Let's play ball!!!

Not to throw anyone into a panic, but there are a couple of things to mention. 

YES—there is a virtual retreat this weekend. I keep forgetting to mention it. The links will be at the end of today's post, much to Zoom's dismay. Posting links in a public place is a no-no in the security world.  

Second -- I'm almost finished reading The Brain At Rest, by Dr. Joseph Jebelli, PhD, and OH MY GOSH!!! Did you know how much exercise can make your brain bigger? And a bigger brain means that if you have a stroke or some other kind of injury, there is more of your brain left, so the damage may not be as bad. I'm sure I made that sound way too easy. Exercise also releases some chemicals that make your brain a happy place - helping to reduce depression, Alzheimers, etc. 

WAIT -- the good news is that you do not need to lift weights or run a marathon. A simple walking routine EVERY DAY can make a huge difference! HUGE!!! So don't be afraid of exercise - there are lots of programs out there that have you sit in a chair and do various routines, so you don't even need to worry about losing your balance. You do not need to work out hard enough to sweat! It's MOVING that is important.

Exercise is huge, and most people figure they are too old for it. Or why start now? But you would be surprised. 

I used to be a gym junkie and would freak out if I missed a day - well, maybe not that bad. But then I got out of it for a bit, and now I'm getting back into it (can you believe I even contemplated going to the gym this morning - ON MY OWN!), but I had some pictures to take. The next time you wonder where my energy comes from, remember energy begets energy. So the more exercise I do, the more energy I have!

And I want my brain to keep functioning as well, so, besides doing the puzzles, sewing, and other things, exercise will help!

When you work freelance, you never know what your day will entail. After discussion with some of my "bosses" yesterday, I'm taking a wee turn, and that works for me. And it gives me a wee bit of breathing room at this point. As for the two classes this week, I basically have one presentation ready to go - I still need to add in a few pictures, and that allows me the entire day to work on the other one. 

WAIT ---- if you do one thing today, it's this. If you are a scroller of Facebook, PLEASE DO NOT BELIEVE ANYTHING that you see. If you see something that sounds real, go to a website and fact-check it. While there are some good things on Facebook, I would hope that your friends' posts are real, but everything else? Most are FAKE. They (whoever they are) are feeding you information that you WANT to believe, but if you fact-check it, someone has faked it! 

By the way, does anyone post personally on Facebook anymore? I do from time to time, but not often. 

As for sewing, I did get some sewing done. I can't share any of it at this point in time, but I have made good progress. I managed to make and trim a few more hourglass blocks! 

Hourglass blocks trimmed

I am packing for the upcoming quilt retreat, and I had to dig around on the current projects table to find a few things. Except for one spool of thread, I think I have amassed everything at the bottom of the stairs. 

Packing for quilt retreat

Except Murphy, of course, who is going to stay home. I know—you are thinking that's a lot of stuff to take, and it is. I plan to load it in the car over the weekend as it's all fabric. There are boxes of scraps that need to be sorted and cut. BOXES, but when you only have to chat with others, sort, and cut? You can get through a lot in a day. I also have a couple of tubs of fleece scraps that I'm going to cut. And I'm taking the scraps for my 365-day quilt to see if I can get a few more blocks cut for that. I have a few projects that will require handwork. It's all pretty light, as they're just scraps, and I plan to leave everything in the car and pull out one container at a time. I must remember to pack the car so that it is easy to do. 

I don't plan on taking my sewing machine, but I'm taking a cutting mat and chair risers, so I hope to raise my own sewing space and not bother the others at the cutting table. I find cutting and sorting little pieces extremely therapeutic, and I can't wait. Besides, I'm clearing stuff off the current projects table, so all is good!!!

As for puzzles, I'm making great progress on that as well. 

Getting close to the finish!

YES --- almost finished, and I had some therapy time as I moved all the pieces onto two small design boards before closing up shop last night. I hadn't been successful in finding homes for all the pieces I had pulled, but I'm now at the point where I can grab either board, scour for pieces, and put them in immediately. I gave myself one hour and fifteen minutes last night. It works for me because I also wanted to read. 

