Friends are the BEST

I've said it before and I'll say it again - friends are the best. Sewing days are the best. It's amazing what one can get done when you're focused. This group was an early starting group and we were off and sewing very early for the entire day. I got oodles done and I'm so excited - I wish I had the entire day to do it all over again, but I'll have to wait until Sunday for that luxury. 

Do you want to see what I got done? Better sit down because it was a LOT. 

First things first - George came home! He was exhausted by his riverboat cruise on the Danube but he was so excited to be on the road again! Except that immediately upon his arrival in the house, he was kidnapped by Murphy and taken out to the backyard. He's a tad dirty from that escapade. 

George is home

He's happily hanging out in the studio while he awaits his next trip. He's got some amazing photos to share with you once we get our hands on them.

George hanging out in the studio

First thing up was binding a couple of quilts. This quilt had the binding stitched to the back and just needed to be stitched to the front. It's DONE. This is one that will be donated to my guild's community projects. It's already in the bag ready to go to that meeting. And it will be one quilt out of my house!

Community projects quilt

It's also Finish Number 46 for the year.

I also have another goal and that is to learn how to PROPERLY crop these photos. I tried to learn quickly this morning, but you can see that that did NOT happen. It's possible and the videos make it look so easy, except they don't show you the critical things.  I will learn even if it kills me. What I would really like instead of taking a course is a guru to whom I can pose questions when I want to learn something. OH well - more searching on the internet to figure this feature out.

Anyway, this next quilt now also has its binding on. The binding was made but needed to be sewn on both sides. It's also one that will be donated to the community projects at the guild. It was made from leftovers of green and yellow flannels. The tops of these two have been made eons ago and were sitting in a bag of community project stuff to finish off. I used them to practice when I got the computer for the long arm. Now it's done - Finish Number 47 for the year.

Community projects quilt - DONE

Then it was off to tackle sewing a quilt top together. This was on the wall yesterday and now the top is DONE. That's pretty exciting since this is on the 2017 UFO list and I'm determined to get as many (I want ALL) of the 2017 UFOs and all of the 2018 UFOs DONE by the end of the year. I'm making good progress. It's all about focus and wouldn't it be nice to start 2019 with a BRAND new list of UFOs???  That's my goal.

Scrappy quilt top - DONE

As I had mentioned, there were enough blocks in the box to make THREE quilt tops that are suitable for community projects. This is the status of the second top. The blocks are on the design wall. The extra border blocks are made and TWO of the four corner blocks are made.

Next quilt almost ready to start assembly

I made all the missing border blocks for the third quilt and those pieces are sitting patiently waiting their turn. My guess, this quilt will be on the design wall by the end of the day on Sunday. 

Missing border blocks are now done

 I finished off the missing half of that one block - it's together and in the box with the rest of the blocks.

The other half of the block got finished

And here are the blocks for the third scrappy quilt - just two corner blocks are missing and it's ready to go. 

Blocks for the third scrappy quilt top

I've got backing sitting on the cutting table for all three quilts and that will get made in the next day or so. I pulled out the tin of leftover binding. I'll be rooting in that tin to get enough binding to bind the three quilts. Yep - not much goes to waste at my house. I'm very excited about this - I could have one more UFO completed within days. Yes - they won't be quilted, but I'm OK with that. The goal was to get them ready to be quilted. If they get quilted - that's a bonus.

Tin of binding leftovers

But thanks to the ladies who all commented about my Halloween quilt on the wall, I'm back at that quilt as well.

You see the problem is (was) that the embroidery designs were put onto a USB stick which has gone missing. It was ORANGE and I've no idea where it's gone. I had TWO of them and the one I have, but the embroidery designs are not on that stick. The designs come on a CD and I no longer have access to a CD drive at home. I was going to go to the UPS store to transfer them and then DUH - that's why we have a library!!  So after a lengthy chat with the neighbor, I scooted off to the library.

I'm sure the librarian thought I was an idiot. I've never used the computers there before - I didn't even know if we had to book them or what. But anyway, I sat down and 15 minutes later the design files for the Halloween quilt and a new one I need to work on was all on the USB stick. I think I'm going to transfer them over to my hard disk. I have other designs on CD and I think I'll transfer them the next time I'm at the library. Although I should go before school starts - those computers seem to be busy during school.  AHA - that could be my walk for today. It's only a 12-minute walk to the library.

Then back home and pulled out the embroidery machine and I was stitching more sashings for the Halloween quilt. This embroidery machine is FAST and I hit a button that did exactly what I wanted. Instead of stitching each unit individually, it stitched the first step in all three, then step two and so on. That made much more sense and before I knew it - I got two hoops of sashings done.

Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC!!!

And here are my sashings. One of the "blocks" was already done, now there are three.

Embroidered sashing for the Halloween quilt

I have to say that while I love my Ruby deLuxe embroidery machine, the Designer EPIC is FAST. Super fast and it didn't take long to have those sashings done. OK - I'm going to sneak in a few more today. I only need 61 I think and then I have to do some corners stones. I'll be done before you know it. I also hope to get more bindings done - I have to get rid of that pile of quilts. 

BUT I have some urgent paperwork to do this morning and then I MUST tackle the computer on the long arm. I'm loading one of my quilts and I'll be praying a LOT. 

Seriously - there is NOTHING you can't do if you put your mind to it and add a little bit of focus. However, you add that focus - sewing with friends, by yourself or whatever. It's a good mix and it's therapy. Gosh - I learn so much from the group and it's just a fun day!!!!   

