Quilting in space

I'm glad to know I'm not the only space nerd who also enjoys quilting. We live in an amazing world. People like my parents went to school in horse-drawn cutters (like a sleigh) and wagons, or they walked several miles. No electricity for my parents when they got married in 1954. No TV, no running water! And now, from the comfort of their Lazy-Boy chairs, they are watching the Artemis 2 circle the Earth while we hear everything they are saying in crystal clear voice communication. 

The last 100 years have been amazing. 

Not to disappoint my students, both presentations are done. And, my curiosity got the better of me for one of them, and they may regret asking me questions! BUT --- if you don't ask questions, you don't learn. I ask questions, then I try experiments to test the theories. I want to understand the WHY of how most things work. Some of it is over my head, but for the most part - I'm good. 

Oh my --- I finished reading a book yesterday—well, listening to an audiobook —and OH MY --- this sounds familiar. Then I chalked it up to the narrator's voice and the same physical scenario as the one I listened to recently (same author in a series). I realized after I listened to it that it was a series, so I decided to go back to the first book. 

Imagine my surprise when I went to log it and found it was already in my database. WHAT? How could that be? Yep—apparently I read it in February, 2021. Well, that's a long time ago, and I must have had COVID fog!! It doesn't matter - it was a good reminder of how the series started! But sheesh—you would think I would remember this. Maybe I do, and I'm just blocking it. In his favor, DH said, that 2021 was a long time ago! Thanks, DH!!!!

More drama on the parent front. I had a discussion last night, and they confessed to the issue up front. Mom just doesn't listen, tries to do things she shouldn't, and runs into trouble. I explained how she should progress to get stronger, but NO! Two falls this week since I left. She thinks she can manage on her own rather than have a physiotherapist come into the house, as I suggested, to help her regain her strength. Dad is home with her to help with washroom duty (the man is a saint!), and not a single complaint about him not being able to go to work. And he is chatting with a doctor on Monday to arrange for in-house physio. She just needs some guidance as to how to address this situation. Instead of asking, they just let it slide. Sigh...............

I said I would be on a plane tomorrow if they needed me. Let's see what happens. But let this situation be a lesson to everyone. If you lose strength in your legs and can no longer get to the washroom on your own, that is a massive issue for staying in your home! Stand up/sit down and do it many times in a day. It's important! And even if you end up in a care home, and you can't do the washroom on your own, you are at the mercy of the overworked care workers! Stand up/sit down! Preferably not using your hands! 

Yesterday was a bit of a whirlwind day! I did a wee bit of sewing until I realized I had to switch the stitch plate to the single-hole one, and I was getting tired by then. No worries -- I have show-and-tell this morning. Then I watched some videos on YouTube (I have so much to learn!) and, while I was doing that, I did some handwork. This table, where my serger typically sits? No room, as I spread stuff out to take pictures today or to get ready for my presentations tomorrow. 

A very busy and messy work area

I learned a ton of stuff yesterday. And yes—there were many frustrations, and the air was a bit blue when YouTube asked for a password. Well, it was Google, but still. Passwords and I do not get along - at all! 

And with the upcoming vacation, two classes, and UFO Club next weekend, plus making a jacket, I envision that next week will be a bit silly. Not over the top because I have started on all the stuff - it just doesn't allow for much downtime! But that's OK. 

Technically, things won't get back to order until I'm back in May. Oh well --- it's life, and there isn't much planned for the rest of the year, but we all know that can change in a heartbeat. 

When I met that old boyfriedn before leaving Saskatoon, he gave me some well-watered plant clippings. ACK!!!! I'm not good with plant clippings! Anyway, they are sitting in water at the moment, and I think the small ones could be planted directly into soil, while the Christmas cactus needs to sprout roots. 

My plant clippings

Let's see what happens. 

Since we are all quilters and space nerds, here's a video from 12 years ago featuring Karen Nyberg as she attempts to sew a quilt block in space (on the International Space Station). I wonder if she got those scissors preapproved? LOL. I love seeing the female astronaut's long hair in space. Christine from Artemis 2 had curly hair, and it was all over and looked amazing!! Imagine if all of us had hair like that! I mean, how it reacts in zero gravity. 

And here's another video of Karen after she retired. What a fascinating story, and there are lots of other videos you can watch as well. 

My computer desk looks like a tornado hit it, and it's likely not going to get better until May. I'll just have to live with that. At this point, May looks pretty empty, and barring any unforeseen things, I should be good to get caught up and get everything tidied up! 

OH -- I'm reading a very fun book at the moment. I think this one came from The Globe and Mail lists. It's called The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery. It's supposedly the first in a series, and oh my --- what fun!! A locked room mystery and an unlikely cast of characters. I'm whizzing right through it, which I shouldn't be because I have stuff to do!!