I'm hooked on these darn things, which I knew I would be since I've always loved working on puzzles. But never seemed to have the time. Now I have more time! 

Here are the three I got at the thrift store earlier this week. 

Movies!

Animals

Garden

Yes, occasionally a piece or two might be missing, but really, for the price, you can't beat it. Those three cost me about $20, which is less than the cost of one at full price. Some might be of questionable quality, but all the ones I have purchased look great, with great pictures. I shall continue to buy from the thrift store, although I treat myself every once in a while to a brand new one. 

A friend of mine recently acquired a golden retriever puppy (3 months old). I hope she knows what she's in for! 

Lots of morning cuddles and needy time!

MOM - I'm needy!!! 

MOM - I just woke up and need cuddles!!!

And let's not forget about playing ball!!

MOM - Did you say play ball? I thought I heard you say, "Let's play ball!"

MOM -- throw the ball!!! Throw the ball!!!

And of course, I threw the ball, and it rolled out of the bushes and landed on the ice on the pond. Someone was NOT happy. Needless to say, no baseball team is ever going to draft me!!

CRAP - the ball rolled onto the pond!

As the ball rolled toward the edge, Muprhy tried desperately to reach it, but she knew the ice was not thick enough to support her. How the heck do dogs know that? She didn't touch the ice, but knew enough to stay back. 

MOM - the ball needs to be rescued!!!!

And let's not talk about the muddy feet. But you have to love them --- Murphy is adorable, and well, she knows it and milks that for all its worth! She is slowing down some - she's 11, I think, but the moment you put the leash on her, she is like a 3-month-old puppy!!!

If you haven't read Ragged Company by Richard Wagamese, you should. It's about this ragtag group of homeless people who win the lottery. And what happens after that is sad, happy, and everything in between. It's really a story of how one moment in time can change your life and I'm not talking about the lottery win. 

While searching through the crap on the current project tables, I found this charging cord. It would be great for travel - it's long and has multiple tips on it. I should try it out before I take it anywhere. It's unlikely to be fast-charging!

My new charging cord!

Well, that's it for me. Lots to get done today, and I'd better get started!!!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!!

Virtual Retreat - Saturday, March 21 - starts at 6 PM.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89610782501?pwd=7dCrhiL5t8Xa4TVwZPvhL6cOymbcjK.1

Meeting ID: 896 1078 2501
Passcode: 148311

Virtual Retreat - Sunday, March 22 - starts at 3 PM.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89869001291?pwd=h57kT9axwTnd2xtJvuO0z2UOmUo45w.1

Meeting ID: 898 6900 1291
Passcode: 136711

When the world of puzzles and quilting collide!

Ah -- the weather! Yes -- it's pretty amazing how different the weather can be, even in nearby locations. Those different weather conditions have given our sewing group a chuckle from time to time. Because we all live in different locations but are somewhat close to each other, we can forecast what is coming to the others! It's especially neat during a thunderstorm! OK -- that's when we are on a call. 

Most of our snow disappeared yesterday, even though it was only zero. The sun was out for a bit, and that sun is mighty powerful! One had to be mindful of the somewhat icy sidewalks yesterday, but it was manageable. Today it should be dry. But I'm always watchful! 

I had loads of fun in Studio B yesterday. I accomplished a lot, but can't share anything with you yet. As I work on those half-square triangles, some of them are too large for what I want. So those ones get turned into hourglass blocks. I have a collection of hourglass blocks in various sizes. 

Making hourglass blocks from scraps

I was asked yesterday what I am going to do with all those half-square triangles. Well, I made an hourglass quilt from one set of hourglass blocks. It went into the A Needle Pulling Thread magazine a couple of issues ago. It's from Issue 69 - Scrappy and Spectacular. Here is the Table of Contents—I'll let you find the quilt. 

Can you spot the scrappy hourglass quilt?

