The leaning tree is still leaning

 OH my -- I see you are all putting me to the test with comments! I'll be answering them very soon! 

I found something that might help with the legs of that quilting table, and while the table has adjustable legs, I NEED much more than I can get from those adjustments. More on that another day!

You see, there was a reason that I had to get that Platinum 160 together. I had a visitor yesterday who came to rent the machine. And YES -- it needed to be up! I spent about 15 minutes explaining the machine to her and its THREE modes of operation (actually, there are more if you consider whether you use the foot pedal or the start button), but she took to it like a duck to water!

She likes to machine quilt -- YES -- even free motion, but hates doing it on a domestic sewing machine. So she was in her glory and the one thing I noticed the minute she started playing around with her practice piece was that SHE had practiced on her domestic machine. This was NOT her first round of free-motion quilting, and you could tell!! KUDOS to her for that! 

I think she'll be back! It was great that the machine got set up, and I had some IN-PERSON company for a change. However, because of seeing this person somewhat frequently on Zoom, I didn't feel out of touch with her!

While she worked, I had one of the embroidery machines working. There's so much to do and so much to learn! I'll share my adventures in a future blog post, so watch for that! But what fun as I learn the ins and outs of the mySewnet embroidery software. That software is an extremely valuable tool, and there are still areas that mystify me, but I'm getting there! I will NOT let it defeat me!

And what I did yesterday turned out amazing!! Something that I put together, and I LOVE it. It's simple, but sometimes simple is better. 

I mentioned that I reported that large leaning tree to the city. Two days ago, when I was walking past, I noticed this big X on a dead tree stump near the tree. My first thought was -- NO -- they cannot have mistaken this stump for the leaning tree. 

A big red X

Attached to that dead stump was another dead tree. And when we passed yesterday, the dead tree behind was removed at the same height (about 5 feet) from the ground. 

Two dead stumps

Meanwhile, the leaning tree stays standing. You can see it on the left of the photo, so I can't imagine they didn't spot it -- it's a huge tree and leaning very badly. 

The leaning tree

There's even a massive crack in the back of the tree. Oh well, I did my duty, and I'm going to assume the forestry department decided the tree was safe, or if it fell, it wasn't going to hit those houses behind it. But the next time we have a major wind storm? Let's see. I hope I'm wrong. It's become a squirrel condo, as you can hear them inside the tree. 

A crack in the tree

Oh shoot -- I forgot to take a picture of my cutting table, but I managed to get some sashing pieces cut that I need for my 150 Canadian Women quilt. You'll see what I did with them tomorrow. I know --- it's always tomorrow!

Sashing for 150 Canadian Women's quilt

I trimmed the half-square triangles that had been pressed the other day, and no new ones have been pressed. I had other things to do! 

More HSTs trimmed

Oh -- there is a picture of the cutting table, but this is different from what it looks like this morning. I am so close - I'm giddy about the cutting table and my system! I've had a plan in mind for YEARS, and I was drowning in stuff, so I could never make it happen. Well, I'm close! Wait for it!

The cutting table is ALMOST clear

I finally emptied this tray, and now what do I do with it? I was such a sucker for anything with bicycles on it, and this was a nice tray, but I've outgrown it? I'll find another use. It's now in my storage area with other empty containers. 

An empty tray

Speaking of cutting tables, here is a before and after from Cathy. This looks familiar -- the cutting table is a NICE height upon which to place things that are TOTALLY not quilt related. This looks like Christmas stuff. 

A messy cutting table

And now look at it --- all clean and ready to do some serious cutting!!

The after looks much more inviting to work on

I have a few things that I want to quilt on the sit-down quilting machine, and for the moment, they will reside on the machine table. They must not LANGUISH there -- I need to get them done! 

Two small quilts to quilt

As part of my cleanup of the cutting table, I've found more designs I made while at Sheridan College. Well, I don't need any of them, so I'm cutting the paper up to be used in the printer, and it'll be gone. 

A forest design?

Leopard skin?

It looks like an animal or woodsy theme was happening. I have no idea why these were created. But other than that picture -- they are history!

As I mentioned, these New Balance shoes have held up very well, even though they had mesh in the toes. However, I noticed that one of them was starting to get thin. So to eek more life out of them, I got some shiny duck tape and inserted two small pieces in that area. Now the toes are as good as new. And DH had a great way of looking at the cost of these running shoes, which cost $200. OUCH! And to last only three months, but his thought was to look at how much each KM cost, which is less than 20 cents, so that is a good deal! It just depends on how quickly you burn up the KM. 

My reinforced toes

And you can't tell! Well, I need a new pair, but next week, I'm going to source a different brand and one that I might use for the Camino this year. Let's say that I will NOT make the same mistake again. I'll try trail runners, a popular trend, lighter yet equally durable as hiking shoes. 

Oh my -- -I've been looking at quotes for mistakes, and there are lots. The biggest mistake you can make is NOT to learn from it, and I learned big time. So we'll see how that goes. Will I wear my fancy socks? I don't wear them now, so why would I wear them in my new shoes for the Camino? Again, more experimenting to see what works. 

Speaking of mistakes, I was walking yesterday and passed these buildings that are getting a new roof. 

Getting a new roof

And it's the ENTIRE building that is getting new shingles. Now here's the thing. We've lived in our house for 20 years (in August), and when we moved, that area was a field, and it was several years before anything was built there. Let's say those buildings are 15 years. After 15 years -- they need a new roof? WOW!!! 

Well, there is lots to do today -- I have two presentations, and I'm mostly ready for them both. Just a few more pictures to take and add to the presentations. There's so much to share, and I hope people will be willing to make mistakes! If not, well --- as they used to say, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink! 

So back to your cutting table -- what doesn't have a home and isn't on your IMMEDIATE radar? Then those items need to disappear --- how you make them disappear is your thing. Put them in a box and label them? Put them on the storage shelves? Donate, give away, throw out? It needs to be dealt with. I know the struggle as I've suffered from that excess for many years. I wish I could find pictures of what my cutting table used to look like. It was horrible! The same cutting table as I have now, with a 12" square open in one corner to work! The rest was heaped with things. I thought that was good! Now I've learned that it's bad! At least bad for me! 

Sit down with a cup of tea one day in your sewing space and contemplate what it could look like when everything is put away. Then pick an area and start! 

On that note, I'm out of here!!

Have a super day!!!!


Ciao!!!