On that note, I'd better get myself organized and walk the girls before the presentations. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

If you live near Ottawa and have a free day tomorrow, April 13, why not come to Quilty Pleasures to see me? From 9 AM to noon, I'll be chatting about the Creativate ecosystem and sharing some cool things I've created using the apps, the embroidery software, and how it all ties together. Super fun. This is appropriate for anyone with a Wi-Fi-enabled (SVP brand) sewing and/or embroidery machine. 

Then from 2 to 5, I'll be chatting about the Singer Momento - 24" digital cutter. How to make SVGs from paper templates, cutting fabric, and a whole lot of other things. This is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn digital cutting, and it will be specific to the Singer Momento, but anyone is welcome to come. 

Click the appropriate event (or both) in the calendar to register. See you there!!!!

Learning to be creative!

It was a positively boring day yesterday! The third-level Microsoft support called, and she took about 5 minutes to poke around my Outlook setup, then decided it needed to be escalated to a higher level! Yikes!!! But Microsoft and Google don't seem to like talking to each other, and there's an issue with syncing. Now I understand why it takes so long for my email to sync - that's always been an issue, but I never thought much about it. If Microsoft is willing to spend time on it, I'm happy to oblige! I have another call window this afternoon - maybe the problem will be resolved? BTW, I believe Microsoft will support the Classic version until 2029.

In the meantime, it was so nice to send emails to my groups, and I switched between Outlook versions as needed. There is a lag in the syncing, so hopefully I got everyone's pictures. 

The knee is progressing nicely, but I'm still not pushing it. Pushing it for me is different from pushing it for others - I get that. I did almost 9 KM yesterday. And my knee felt much better during and after the walk. I'm still applying heat, but no meds are required.  

The engineers got back to me and said they will look into the beam issue, but not the roof issue. There is no attic, so no place to investigate. Hmmm—have they ever considered that the drywall has to come off to be repaired, so they will have a wide-open space to investigate? Maybe I need to say the drywall is gone! I'm going to contact another company, and then we'll see. The ice is mostly gone from the roof, and everything has settled down. 

Like I said -- positively boring and I'm OK with that! 

I spent the entire day running around, taking and editing pictures, and putting together today's presentations. The two of them are ready, and after this morning's classes, I'll spend the afternoon prepping the UFO presentation for tomorrow. That one should be easier, as I just have to get the pictures from email and a few pictures of my stuff. 

OH -- as I was doing my research, guess what I found? Yep -- a printout of the distribution list for the jacket class!! I guess I'm not as silly as I thought I was. I had a physical copy of my two big lists. 

My jacket class distribution list

I did a lot of research yesterday, both online and in my resource library. 

Doing research

It also necessitated getting out the User's Guide for my sewing machine. GASP!!!! Yep --- that is one of the most valuable tools you can own. It's a shame more people don't use it!

The User's Guide

I can share what I was looking for another day. But I felt like a detective as I tried to figure out what I was doing wrong! 

Well, as I was digging through that stack of Threads magazines, I glanced over to see Miss Murphy sleeping on her mat under the current project tables. It's like a little den for her, surrounded by tubs on two sides. I decided that we needed some quiet time together. I got on the floor, and we had a good cuddle. 

MOM - I LOVE when you cuddle in my space!

You know something? I'm glad I'm still able to do that. Because of all the stretching, getting back up isn't a big deal anymore. YES -- instead of letting my body continue to regress, I'm fighting back to keep myself limber. It took a wakeup call, but I listened. Should I be blessed with grandchildren one day, you bet I'll be on the floor to cuddle and play with them! 

At least that's what the quote in my tea told me to do - listen!!!!

Listen!!!!!

Getting up may not be as graceful as a ballet dancer (I've said that before), but at least I can do it, and it doesn't feel awkward! Even with a bum knee, so yes - the knee is much better. 

But while I was browsing one of the early Threads magazines, I spotted this article on COMPUTERIZED sewing machines!!! 

Hmmm -- how to buy a computerized sewing machine

There was a comparison chart of the various brands. The prices were under $2,000, although at the time, that was probably a lot of money for a sewing machine. 

Comparison chart of sewing machines

Here's a close-up of some of the top-of-the-line models. These are NOT embroidery machines; they are simply sewing machines. 

The Viking 990

There was no Husqvarna at that time. 

PFAFF Creative 1471

HMM -- at some point, Pfaff became all caps, and Creative lost its capital C. 

Bernina 1130

Brother Compal Galaxie

New Home Memory Craft 6000

This later became Janome. 

Shoot, before I put it back, I should have looked at the features, but I was in a bit of a hurry, so I didn't want to stop. 

Here's the cover of the Threads issue, so you can tell it's a bit dated. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to what year this was? 