My goal for the half-square triangles is to make a scrappy quilt, or several, when I get around to it. I want to get the pieces under control (seriously???) before I start sewing the units together. You have to keep in mind that I prefer to sew little bits together rather than sew with yardage. I'm thrilled to rescue something or pull it apart and remake it, rather than start something new. And I always joke that when I need to downsize my sewing space, those units don't take up much room and will provide hours, days, and weeks of entertainment. 

The other thing to keep in mind is that I don't sew for the end product. I have way too many quilts and am working to get rid of them, but my LOVE is the process of sewing. I don't care what I make, as long as I make! 

Speaking of which, I'm trying to find a particular small quilt. I don't think I gave it away, but I couldn't find it yesterday. But it makes me realize that it's time for a tidy-up. The quilts are strewn in multiple places, and I need to take some action. Perhaps I'll schedule 15 minutes or so a day to start sorting. 

It's so nice to have so much free time! Seriously? I actually have time not to freak out or get stressed. It's just too unreal! But I'm not complaining. I love it, and I made good progress on prepping for the classes next weekend. I might as well get it done rather than rushing on the day before, which was always the case, and then the homework never got completed. I'm in good shape, except that I took a presser foot off the machine that I was using and set it aside. And now I can't find it! Of course!! I'm hoping it'll jump right out at me when I get down there later today. 

I was going to take that GREEN jigsaw puzzle with me when I went to my parents, but I've decided to hang on to it and swap it with a friend who has the blue and red ones. I have the green and orange, so we can swap (not for keeps) two for two. That leaves me to track down the remaining three colors - purple, yellow, and pink. I may have to break down and buy those. Finding them at the thrift store is unlikely, but you never know. 

In the meantime, I have loads of puzzles to work on, so I do not need anything new. I had pulled out a 1000-piece puzzle to take with me, but then decided to swap it for this one. 

My new puzzle

I thought the guy might appreciate the tool puzzle more than the butterflies and birds that I had originally dug out! There is a green elastic band on that box!!! 

Thank goodness for quilt mini design boards, although the bottom two are 18" square. The puzzle pieces are larger than they were for the green puzzle, and I wasn't careful when placing them down. I required FIVE boards. Thankfully, I still have two more, and they are currently in use as I work on my project for next weekend. 

The pieces are laid out.

As I moved the pieces to the boards, I pulled out all the border pieces. That doesn't seem like enough pieces to make the border of this puzzle. 

The border pieces

However, shortly thereafter, the border was together, but MISSING two pieces. 

It's funny how that happens. You have to touch EACH piece to place it on the boards, and you would think you would see all the border pieces, but nope!! It happens every time. At least these pieces are more regular than the last one, but a lot is going on in this puzzle. I started by pulling most of the red pieces and working on those. There are a few more to pull tonight, and I'll work on all things red. Then onto the next color or item. But it's covered for the day. And see -- it only takes the end of a banquet table to work. I LOVE using those design boards as you don't need a large space to spread out. 

I have one of those puzzle roll things, but I might give it away - anyone want one? I've never used it, and now, based on this setup, I don't think I will either. And I certainly will never use the sorting trays -- that's a waste of time as far as I'm concerned. A few sheets of foam core from the dollar store and some inexpensive felt from Fabricland, and VOILA -- design boards. Well, I already had them because I use them for quilting all the time. 

I finished reading the romance book yesterday. I see there is a new genre called MM Romance. MM meaning man with man. Now I'm that much smarter! Still reading the other two books. That paranormal one is just weird. But then I guess that's how that genre works. I started a new audiobook, which is interesting, but all books are interesting. You just need to open your mind and realize that the world beyond my doorstep is very different. 

The book is called Ragged Company by Richard Wagamese. A story that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover! How will the ragtag group of people cope with a big lotto win? I honestly wonder where I get all the recommendations from. This didn't come from my usual sources. 

I see Margareta Magnusson has passed. She wrote the book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. I believe I read that book, but it might be time to reread it. Although I am doing very well, thank you very much!!! It might be as slow as one folder a day, or even a couple of pieces of paper each day, but I am definitely well on my way to cleaning up the mess. She wrote another book - the Swedish Art of Aging Well. I might have to get that one, although I think I'm doing pretty well and in better physical shape now than I was one year ago! 

