On being productive in the sewing room!

Go Jays Go! 

I'm not a dedicated fan (no Jays sweaters or other merchandise for me), but I do like to see "our" team win. Unfortunately, I can't stay up to watch it. Besides, we don't have a working TV at the moment, but I could watch it on my phone. But I do check the score! Go Jays Go!

Yesterday was UFO Club, and you all know that there are three tables filled with stuff that needs to be done. In the past, I've focused on larger projects that take months to complete, but I'm going to switch tactics. I'm going to assign myself a bunch of smaller things, so I can see the results (empty table space) much quicker! 

So, this is what I showed for Show and Tell. At last, the binding is on my Chatsworth quilt. Yeah --- the binding had been stitched to the back of the quilt, but needed to be appliqued to the front. It's DONE! 

The binding on the Chatsworth quilt - DONE

I was supposed to get the border on my Tula Pink Butterfly, but I'm still undecided, so I grabbed Toes in the Sand instead and added the two side borders. I know, I know. How long did that take? Not long! 

The top of Toes in the Sand - finally done! 

And you've seen this little guy. Technically, he's not a UFO since I started and completed him just recently, but I bought the kit many years ago, and that qualifies as a UFO. 

The happy witch ornament

And for next month, I assigned myself a bunch of smaller tasks from those tables. In the pile are two quilts that need the backing and the binding made. One of them already has the fabric pulled, and I found something perfect for the backing of Toes in the Sand last night. Completeing those two task shouldn't take long. I said I would complete the binding on two of those quilts that have been in the pile for almost a year. There's also one more small ornament that is almost complete, and a cushion that needs an invisible zipper and then serged together. 

My UFO projects for next month

None of those jobs will take very long. But yet, I get caught up in other things. I WANT to change that, and I can, now that I don't have as many classes to prep for! This is now the time to put my money where my mouth is! 

Well, after our UFO Club yesterday, I was fired up! So many things that people have accomplished, so many exciting projects, and well, I decided I was going to get myself in gear and do something. We also had Virtual Retreat yesterday and for some reason, the way I have the camera/mic and my sewing machine set up, it works. So I was able to sew while I chatted, and I accomplished a LOT. 

First, I retrieved a tub from the storage room to organize my November UFO projects, ensuring they wouldn't get lost or forgotten in the mess. Then I'm resolving to get those done NOW rather than waiting until later. 

Next, I grabbed the first quilt that needed binding and put it on. OK -- this isn't the second quilt in the UFO pile, it's another one. Once I got the first one on, I decided to grab the next one and do that as well. I mean - from the pile still on the table, not just the two I pulled for UFO. 

Working on binding

And so I kept going. I had to make binding for most of the quilts in that pile, and I have a hunk of that diagonal striped flannel, which works perfectly for these bright children's flannel quilts. And soon, I had a stack of quilts with the binding stitched to the back. 

A stack of quilts with the binding sewn to the back

I still have four more quilts to add the binding to. I'm not stitching it to the front yet. I'm getting the binding on all of the quilts, and then I'll change the presser foot and threads and start appliquing. My new goal, but don't tell the UFO Club this, is to get the binding on that entire stack of quilts!

I switched fabrics for two of them, since the quilts were predominantly purple and pink, and found a hunk of flannel in the storage room. Then I have these two blue ones and thought I should get a blue flannel, which I don't have, and then I decided there is enough color in some of the blocks that the rainbow binding will work for these, and I still have a huge hunk of the rainbow stripe. 

Two of four quilts still to make binding

What I love is that there is absolutely NOTHING else on my sewing table. The machine is happily sewing these bindings on as if they were butter. Nothing to fall on the floor, I can glance up and see the Zoom group on the large screen to my left, and it was a fantastic sewing day!!

And to keep you in the loop on my cutting table, this is the state of it last night. The first pile is the backing and the Toes in the Sand quilt, which will require an hour of work, so I hope to get that done today (Monday Sewing). There is the rest of the pink flannel, in case I didn't cut enough strips, the rainbow fabric at the end to finish the blue quilts, DH's golf towel that needs a minor repair, and one small project that I'd like to finish today as well. 

The cutting table with current stuff on it!

I just needed a little bit of focus, and for some reason, everything came together yesterday. If I can be as productive in the future as I was yesterday, I want MORE virtual retreats! It was fun to chat with everyone, and yet I accomplished a lot. I need to make the most of these sewing days. I know -- if I don't get it done, it's not the end of the world, but this stuff is easy and a bit of focus doesn't hurt anyone. 

Besides, it's going to be so nice to have a big empty spot on those tables, but I'm sure I'm just going to fill it with all the stuff that I had to store on another table for the jacket-making class. BUT this is huge. I'll take the productive moments when they happen! It would be amazing to get all of those children's quilts out of my house by the end of this month. 

I cannot say enough about these Virtual Retreats. They are a lifeline to the world. OK -- that sounds a bit desperate, but I get the opportunity to chat with friends, learn new words and concepts, understand how various tools work, and we get to share and commiserate with each other. I would NOT trade those virtual retreats for the world. And they are easy. Don't get me wrong - I love going to an in-person retreat, but they are expensive and I can't do that once a month! 

In case you are interested, the next one is scheduled for November 15 and 16. I can't wait!!! I had to move it because of my travel schedule. Yes, there is some travel required for November, including a major Pony Express pickup, a guild lecture, and customer events (the number of days is still being confirmed, hopefully today), as well as visiting family. So it will be somewhat busy, but not crazy! 

A note that tomorrow's blog will likely be delayed by a couple of hours, as I'm traveling late tonight and might have a sleep-in. I'll see how it goes. Plus, I'll be in a different time zone. 

And now, I'm off to spin class. And then we have Monday sewing, and I'm excited to pick up where I left off last night. I've got bindings and quilt backings to make today, and I'm on a roll! Look out, world - I'm coming through! 

WAIT --- I mentioned that I learned a new word yesterday. I was describing the narrator's voice in this audiobook I just finished, and TWO people called out a word. WAIT -- what? Apparently, there is a word for that type of speech. The kind of speech that is littered with lots of "s" or "sh" sounds. In this book, I was NOT a fan. 

Sibilant. Seriously? I had never heard of that word! So then the joke became - how to make a sentence using the words sibilant and confluence. How about - the confluence of sibilant voices in the church was like the sound of the wind rushing through the tree tops when a cold front is moving in! Does that work? 

On that note, I'm off to spin class now. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!