One of the early issues of Threads

There it is -- August/September 1987!!!! And look at the price—$3.75. This is an amazing magazine, and I think I have every issue. Don't ask! I noticed that when I looked for three particular issues, they were NOT in any order. They were, but then they got moved. So it really is time to organize that resource library. 

Aug/Sept 1987 issue

Speaking of the library, I got two recommendations for Libib to store books, but I already have a paid subscription to one online, so I might try that one first. I can scan the books - I just need to figure out how to set up a second database. The first database contains the books I have read. I refer to that VERY FREQUENTLY, so I might as well use it for the quilt books since I'm already paying for it! 

As part of my preparation, I had to find two items I needed to photograph. One of the items I had been looking for a couple of weeks ago, but didn't find it. Well, that's because I didn't look hard enough. Both items were on the pegboard. There are loads of things on this pegboard that probably don't need to be there. But all my specialty rulers and odd notions are stored there. It works for me. 

The messy pegboard

And what about the girls? They have become extremely vocal these days. When I go for a walk with one, the other one protests while I'm gone. Last night, Murphy would NOT leave her ball alone, and when I took it away, she made a loud protest. The only way I can get peace and quiet when reading is to go upstairs, which I don't want to do! Eventually, they settled, but not until they had a play fight to entertain me!

MOM - we NEED YOU NOW!!!

Oops—I forgot to get a picture of that painting. I'll try to remember today. But I'll chat about the two books I'm reading. The audiobook is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. I think I have taken this book out of the library a dozen times and never got around to reading it. I figured I'd "force" myself to read it by listening to the audiobook. While it has a lot of good information, I don't think the book is for me. 

The premise of the book is to help people become creative. Help artists who are blocked to get back to painting, writing, creating, making movies, or whatever. It also encourages people who are NOT doing what they would love to do, to take that giant step and do it! Lucky for me, I took that step back in 1998 and haven't looked back. 

She has a ton of lists, and some of the items on them I feel are just fillers, so she can get to 20 on each. But hey—if one of the items piques someone's interest, it needs to be on the list. Now I almost need to see the physical book to review those lists! But I digress. 

I got a chuckle because the first thing she talks about in the book is the Morning Pages. To help open the floodgates, she recommends that you get up each day and write three pages longhand. It can be whatever you want --- and if you can't think of anything to write, then you simply write, "I don't know what to write" or something to that effect. 

These pages are just for you -- you don't need to read them or share them with anyone; you just need to write! 

On that note, I couldn't agree more! And I'm going to equate my blog with Julia's morning pages. I get up and just write. I don't think of a topic - it just comes to me. Can you believe I've been writing the blog for almost twenty years? At first, it was sporadic, and then it became a daily thing. 

I chose to use the computer because I can't stand handwriting with a pen. My hand just cramps, and the writing isn't pretty. I much prefer a keyboard. I put it online because a then-friend encouraged me. But it's the process of writing that is important. Why? Because I said I was going to do things and wrote it down, I now have to follow up. Because I struggle with issues and I write about them, it becomes less of a struggle. Because I share my successes, I feel more successful, etc. 

So while you may feel motivated, inspired, mad, or happy when you read the blog, it's really a brain dump of my thoughts, which helps me clear my head and move on for the day! I'm going to call my blog my morning pages, and I will continue doing so for as long as I can. I'm also a storyteller, in case you haven't figured that out, and as long as I can continue to tell stories about the day, well, I'll be writing. 

I'm sure DH is thankful for the blog because he already has to listen to many ridiculous, nonsensical, and meaningless stories from me. Imagine if he had to hear them all? It keeps me young and brings lots of laughs to our house! 

But reading that book alone would NOT make you creative. There are loads of exercises that Julia recommends you do. Writing my blog can take up to 1½ hours each day, and I actually look forward to the process. So if you want to become more creative, do the things you have always wanted to do, but were afraid to, take a look at the book. But it will take WORK and COURAGE to get there. 

Speaking of stories, I didn't tell you this one. Because of my knee, I am taking a slightly different route with the dogs. I don't want to slog through the forest with a dog on a leash, even sweet Lexi. That requires me to cross a busy street during school drop-off time. As I was crossing the street to return home, a car started turning left towards me. He was in a rush to get ahead of the car that had stopped to his right. 

Turns out that was an Uber driver, and DH was on his way to the dentist in that car. He had to shout at the driver to not hit me! Can you imagine the headlines for that one? 

So many drivers just care about the cars and not the people. The sad thing is, this happened very near an elementary school shortly after drop-off, when there would still be lots of people around. Sigh.......

I'll have to tell you about the other book I'm reading tomorrow. I've got to get moving!

Here are the links to the Virtual Retreat this weekend. 

Saturday, February 21 --- starts at 6 PM

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

Meeting ID: 896 1078 2501
Passcode: 148311

Sunday, February 22 ---- starts at 3 PM

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

Meeting ID: 898 6900 1291
Passcode: 136711

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Learning a second language can save your life!