The biggest issue is letting go, and I'm there. Remember, the point is not to get rid of everything, but to get rid of the things you no longer want/use or need. There is no sense in leaving it for your children to clean up the mess. That is just wrong. I'm still actively sewing, and I'm not ready or need to get rid of that stuff yet. But the time will come, and then I'll be very much ready to deal with it. But the rest of the stuff? I'm happy to part with it, but in my way. 

And lastly, here is a picture of the girls hanging out with Dad. They just won't sleep close together, but close enough! 

The girls have some downtime.

I think I forgot to mention that Microsoft called me last week and is still monitoring the situation. Everything seems fine, and  I need to take one more look at Outlook Classic to see what else I have questions about. The support person is very patient, and I suspect they are using me to collect data. No need to check into my computer, but just to see what the heck is going on, as I'm sure they have tons of issues with people as they migrate to Windows 11. We have another call scheduled for Monday. 

And on that note, I'm out of here. I have the UFO Club this morning, and everything is ready to go!!! Then I have a "free" afternoon, which means I'll likely be sewing and then reading after dinner. WAIT -- I have a few puzzle pieces to put in as well!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!

Hanging by a thread

For once, that (title of the blog) does NOT refer to me and some crazy deadline. I'm so relaxed that - well, it's gazebo time!

Even in the heat, I was in the gazebo (with a sweatshirt on) and happy as a clam. It was glorious with the trees and the breeze until the sun came around the roofline and shone into the gazebo. 

I was supposed to be reading, but I had a nap instead. The scent of the lilacs and the tingle of the windchimes put me to sleep. 

Lilacs are in bloom

Of course, the girls were there to entertain, but I think it was too hot for Murphy to even think about playing ball. 

Murphy in the distance

Lexi came out of the house to check things out

Let's just say that the gazebo is my happy place, and I'm so lucky that it was here when we bought the house because I don't know if I would have thought about getting one. It needs to be repainted this year, so I must arrange that. I'm certainly not doing it --- I have too much other stuff to do. 

Great fun with the Monday sewing ladies, and what I love is that it was very relaxing, and I could work on whatever I wanted. So I worked on this! My chunk of the month, and I got one more section done. Yeah!!!

Section 4 of the Block of the Month

That's a total of 5 sections, only four more to go. This is on my UFO list for 2019 -- a little bit behind, and I'd really like to get it done since I'm this close. 

Five sections done

Where did the pattern come from? It's mine! I ran this as a block of the month with two of my local guilds back in 2013/2014. OH -- and if you want to see the show and tell from one of the guilds, check out this post. MANY people finished the quilt. Looking at what people did with their background choices -- I want to make the quilt again! The idea is that the background is supposed to be shaded from light in the top left corner to dark in the bottom right. However, that's a challenge with bright orange, but I believe it goes a bit darker in the bottom corner. 

Should you want a copy of it, let me know, and we can arrange something. It is NOT a very pretty pattern, and there are two tutorials on my blog for tips. I would write it differently if I had to rewrite the pattern. It's a bit of a challenge to twirl the seams in this one, and I was learning, so it's not too pretty. Now I know better! 

I'm not sure I'll have time to work on it today, but I hope to lay out the next section. 

The long arm is finally free and ready for the next quilt. The next quilt is already loaded and ready to go this morning. 

But this is what I had to deal with. That little sliver of white is where the fabric didn't get caught in the seam allowance in the middle. As the long arm went over it -- it pulled, and well, we had a bit of an issue. 

Ooops -- a very open seam

And that goodness, I know how to use that software for the long arm. I'm not sure how I even learned all this. But let's say that those blue dots (reference points) are CRITICAL to the success of any quilt. 

Reference point

I had ripped out the part that got messed up without removing the quilt from the long arm. Then it got rolled back up and ready to continue with the quilting. I had saved the pattern and hit the REPAIR button, and I chose the spot on the quilt corresponding to the location on the software. 

The point of repair

It was slightly out (the needle should be falling on the stitching line) that got moved, and away I went. 

