version. But on the first couple of days, I did have a couple of issues, which turned out to be 100% operator error. Now how did that happen? You MUST not touch a button twice or mess up the sequencing. Ask me how I know that? There are messages (almost like a step-by-step) that you can turn off, temporarily or permanently. I turn them off the first time they appear, and one just needs to touch them in the correct sequence. Once you do that -- all is good. 

And the other thing I like is being able to size the panto to fit precisely at the bottom of the quilt. This has always been an issue, and we had to manually fudge that before. Now you don't have to. So if you look at the picture above and see the space between the bottom of the pattern and the green line --- that is what would have quilted beyond the bottom of the quilt. Now it quilts right (or almost on the line). Why does this happen? Because the quilt gets scrunched up when rolled and how much depends on the batting, the seams in the quilt. It's no big deal, no one would know, but it happens. 

Here's my pile of scraps that need to be dealt with. There's no time! I can barely keep up to the long arm as it quilts, and I'm pressing and prepping! Thank goodness for automation, or I would still be quilting the first of the smaller quilts. Well, not exactly, but you know -- I couldn't have worked at the same speed. That automation software was worth EVERY penny I paid for it. 

Cut-offs from the quilts

Last night was the virtual Retreat, and I had a great time chatting with everyone. I seriously love Zoom and being able to stay connected. The internet connection seemed to be fine, except once it completely cut out almost at the end. But while I was chatting, I was working! It's time to get quilts bound, and I'm working on the Quilts of Valour ones. I hope to keep up to date with the binding. When I left at 9 PM, there was still a merry band of sewists online. I'm sure they stayed on quite late!

Swing on binding

One quilt is completely done, and I'll work on the other this afternoon. Virtual Retreat starts at NOON today. 

The first Quilts of Valour quilt is completely done!

As I was having lunch, I flipped through the flyers, which I never do. Did you know you can buy Tim Horton's ice cream? Apparently, they have used some of their donut flavors???? Who knew? 

Tim Horton's ice cream

I see the applications for the windrow snow clearing program are open. However, I do NOT qualify for it, but when I do -- I'm applying. Once they see the mess they make and how big the mess is, perhaps that will change someone's mind about how this street is plowed! 

Applications for snow clearing!

And this is a sobering fact that I spotted in the local paper. An average of 12 pedestrians are killed each year in our region. How much is the pedestrian's fault versus the driver's? I bet it's a bit of both! Probably more drivers or car passengers are killed each year, so walking is still safer!

OH --- remember our rental neighbor that moved out recently? Well, they moved reluctantly and needed a little push from a lawyer to be removed. Let's just say that the house is a mess and will require MUCH tender loving care before the house is sold or someone moves in. However, I was reassured that it will NOT be rented again, at least not by the current owners. How sad that someone doesn't take pride in where they live, whether they own it or not. We've just lost all respect for each other and things. 

OK -- so that sounded a bit of doom and gloom, but it's true. Most people are still quite respectful, but it's a huge issue!

I see it's raining outside, and I bet those girls will still want a walk. Sigh..............

On that note, I hope to see you at Virtual Retreat today at NOON EST. The links are in a separate blog post so check it out!!!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!