It was a wonderful day - AGAIN! I took tons of pictures, but not much to share with you. It was all for the two classes and the UFO club this weekend. The two presentations are totally prepped. I give the groups until 6 AM the day of the class to submit their pictures. I had an issue getting back to sleep at one point, so I was up in the middle of the night. Everything is DONE for today. Nothing new came in, so nothing new to add this morning! 

I will have to share the homework for Colour My World tomorrow because it's incredible. I'm overwhelmed by the response. Many people who were behind have caught up! A couple of people have reached out to me, saying they are struggling or have time crunches because of moving, but there are still over 40 active participants in the class. That's crazy!!!!

But the quilt is gorgeous, so how can the participants not want to get it done! Our final reveal will be in June, and I can't wait! This is a very doable quilt for anyone, but you must take your time!!! And while this is a pattern, it's incredible how different each quilt looks!!! 

Colour My World by Wendy Williams

Instead of waiting for all the pictures to come in for the UFO Club, I've been loading as they came in. And I'll continue to do that today. That means tomorrow morning won't be a mad scramble to load everything. See? My new relaxed schedule gives me much more flexibility!! 

I was browsing through some emails and came across this: A guide to batting. I have lots of information on batting, but I bet most of it isn't relevant anymore, since batting materials and types have changed. So if you are in the market for batting, check out this guide. You do NOT need to buy the batting there, but gathering information online is free!

There's even a chart with the sizes of each batting if you buy it in a bag. The more information you have in your back pocket, the easier it is to go shopping or do anything! So get educated! Speaking of education, I signed up for an online course on ChatGPT. Not that I want to use it, but I want to know what it can do for me. The online class isn't too long, and when I went to the classroom, I realized that I've signed up for a couple of other courses with this company. So now that I have more time, I need to schedule some online learning!

It is definitely a winter wonderland outside, and all this came one night! The sidewalk plow finally came last night - two days after the snow storm, but we never used to have that plow, so I'm OK if he comes late, as long as he comes. While most neighbors had shoveled their sidewalks, some didn't. Or perhaps they have issues with why they can't. But if they can shovel their driveway, they should be able to shovel the sidewalk. 

Winter wonderland

The girls got to go for their walks yesterday, and everyone was happy! I didn't go for a walk in the afternoon; instead, I went out and tidied up the driveway, which got me bonus steps, so I managed to get my 10 KM. Those two girls were happy as clams (are clams really happy?) and had fun lying outside on the deck. If only they would stay there for hours on end - quiet! 

The girls are enjoying the cool snow

Miss Lexi is shedding like mad. I've taken to brushing her daily, but only one brushful. If I do more, she may end up naked! Where is all this hair coming from? I don't brush her near the house, so we do it on the walk. That way, any loose hair on her is hopefully gone by the time we get home, and the loose hair stays in the forest. 

Since I don't have any other pictures to share, I found two things in my email inbox this morning that I wanted to share with you. Michael's is having a BIG sale on yarn, and I got all excited, but then I remembered that I do NOT need to buy more yarn. But look at this chart!!! Isn't that cool! 

I don't remember yarn being sold by this kind of weight—we had names: fingerling, baby, knitted worsted, etc. I suppose they still do - I'm not a big knitter, so I'm not really up on the details. 

But I am a sewing machine person, and these two things in an email from PFAFF are really, really important: change your needles after 6 - 8 hours of sewing/machine embroidery/quilting, and use the CORRECT presser foot. 

Do you know that many of our tension and stitch quality issues can be resolved by us? The right foot can make sewing any project so much easier. Yes - they cost money, but so does everything else. If in doubt, browse the online catalogues to see if a new (to you) presser foot can make life easier for you! And once you get it, don't be shy about experimenting so you know exactly how to make it work for you. Don't forget the machine settings - moving your needle to the left or right, changing the tension, stitch length, and width, etc., all of that can make a world of difference!! 

I'm now using the Bi-Level TopStitch foot to sew the binding to the fronts of my quilts, and it's a game-changer! I LOVE it!!! There's also a Right Edge Bi-Level Foot. These are both PFAFF feet, but I'm sure all sewing machine brands offer the Bi-Level TopStitch Foot. I don't use the Right Edge foot very often. Remember that presser feet are NOT interchangeable between brands! 

Why is that foot important? Because of how the foot is designed, it helps keep the presser foot FLAT, preventing skipped stitches and producing a more even stitch. Both things are essential when topstitching! Essentially, you are topstitching your binding in place by bringing it to the front and stitching it down. 

Speaking of learning, someone just sent me this, and I have to share it with you. I think it's important to know a second language - which one you choose is up to you. So check out this blog and watch the short video - it's hilarious! Learning a second language can save your life! 