Not quite lined up after the initial setting

The quilt was almost finished, so it didn't take long once the repair was done. And here it is -- the customer quilt, which I'll trim later today. 

Customer quilt - DONE

This doesn't happen often, and while the open seam caused the issue, I should have checked the pattern placement more closely. So the ripping out required was MY fault. Grr -- lesson learned!!!!

Look at this tree which got damaged in the storm. It's literally hanging by a thread. You would think that the leaves would be wilted by now, but enough nutrients/moisture are going through that crazy join to keep the tree going? How is that possible? 

Hanging by a thread

We'll be in a total mess soon, and it will be like that for a couple of months. The front of the house is being totally dismantled. Ooops -- the front yard, not the house. I offered my neighbor that she could take any plants or mulch. Good grief -- she's taking my dirt!! Well, it's not a large flower bed, and it's all going, so I guess she might as well have it before it ends up in a dumpster! I can hardly wait -- the ENTIRE front yard will be gone and replaced with new. I'll take some before and then after and lots of during pictures for your (and mine) entertainment. 

The planter is being emptied

I don't know what was happening with Murphy, but she stood like this for a long time yesterday. She would lay in the sun, then come downstairs to cool off. Then back out to the deck. Silly girl. 

MOM -- I've been bad!

I walked to my local grocery store yesterday, which has gone through a total renovation, all while the store was open. Ceiling painted, new coolers, signs, cash registers, all the food moved into new places, the Star Bucks opened, and there are the cup holders! They are red -- not pink. I haven't used a grocery cart in years -- I only buy a few things at a time, so I use the baskets. 

Cup holders at the grocery store

Speaking of buying, there seems to be a shortage of freezer paper. Not sure why that is, but I don't think I need to worry. I have a lifetime supply of the darn stuff. 

A lifetime supply of freezer paper

We did hear yesterday that you could buy it at Treasure Hunt (thanks, Mary) -- a store that I've never heard of. Although other stores have carried it -- there seems to be a shortage, so it's possible that while Treasure Hunt sold it, they may not have any in stock. And someone sent me this link to a store called Cabela's (also Bass Pro). I'd be careful in case that's the brown butcher paper. Just checked -- yes, that's the brown stuff, so it's harder to trace through. Thanks, Barb!

And you can also buy freezer paper in sheets. Here's a link to Thimbles and Things, where they are waiting on the boxes, so all they have is sheets at the moment. 

Anyway, I'm not going to ever have to worry, and NO -- I won't sell any boxes. Just in case you were going to ask. 

I spent some time last night with my new MacBook. I'm starting at the front of that book and working through it. To be honest, I have ZERO ideas why everyone is so ga-ga about the MacBook. There is absolutely NOTHING in there that my laptop can't do. The buttons are the same (they might be called something different), file folders, all that stuff -- It's the SAME - just a proprietary laptop! I guess I have to dig deeper to see the big hoopla. Better security? I couldn't care less about that. Less crashes? I've had ZERO issues with any Windows products other than the computer wearing out! 

Learning the MacBook

I have a list of things to get done today, and one of them is to trim these hourglass blocks, which have been sitting on the cutting table for a while. I cut them and pressed them this morning, so all is ready to go later today. 

Hourglass units waiting to be trimmed

It's all about slow and steady! 

OK -- so my FitBit had another moment of insanity yesterday. Look at the number of steps I supposedly walked. That's about 70,000 MORE than I actually walked, but look at the KM -- only 12, which is typical for me, equating to about 16,000 steps. In my spin class, the Fitbit counted every revolution of the pedals as a step, and that's NEVER happened before. 

I'll be keeping an eye on it and see what happens in the future. Since I only clock KM, I don't really care about the steps. But very weird!!

I have masses of computer work to do today- well, it won't all get done today, but I'm working on it. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!

Barn Quilt Blocks

 I caved! I turned on the laptop to watch a couple of The Great British Baking Show episodes. But I was productive while I watched and got a couple of the tasks done that needed to get done. I wish I could have done more, but that's the way it is. We always think we can do more than is possible in a day. 