On that note, I'm out of here to get the day started. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!

I'm super super SUPER excited this morning!!!

The biggest issue with going to bed so early is that you wake up early! Really early!  I need to try and switch that time back a wee bit. However, I'm happy to report that I've already made huge leaps and bounds into getting some stuff done!!!

I'm so technically competent today I almost fell over. My class wanted me to provide some notes to them. The notes would be hand drawn so how to distribute them? Well, scanning them would be the obvious choice. When I checked the printer/scanner this morning, I didn't see my computer on the list. Hm - how to make that happen? To make a long story short, I did some quick research, downloaded the software and within minutes, my document was scanned and it should be waiting for the students when they check their e-mail this morning. I'm over the moon with happiness about that. Yahoo!!!!   It worked - it worked!!!

That's very exciting because there are other times when I'd like to send something and I would like to scan it - now I know how and maybe the printer will cooperate better.

The weigh-in went very well yesterday. One more pound is gone! I might just have to buy some new pants soon. The low-rise pants that I love, well, I have to be careful now! I won't go into details. That's too much information. Two pounds to go!!!!   Yahoo!!!!!!

I acquired the missing fabrics from the Purely Canadien Eh? collection.  Now to find the pattern idea that I wanted to experiment with. AHA - found that after going through a huge pile of books where I also found a book that I OWN, but I had just borrowed the same book from the library. The library copy is now by the front door. That's sad that I don't even remember purchasing that book.

Purely Canadian fabric

Thanks to Ronda, my fabric mule for the safe delivery!!!!

I turned on the sewing machine when I first went down to the studio, but I was busy doing other things and didn't have time to get to the machine right away. Then when I finally did get there, it asked me if I wanted to do the upgrade. The darn thing is connected to the internet, so the upgrade was done, but then I had to find something else to do while the upgrade occurred.

Upgrade happening on its own

You have to love technology when it works. Upgrades are done by themselves. I love it!!


So I looked at that heaped table to see where I could start. I collected all the loose bits of batting and now they are folded and labeled and ready to be put in the batting closet.

Batting bits labeled and ready to store

The next block for the pixelated apple is laid out.

Block Eleven of the apple quilt

Notice that there is some green in this block. All the red squares are cut.  The project bag is getting smaller. I now have a deadline to get this quilt finished, but that shouldn't be an issue. The deadline is months away and I'm on a roll.

Project bag is getting smaller

I cut some blocks for one of my monthly classes, but I'm not ready to sew them together yet.

Hm - now what to do with stuff that I pull from the table that is processed. I don't want to put it back on the table. So I dug out two tote bags. You have to LOVE those tote bags.

One is for the upcoming sewing retreat. Those blocks would be perfect to sew at the retreat. And the second bag is to store stuff like the rest of the pixelated apple. I don't want it to go far away.

Two tote bags to store "prepped or waiting" items

Can you figure out which one is for the retreat?  YES - it's the biggest one of course!  My goal is to ONLY take that bag with me. No other bags of projects.

A while back, a friend gave me a bunch of prepped rectangles that were for a rag quilt. She actually was making two. Didn't like the process so gave it to me. One of them is done. Remember how I toted that rag quilt with me everywhere while I clipped the seams. Well, the remainder of the rectangles were sitting on top of a cupboard. I had them all arranged in bundles for the rows for the second quilt. Then they fell over.

I decided to make THREE much smaller quilts from the rectangles. Here are two bundles.

Two bundles of rectangles for rag quilts

The third bundle

 I'm starting with the larger one first to make sure that I'm OK with the size. I may end up making two, but it's time to get these quilts made and donated. That takes up a lot of space in the studio! I started sewing this morning but didn't get too far with all the other stuff that I was sorting out.

I'm off for a fun day with quilting friends. So I had best get myself organized. Got to take my lunch but what to take?  That's the one thing I miss is not just grabbing something along the way. Since I won't eat bread, sandwiches are out of the question. Anyway, I'll figure something out.

And I've some AMAZING pictures to share with you from the show n tell at the classes yesterday. They were FABULOUS!!!!!

Have a SUPER DAY!!!!!

Ciao!!!!!

And we're off.......................

There was a lot of activity in the office yesterday as everyone bustled around with last minute printing, editing, creating and then boxes left the office and everyone went home. ACK - even though it wasn't crazy busy for me, I felt a sense of calm when I left the office. 

I managed to get my pattern edited - amazing how you can whip something no problem, but then having to write instructions so someone else can understand them and get the instructions to be exactly like the pattern pictues. Oh boy - that takes a bit of time and patience and editing!  I think I managed to get it all done. I'll edit one more time while I am away before it gets submitted. 

Then I was off to teach a class. Yes - I had a class to teach last night.  On my way to the class - look what I saw on the side of the road.  I didn't stop to pick them up - 72 hours hasn't passed yet and I didn't have room in the back of the car. 

Election signs

We had a great class and I will share that with you tomorrow.


Look what they had at the store - yes MY EPIC!!!!!

Husqvarna Viking EPIC

It really and truly is a brilliantly designed sewing machine - just not sure that I can handle the price!

Don't forget to check out QUILTSocial today.  I've been hearing great comments all week about the posts - today's is short and sweet, but opens up a lot of possibilities.

On that note - I'm out of here - on my way to the airport and to Quilt Market I go!  No worries - I shall be blogging from Market. Going to be loads to share - I am sure.

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!