Did I mention that my abs are a tad tender? Because I keep shoveling, they aren't getting a chance to recover. Let's say that I'll take it easy today!

And there is no fear of ever running out of books to read. Between getting recommendations from my friends, both those I see regularly and those online, my reading list is getting longer by the day!!! Not complaining! I must hang around with good people, because only one or two have been duds! 

So it's going to be a good day - every day is a great day because we get to be here! 

Well, I'm off to walk the girls, and then it's going to be a busy morning with two classes. Then I can finalize my stuff for tomorrow, and then you get to see all that I've been doing! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

My wish came true!

How many times have I lamented that I need just one more day? A few I know. Well, guess what? I just got one more day!!

I had something planned for today, and it got postponed until next week. So that gives me one more day to prep for the two classes and the UFO Club on the weekend. YAHOO!!!!!! 

I will warn you that this blog might be a bit off-putting to some. It's filled with great joy, much happiness, more energy than you probably need (It's only five AM), so I apologize. Heck no -- I won't apologize for my joy! Embrace it!!!!!

And have you ever had those days when most things seem to be going right, and you're feeling great? I had one of those days yesterday. Oh—trust me—some crazy things happened, which I'll share in a minute —but we seem to be afraid to have a great day, but I am going to celebrate each and every great day!! Gail talks about the mental clutter in her book - Throw Out Fifty Things!

Remember the 3-D machine embroidery house that Dede and I are working on? 

Terrifying Tower by OESD

Here's the house, and it's pretty darn cute! While I've made other 3-D projects, this is the largest, with 22 pieces in the house. So far, the entire journey has been a learning curve, and yesterday was no exception! We learned a TON!!! We've spent one day cutting all the foam (inside structure) on the digital cutter, then we spent one day cutting vinyl, like total amateurs, but we learned a lot! I almost feel like we need to make at least one more to see how much quicker it would be!

We both thought that yesterday, the day to start the machine embroidery process, should be pretty smooth! NOT!!! But again, we learned a ton. How did we learn? BY DOING!!!! And when we came to an issue, we figured it out! There is no other way to learn! So if you've been sitting on something that needs some learning -- just DO IT!!! Be prepared to make mistakes, and your creativity will solve the problems. That's what creativity is - did you know that? Creativity isn't about making pretty things. Nope -- creativity is what solves problems when they arise!! The pretty stuff is just that - pretty. 

The first thing we learned is that not all vinyl is created equal! I'm talking about Heat Transfer Vinyl, or am I? I used two different kinds of vinyl for my house -- one is the OESD brand (two colors), which is the same brand as the embroidery file. The second one was purchased locally.

Now the pattern instructions suggest using all kinds of other OESD products - so many that, to be honest, we sort of discounted them. It all just seemed too complicated. And we know better! LOL!!!

We had been so careful when cutting the vinyl, making half-cuts so we could peel the pieces off like stickers and put them on the shape when needed. That was NOT how we were supposed to do it; instead, weed the background out and use transfer tape (plastic) on the vinyl. I won't go into detail - those who do it understand the process. 

Imagine my surprise when I grabbed the OESD vinyl, and I couldn't pull the back off, nor could I pull the front off. Then, after reading the package and going back into the instructions, we realized that the darn stuff is NOT heat transfer vinyl! Ooopsy!!!! So I had to finish cutting the half-cut with either the rotary cutter or scissors. Gall dang it - we should have done a full cut on that particular vinyl. Live and learn! Nothing lost - the vinyl still worked like a charm. 

However, we were unable to add a fusible to the back after the fact, which I suppose would have added a bit more stability. But I got very good at holding it in place with my fingers and then using the foot pedal to control the embroidery machine as it did the tack-down stitch. And we also learned that sometimes we had to put the foam and the vinyl together to do one tackdown stitch. 

Oh yes — it was a tremendous day for learning, but by golly, we did it!! 

Now, let's talk about the black vinyl, which was a heat-transfer vinyl. I tried weeding the background out and sticking it down, but that didn't work because of the foam's thickness. So I carefully peeled it off like a sticker (my original plan - GASP) and it worked like a charm! The vinyl had to sit on top of the foam on the stabilizer in the hoop. Sorry for those that don't do machine embroidery - you can skim over these details! BTW -- the pieces did NOT stretch. 

Peeling the pieces off like a sticker - GASP!!!! 

Then, once I got the hang of it, I was good to go, and with a bit of trepidation, I completed three pieces while Dede was here. She was using different products than I was, and she struggled a bit while experimenting with her own stuff. Some of the vinyl is shiny -- that's a whole other topic for another day! Dang it—I canceled the digital cutter club, and now I have a lot to share with the group! Perhaps I should have a recall  - one more meeting just to share our findings! I might just do that!

Machine embroidery on one side of the house

While one design was being stitched, I was preparing and cutting the shapes for the next one. 