For me -- it's the darn admin work that kills me. I did get one homework assignment finished up, and there's one more follow-up handout to work on. At least it's less time-consuming than it was in the past. But I need to address a small stack of stuff beside me and a small one on the floor. I'd better learn to write faster!

But instead of lamenting about what didn't get done or what still has to be done, let's look at what got done -- that's way more exciting anyway. 

I got this small customer quilt done. 

Customer quilt - DONE

And then the barn block needed to be done as the next one will be released this Friday. Yikes -- I was putting it off because I knew there were a LOT of pieces in this block. So while watching the baking show, I cut all the pieces. Then I trimmed the half-square triangles and laid everything out to look like this. 

The barn block laid out and ready to sew

You have to keep in mind that the original blocks assigned by Thimbles and Things are 18" finished. My blocks are 9". Yep -- if you do the math, eight squares across doesn't fit nicely with 9". Each of those units had to be trimmed to 1 5/8". And then, they needed to be sewn together perfectly so the finished block would be 9" (9½" unfinished). 

Let's not forget that I'm a fanatic about the direction those diagonal seams get pressed. We don't want bulk at any intersection. 

Then it got stitched together into four patches, and of course, I twirled the seams on all the four patches. 

Finished step two of the block construction

Then the four patches got sewn together into larger four patches, and all the seams were twirled as I proceeded. Did I measure each of the four patches to see if they were the right size? I randomly checked a few, and once I knew I was on the right track, I didn't measure them all. It doesn't matter how experienced a sewist you are -- it's a GOOD idea to check the size of those four patches before you get completely to the end and realize that your seams were slightly off. 

Step three of the block construction

And there's the finished block, with neat edges and hopefully no mistakes in the pattern. I've run out of that red fabric, and I've already used two different reds in the quilt. I may have to break down and go and buy some. It's a Northcott Toscana, so it should be easy to get more. 

The block is DONE

Here's what the back of the block looks like. Nice and neat, and the block is perfectly flat, even with all those points and intersections. 

The back of the barn block

I wanted to see how all the blocks look together, so time to put them up on the design wall. I'm going to put my blocks on point, and I need 18 of them. The four blocks to the side are directional, and one is a 6" block, so they won't get used in the quilt. 

My barn blocks

We should be getting seven more blocks, and I only need four, so I'll have a couple of extra blocks to play around with. And hopefully, at least four of those blocks can be set on-point. I'm quite pleased with the overall effect so far. 

And my container for this project is getting full, so I looked at what was in the container and decided that I did NOT need the pattern printouts. I've redone them all in EQ8 to get the smaller size, so if I want to make those blocks again, I can open EQ8 and reprint a set of instructions. So all that paper went to the recycling. 

The paper patterns are now in the recycling

Our bonus task this month was to do an online puzzle from The Quilt Show website. I had done one earlier this month, and I should have taken a picture of that one. I think I chose 99 pieces (non-rotating) for that first one. Last night, I decided to do another one to submit everything before going to bed. Good grief -- I chose 300 pieces (non-rotating), and it took a LONG time to get that thing together. Thank goodness I didn't select rotating pieces as I'd still be working on it! 

My finished online puzzle

There's probably a spot where you can see a picture before you start? I didn't look for it, so I had to figure this thing out as I went along. 

In the process of making that block, I got two more hourglass units completed, and they are 5", so I now need to make 7 more before I can start to sew that scrappy quilt together. 

Two more hourglass units

I made progress on my Mixed Media project, not as much as I would have liked, but as I walked, I did more thinking about the logistics. Yes --- this will come together, but there's still much work to be done. I have one presentation tonight, which doesn't require any work, but the French one tomorrow will require a lot of work, so that's the task for today. 

And I have my guild presentation to the Oakville Quilters Guild tomorrow night, which requires a little bit of tweaking. So those two things are on the list today, as is some of the computer work. 

What a difference a couple of days can make with the weather. A couple of days ago, we were freezing, and yesterday, I could almost have walked without a jacket. I certainly took my mitts off and unzipped my coat! Now we are expecting some messy winter weather. I'm so glad my guild presentation tomorrow night is on Zoom. No need to worry about the roads!! They are selling guest spots (not sure if there are any left), but you can always check it out. This afternoon, it's supposed to be 9 C with sunshine. 

