The world is going to the dogs!

There's no customer quilt to show you, and no embroidery got done. Yet I was scurrying around all day. I'm away this coming week (OK -- so I'm off to a quilt retreat - the last one of the year), and I spent the day getting everything prepped. 

I had some sewing projects that had to be cut so I could sew them. I had stuff that had to be stripped off the design walls so I could package it to take. I had to get the sewing machine feet and threads organized. There was no panic packing; each project is packed individually and will stay in the car until I need it. I don't think I overpacked, although I will NOT run out! 

Then I have three presentations this coming weekend and UFO Club. The projects for UFO are packed, so those are the first priority since they are due on Sunday. Two of the three presentations are more or less done, and I've saved them online and on a USB, so I can do some slide sorting while I'm away. I will get the third one done when I get back on Friday. 

Plus, I have to do a presentation to a guild via Zoom while I'm away, so that had to be prepped. Thankfully, the presentation was already done, but I updated several slides. There is ONE more picture I want to add, but the quilt is in a suitcase on the way to Quebec. I know I took a picture of it, but where did I file that picture? GRRRR -- I NEED to tag those darn photos of mine, so I can find them when I want. 

I made a list of everything that needed to be done, and I'm down to the last couple of things, with the blog being the biggest on the list. I WILL get it all done before I leave. Yeah!!!!

Here's my partially completed machine embroidery project. Does anyone remember the 150 Canadian Women project from 2016? The year of Canada's Sesquicentennial? All my blocks are done, and I will assemble them into one large quilt. I said I would never do that again, but here I am. 

I wanted the names of the women on the quilt, but it's a lot of work to put them on the sashing, and I wanted to do something different. So the names are going on the quilt backing. I have 70 of the 150 embroidered. Each grouping takes about two hours to stitch out, and that's on a top-of-the-line embroidery machine. Imagine how long it would take on a smaller machine? The PFAFF creative icon 2 also allows me to use a 10" square (260 by 260) hoop, which is perfect, so the lettering is not too big or so small you can't read it. Some of those names are LONG! 

Using the 260 by 260 hoop

I still have to remove more of the stabilizer, I just took out the big chunks, and I'm rotating each block of names  - just because I can! Then I'll have to make a title block for the front of the quilt. 

Seven of 15 hoopings

I know how I want to put it together, and it's on my UFO list, so I think this one will become the next UFO project to complete. My goal? The end of this year? Not sure about that, but getting this backing done will be a huge step forward. But then sashing and sewing 150 blocks will be no small feat either!

Diane has been busy, and I picked up three more quilt tops from her. I know there are more, but I pick up three at a time since I walk to and from her house. They are now safely stored in the boxes in the "to be quilted" pile, and well, I'll be back at these in a bit. 

Three more community project quilts

I had to get Miss Murphy some dog food, and what did I find at the pet store? Advent Calendars for DOGS. I should have seen that coming. I did NOT buy them - they are $25 a piece, so that would be $50 for two? It wasn't the money so much, but our dogs do NOT get treats regularly. I do NOT want to start a bad habit with them. They may get a total of three cookies in a week. 

Advent calendars for dogs

Murphy would have been beyond herself with glee if I bought her this. Lexi would have perhaps liked it!

I'm now watching The Great Canadian Baking Show. It gives me entertainment while I have a bit of handwork or tidying up to do, although I'm listening to another David Balducci book, and they are page-turners (well, not a page-turner in the physical sense), but you know what I mean!!!

Well, I still have a couple of things to do before I leave, and I have a long drive which doesn't thrill me, but the leaves should be beautiful, and the David Balducci book should keep me entertained.

All I can say is thank goodness for technology. I can Zoom from anywhere and I can access my information (as long as I know where everything is filed) from anywhere!  

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!