Prepping the pieces for another side

I had to replace the bobbin halfway through this one, and for some reason, the design went wonky. I fixed it, but it went wonky again, so I'll be abandoning this one. But that's OK. And this happened on my PFAff creative icon 2. I have no idea why it went crazy. 

Something happened on this

But the more important thing we have learned throughout this project is that everything is DIFFERENT. Vinyls and foams are different, and both react differently to heat, cutting, and machine embroidery. The files are different, the instructions are different. There is NO ONE STANDARD way to do any of this. NO ONE can teach you -- you have to do it, so you can watch out and learn about the little pitfalls. Well, not a pitfall, but the little nuances. 

Like the note that pops up when the color changes, it tells you which materials (foam or vinyl, even the color) to use for the placement stitch. I missed that the first time and didn't add the foam, so I had to redo the first piece!

The message within the color change

While we had a few frustrating moments yesterday, it was one of the best learning days I've had in a long time! Each new thing will help me on the next project and the next. I have learned that if we are going to continue with the OESD haunted houses, I might actually follow the real instructions and add fusible to THEIR vinyl product, then fuse it in place. But that means I also have to add fusible (or use fusible foam - got lots of that), so that it can be fused in place as well. I have to recut a piece of foam for the side of the house, and I might just try that and see what happens. OOPS - another learning moment!!!

I managed to get NINE of the 22 files embroidered yesterday. I would have had ten if that one side hadn't gone wonky!

Dede left early because she has a lot of experimenting to do before she proceeds. So that meant I also had some free time in the afternoon. So while one embroidery machine was working away, I got to work in sewing mode on the other. I rolled the dice, and this is what came up! Good answer!!!!

The roll of the di

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm picking a bunch of small things for my monthly UFO goal, and I have been slowly working on those. Well, I'm fired up, and it seemed like the stars were aligned because I feel like I accomplished a lot yesterday. 

Here's the thing --- doing these piddly, almost finished jobs can be the most boring thing in the world. You have to find a matching thread, or find the correct presser foot or setting on the sewing machine. It might be cutting fabric or whatever. But they are repetitive, "boring" little jobs. But I just stuck to my guns yesterday and methodically plowed through quite a bit! 

I love it when that happens, and because I'm more focused, it's happening more often. There's no need for me to abandon those little things. I'm super stoked to be sure, and it's hard to believe, but I went to bed super excited knowing that I had the entire day ahead of me to work on those little things. The bonus is that when I'm done, they will be done, and guess what? Less clutter in Studio B and less stuff on that table. It's a WIN-WIN!!!!

I'm doing a lot of binding, which is good because it's the last or almost the last thing on many projects - labels and sleeves also need to be done on some of them. When I cut the binding for one of the projects, I wasn't sure I had enough, so I left the fabric out. Good thing because I was short by about 2 inches!!!

Oh - short by two inches

The other bonus to finishing up these silly little projects is finding bags of thread and fabric that can finally be put away. 

Threads that can finally be put away

So, as the last section (of the day) of the embroidered house was winding down, I was doing some last-minute tidying up. Putting away fabric or thread from those projects that were no longer needed. Since I have the entire day today, I suspect I can make HUGE leaps and bounds in completing stuff for the weekend. Although I MUST take at least an hour this morning and get some follow-up emails sent out. 

I had to move the old computer off the kitchen counter. DH made the comment, "How long is this going to be here?" and I moved it into the office, but it needs to be plugged in. So I can't send emails to my groups unless it's on the old computer. Don't worry - I don't need suggestions at this point - I just need some space and a bit of time. The space should be relatively easy to find. The time will come next week, when I can focus on getting the lists on the new computer. 

Am I lucky to have had such a great day? Absolutely NOT!! I create my own luck and my own energy. While I don't always get good sleep, I make the most of every day (mostly) and have trained myself to focus. I am also motivated to get rid of this mess, as the last thing I want is to saddle someone else with it or have to deal with the entire situation when we eventually downsize. I'm doing this while I'm physically (and mentally) able. Do I need a new project to make me happy? LOL, each time I pull out an old thing and finish it? That is way more exciting than starting something new!!!!

Remember the saying that you can't change what others do, but you can change your reaction to what they do - something like that. Well, that's me!!! I'm changing what I can in my life, and getting rid of the mess is totally something I can control!!!

One last thing before I head off to spin class and hopefully refill the tank with endorphins to wing me through another couple of days of crazy and productive sewing!!!! 

I was out for my walk in the afternoon and decided to cut back through the forest, which isn't a great idea since the ice on the paths is insane. So I walked along the edge, but it's dicey. The girls and I are going different ways in the morning to avoid the mess. Anyway, as I was heading to the forest, I spotted this box. It's from a MASSIVE TV. I couldn't see the size as I walked by, but it was HUGE!!!!! Now, the house that the box was in front of is a small townhouse. Where the heck would they put that thing? They could set it up in their living room, but then they would have to sit at the back of their yard (yes, outside) to focus on it!! 