And look at this sad sack. For some reason, when I put Murphy's harness on to take her for a walk, you would think I was sending her to prison. But the moment that door is open, she's her happy self. 

Sad sack Murphy

Well, it's off to spin class, and I have my FitBit on! And when I'm back, I'll be at the computer trying to get some stuff done. 

I have to say that my monthly Master TO DO list is working out well. I love crossing stuff off, and I just need to figure out how to reduce the number of things on it. Well, some of it is learning stuff for me, and I like to set stretch goals, so that list will always have more on it than I can accomplish in one month. But at least all areas are covered, so I don't forget to do something - even if it happens next month!

And then I can update the list on the computer during the month, and at the beginning of the next month, I can print a copy. That sounds super easy, right? Well, not if your computer won't talk to the printer. For whatever reason, my computer will not print. It recognizes the scanner on that printer, but it won't print. So I have to send stuff to myself via e-mail and use my phone to print. Can you tell me why that is? I need to call support but haven't had time. 

Well, I'm off to spin class, and soon we won't need to show our vaccine certificates which will be very nice. Masks are still required, and I'm OK with that. It's all one more step to being totally open. Last year, I said things would be open by the end of March (two years after everything started), and by the end of March, things would almost be back to "normal."   OH GOD -- that's something my mother would say! I told you so!! Sorry for that!

But I don't see that my daily routine will change much. I'm pretty happy with things the way they are, and while I need to make three short road trips, I can't find time in the day to make that happen. Two of them are just to pick stuff up and would probably take 2 hours at the most each. But then I don't have two spare hours! Maybe next week. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!

Monday gathering, not sewing

Yesterday was Monday Sewing. However, from my point of view -- it was more like Monday searching. 

I don't know how many times I went on a quest to find something for someone. I'm not sure if this was the first thing or not, but we got to chatting about the Piecemaker Calendars. I'm missing ONE -- the very first one that came out in 1988. Hmm --- the collective group has spotted it on eBay. But do I want to pay $40 US for it?? OK -- so I caved and sent an OFFER to the seller. Let's see what she says. 

We learned several things about our phones, and I got to test one of them out while I was having lunch. Did you know that if your phone is set properly and you get a call you do not want to answer, all you have to do is flip your phone over, and the call stops ringing! That works amazing; UNLESS you have earbuds connected, and it kept asking me to use voice control the call  -- IGNORE or ANSWER! My earbuds can connect to multiple devices at the same time. That means if I'm connected to the laptop and the phone rings, the phone takes priority. AHA  -- that's good to know. 

Gosh, I think we learned one other thing, but I've already forgotten it. NO WAIT -- I know what it was. Tracking my steps with my phone. And then to sync it with my Fitbit. Now, why would I want to do that? Well, I got to the gym yesterday and realized that the Fitbit was still on the charger. DARN!!! I missed those steps walking from the far end of the parking lot to the gym. Oh well -- I still did 12.2 KM yesterday without the ones from the morning gym. I can live with that. 

My FitBit does not track my cycle distance, but I get about .5 KM from the movement of my hands and stretching. So it doesn't affect the over total at all. 

See how smart we are all going to be? I swear that I've learned so much from my sewing groups, and a lot of it is NOT related to sewing!

Then it was time to start searching for stuff for people. And soon, the bottom of the stairs looked like this. 

The mess at the bottom of the stairs

Tubs of fabric were pulled from under the long arm. Someone was looking for a northern-themed panel for a quilt. Not only did I have a panel with a polar bear on it, but I also had an entire quilt MADE and ready to be quilted. The panel was in the boxes under the long arm. 

I used my handy list of quilts in the "to be quilted" pile, and within seconds, I had my hands on the quilt. 

My master list of "to be quilted"

It's an adorable quilt -- it was a free download at Northcott, but I suspect the free pattern is now gone off their site. Who cares if that panel is still available? - the quilt can be made with any panel. Nope -- I just checked, and it's gone.  

Flannel polar bear panel quilt

And there's the cute backing fabric. Of course, the binding is made, and we're going to chat later today to see where to go. But I suspect that I just got rid of a quilt from that pile -- after I quilt it, of course! 

The backing fabric

So if ever you are looking for a particular theme or a particular color or style of quilt, I may already have one and might just be willing to part with it!

While I was in the stack of quilts, I took a picture of another quilt that I needed for someone else. This is the 4th of July by Judy Niemeyer. Why? Because we found a pack of the foundation papers on sale for $10, and I made someone buy it. I promised to dig out the pattern, and she can have the pattern -- I'm done with it! 

Here's that quilt. 

4th of July quilt by Judy Niemeyer

I made mine with bright batiks, which is precisely what she wants to use. It's a gorgeous quilt!!

Detail of the 4th of July quilt

And let's not forget the trip down memory lane when someone asks for some bits of Crimplene (or Fortrel) fabric to repair a quilt. I know -- the first thought that comes to mind is why would you need to fix a quilt made with that fabric? It didn't wear -- it got caught on a nail. For those that don't know -- both of those names are BRAND NAMES for basically a double-knit fabric. 

I was happy to dig out that tub of fabrics and find something that would work. The squares are cut and will go in the mail later today. Why do I have a tub of Fortrel? Because it belonged to my mom and I really want to make a quilt from it. Why? Because Victoria Finlay Wolfe has one her grandma made, and I like Victoria! I'm weird like that!

WAIT --- some of the fabric is already cut into squares, which would be the PERFECT project for the serger!!! I may have to dig that tub back out TODAY!!!

A tub of Fortrel bits

And yes -- I did get some work done -- not much, but some! It's all in fun, and I'm pretty happy to oblige!

I'm working on my scrappy green quilt, which I need to get done for the weekend. It's my UFO, and I'm not done. But I'm happy with how the blocks are going together, as those points are pretty sharp!

Sharp points on my scrappy hexagon quilt

 

Not bad, considering I didn't pin anything! I hate pinning and avoid it like the plague UNLESS it's to pin a border. I didn't even pin the LONG strips in my BOHO heart quilt the other day, but I MADE those things match. I'm also using a sewing machine with a built-in walking foot, and that does help enormously with things not stretching. 

I managed to get a few more hourglass units sewn, pressed, and trimmed. 

Hourglass units 

None of them finished at 5", so I'm still missing NINE before I can start piecing my scrap quilt. 

And a few sets of half square triangles got completed and ready to sew the second seam. 

Ready for the next set of seams

We also chatted about the flooring for our sewing rooms. Gosh -- I hate dusting and sweeping floors in general, but I'm forever running the Swifter over the floor in Studio B. It gives me great pleasure to capture those dust bunnies as they attempt to escape. I moved this cabinet this morning and expected to see great giant dust bunnies, and nope -- NO bunnies. That's because I was in there with the Swifter last week.

No dust bunnies are safe in my studio

This is a vinyl floor, and I have zero regrets about having that installed. I love it. If you can -- this is an excellent alternative to carpet. I can't imagine having carpet in the sewing room, and that would be a HUGE dust collector and challenging to keep clean. 

And if you were astute -- you would notice that the top of the baseboard does need a good wipedown! I didn't do that!

Well, it's going to be a bit warmer today than it was yesterday. That was a bit nippy. DH went downtown yesterday and decided to walk OUTSIDE from the train station to the office. NO hat, and probably no scarf. He said his brain froze, and I believe it. I tried to walk the girls in the SUN, and you could feel the temperature difference between the sun and the shade. 

Since I wasn't too productive yesterday, I have a LOT of work to do today. There are no imminent deadlines, but the weekend will be here before I know it, and I have classes to prep for. I've got THREE presentations this week, and one of them is in French, so I need to brush up on serger terms. But I like busy days -- I must NOT turn on the laptop to watch the baking show. DO NOT turn on the computer! 

Anyway -- -on that note, I'm out of here. Lots to do and so little time to get it all done. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!