A massive TV box

I don't get it!! But that reminds me of my conversation with Bell and our communication woes. I don't have time to tell you today, but I'll try to remember tomorrow. Very interesting!!! 

On that note, I hope you all find a productive focus for the day! And if the time fairy gives you an "extra" day, do not squander it. Celebrate it - embrace it, and then get those things done that you said you would do if you had an extra day!!!!

And I have another story to share about spin class, but that has to wait!!

Have a wonderful day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

Going for Olympic gold in productivity

 A fairy ring! That's a terrific concept to explain the circle of fungi I spotted. It wasn't on my lawn - it was on the property line separating two front lawns on a different street. I took a closer look and OH MY --- what clusters of fungi!

Here's a better picture of the fungi. OH MY!!! It's almost a perfect circle!!

The fairy ring

And look how dense the fungi are!!!! That's pretty incredible. I've never seen anything like it before. I walk past those two houses every day and only noticed this now! 

Clusters of fungi

Do you know why this phenomenon occurs? According to the internet, this started with a central fungus. Once it depletes the nutrients in its area, it sends out feelers to find more, and apparently, it sends those feelers out in a circle. Once it finds nutrients, the fungi grow!! You can read more about it at this link. 

Oh my -- talk about Prioritize - Focus - Win -- I think I just won an Olympic Medal in that category. This is what happened yesterday. 

First, let's talk about the binding box. I decided to split the bindings into approximate color groupings. And I decided to give them a quick press, at least those that needed it. 

The binding bits are sorted by color

And then they got tucked back into the box in an orderly fashion. Amazing how much more room there is when things are neat and tidy. The box was put back on the shelf in its designated space. OK, so I removed a few pieces, which helped everything fit! 

Much neater!

But not before I removed some pieces of binding to use on the dog quilts. More on this in a minute.

Binding bits removed for the dog quilts

Speaking of the dog quilts, let's have a peek at what happened to them yesterday. The last one was removed from the long arm. In its place is a customer quilt, loaded and ready to be stitched later today. 

The eighth dog quilt - DONE!

This last quilt is now trimmed and ready for the binding to be applied. This is the small stack left over from all the quilt backings. There isn't much there, but still a lot of fabric. I thought I did a pretty good calculation, considering I quilted eight quilts. 

All that remains from eight quilt backings

This got added to the other scraps of dog fabric that were left over from making the eight tops. I've put the bag into my retreat bag, and it's the perfect thing to do at retreat. I have MANY of those types of scrap bags. And I bet I could get at least ONE more quilt from this scrap bag. 

The scraps from making eight lap-sized quilts

All this talk of scraps makes me think of the scrap session I plan to host. I know some of you already sent me emails, but I'm not ready, so hold on! I now have this on my "to-do" list, and although it likely won't get booked this morning, it's on the list, and I hope to complete the list by the end of next week. So watch for those details. 

And now back to the dog quilts. I've got the binding on the back, ready to applique it to the front on five of the eight quilts. Yes, that is always the most challenging part because one has to make the bindings. Well, I haven't had to make any bindings yet - I just needed to join the pieces, trim, and press that seam open. That is amazing! 

The binding is half completed on FIVE quilts

Two of them have brown binding, and three have black binding. In that small grouping on the ironing board you saw above, there is enough to complete most of a fourth black binding. I may need to cut a couple of extra strips, and one will have red binding, while the last one will have green. 

Three quilts still to stitch the binding on

Oh my goodness -- that is so exciting. And all the other binding bits in the box? They will be used on some of the scrappy quilts that I have to quilt, but that won't be until next year. The quilts I'm doing a favor for do not require binding (thank goodness), and the ones I want to do are flannel, and I will have to make the binding for those. But in groups of FOUR!!! 

I did some preparatory work for the upcoming classes this coming weekend. There are two classes and both require a lot of prep work, so I need to get started NOW. And there's the UFO club, but I think I'm good for that. Thank goodness! Not having as many classes to prep for is making a HUGE difference in my schedule. 

The cutting table is a bit congested this morning. I put all the dog quilts back on it, but I have some items to take pictures of, the dog quilts, and other things. I don't need to cut anything today, so all that is staying on the cutting table. The bottom line is that it's all current projects that need to be addressed this week. 

The cutting table is congested! 

Instead of going for a walk yesterday, I decided to finish tidying up the backyard. All the furniture is put away, and the hoses are drained and put away. I had to sweep the decks of all the leaves. I was going to use my leaf blower, but a part seems to be missing. Great! I wasn't going to go through the shed to find it. I was actually going to go and buy a new one when DH came home and said he would call the garden guy. The weather isn't going to be great this week, so now the leaves will hang out in the backyard! I should have gotten a new leaf blower. WAIT --- I should get one when they go on sale, since I bet they'll be on sale soon. 

Of course, I had help! 

MOM - Can I play in the leaves?

I wonder if Murphy would like me to pile up those leaves for her to play in? 

MOM - just checking in the forest

And at one point, I found her in this little garden. She seems to think that spot is just for her, but lilies are trying to grow there! I also removed more leaves from the pond, and I don't think I can remove any more without potentially disturbing the fish. I'm not happy with the quantity of bubbles from the bubbler, so I may try to clear the tube again or just get a new one. 

MOM - I LOVE this spot

Here is a much better picture of Murphy after her haircut! She is just one big goof!!! She looks like a lioness! 

MOM - I'm beautiful!

HOWEVER, I must remind myself of the importance of keeping her groomed. After we tromped through the forest, she didn't have a single leaf attached to her. Usually, we have to stop and I deleaf her!!

MOM - look at me - no leaves! 

WAIT -- who has leaves stuck to them? I had a leaf on my shoe! Oh, what a farce!!!!

Great - I have a leaf stuck to my shoe

I was able to watch a couple more videos in this educational series. There are 96 in total, and they don't seem to be in any particular order, which is unusual. It doesn't matter; I'm learning things and confirming things that I already know. I'm good with that. Sometimes, we just need that confirmation to make us feel good! 

But here's an essential tip I learned from watching a different video the other day. 

I'll share the link to the videos with you. The videos are from SewingMastery.com. Sara, a dealer in South Dakota, has taken on the task of creating videos showcasing the products she sells. I'm sure this is in the hope that people will watch the videos and get the answers to some of the questions they may have about their new sewing machine. She has videos for Husqvarna Viking, PFAFF, Singer, and Bernina. You'll see the brands at the top right of the main page.

For instance, if you own one of these Husqvarna Viking Embroidery Machines, there is a whole set of videos available for you to watch about your embroidery machine. Trust me — there is excellent information here, and if you haven't watched them, you are missing out on a lot of learning! Each machine has a hyperlink to a list of videos. Check out your machine!!!

And if you only have a sewing machine, guess what? She also created videos for those. Here is the list. 

And let's say you have a Husqvarna Viking serger - yep -- there's a list for those machines as well. 

All of the above are FREE. And if you check the homepage, you can find the links to the Bernina, Singer, and PFAFF videos. They are also on YouTube. Again, these are free, and if you are not watching them, you should be! Not only does she discuss the machine, but she also provides tips on needles, threads, and threading, stabilizers, and many more. You NEED to watch these videos. You will not retain all the information, but hopefully, you'll know your way around her website, so that when you want to know something, you'll be able to find it there. 

And if there is a tool on your machine that you haven't used in a long time, or just don't understand, like positioning, guess what? She has videos for that! Not sure what the applique tool is? Color sort? There are videos for all of that. 

For those of you who said you are visual learners -- guess what? Instead of reading the User's Guide, watch these videos. AHA -- no excuses now! I've been doing this for over 25 years. I'm still learning loads!!! Every day and from every source!

Additionally, she offers some courses that you can pay for, which will enhance your learning experience. I'm tempted to sign up for one - just for fun! 

Now, here's the interesting note that Sara made in one of her videos from the Bootcamp class. There are some free videos, and I've been watching them as well. 

As a dealer, she receives numerous emails with questions from people, likely including her customers and others. Often, the emails arrive late at night or during hours when they are not open. And usually, the customer is frustrated and needs to get their machine up and running again. It may take one to two days for the store to respond. Sometimes, Sara said that they don't know the answer and have to research it. 

OK -- so what should you do in the future? Have you ever considered asking Google or any other AI generator the same question? You would be surprised what Google (Meta AI) can come up with for an answer. In mere seconds, it scans its databases and presents an answer. And guess what? That answer is pretty darn accurate. It doesn't pull from one source - it pulls from many. 

Take, for instance, the circle of fungi. I didn't know it was called a Fairy Ring. So let's see what happens when I type this into the Google search: "What is a circle of fungi called/"  And this is what I get back. 

If that link didn't work because it was long, type in that sentence yourself. And I type it right into the top box where the URL goes.

We NEED to become more self-sufficient. I like to ask questions here because I know you are all so smart, but I could look (and often do) for the answers myself. Or I explore the topic in much greater detail, which is why there are usually 20+ windows open on my computer. No, the new one is still in the box, and I need to get it out this week. Remember that you can also conduct a Google Image search. 

The next time you have a question about your sewing machine, quilting, or anything else, try typing the question into Google or another AI platform and see what you get. You'd be surprised! 

Hey -- I was all done and reading my book by 7 PM yesterday! Yep -- I'm on a roll! 

It's going to be another jam-packed day, and I woke up super excited to get started!!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!