Back in business

Well, this wasn't the most productive weekend for me. I didn't turn on the long arm or even turn on a sewing machine. How the heck did that happen??? I did feel a wee bit guilty, but I'm over it already.

I didn't even get in lots of walking, although I still managed to get about 5.5 miles each day. That's OK too. I did spend a lot of time outside especially yesterday where the girls and I retired to the backyard to read a book. Well, I read the book, Lexi ate Murphy's pinecones and Murphy chased a ball that I kept throwing for her. It was GLORIOUS to be outside. Let's hope the warm weather stays!!

Based on that, I thought I had nothing quilting or sewing related to share with you today, however, when I went to my phone to look at the pictures, I found stuff. Quilting and sewing stuff will never go away. And I did get a bit more tidying done.

First, I found this box of green strips which I was using to make some scrappy triangles for a scrap quilt. There was a bag filled with pieced (and trimmed) triangles in the box. But I knew that I had more of the triangles in another bag...........somewhere. Guess what? I managed to locate both the box and the bag on the same day and now they are together. That's a huge thing to have accomplished.

The entire project is together in one box ....at last

Did you know that needles for the sewing machine have codes on them for you to know which needle is which? Some of them have little bits of paint on the shaft that tell you what needle is what. Some needles have little bits of paint to tell you the size. However, if you don't have the little paint bits, then likely the number is written on the end of the needle. AH - but that's too small to read. Well, take a picture with your cell phone and enlarge the picture. VOILA -- you'll always be able to read what type and size of needle you have in your hand.

Use the phone to magnify the printing

This goes for ANYTHING. Instructions on pill containers, or the fine print. Take a picture and enlarge it and you should be good unless your eyesight is really bad.

As I was tidying, I found some quotes that I had saved from one of my calendars. I love these quotes and in light of all that goes on in our life, I think we need to really think about this one. We can do things, we can do anything, and we can be anything. Just do it, think positive and believe in yourself.

A great quote 

I know there are days when things don't seem to go right, but let it go. I didn't get a lot done this weekend, but I've already let it go. Do I want to say I worked and sewed all the time, or would I like to say that I got out and enjoyed my backyard? I also did some errands that took more time than planned. Errands are a time killer!!!

Here's another example of the kind of stuff that adds to my clutter. I saw someone use this type of clip for their long arm to keep the leaders from going all over the place. I found one place online that sold them, but I decided to try locally. I couldn't find them locally and I wasn't going to buy online. I know - why am I so anti-online shopping? I've no idea.

Anyway, I tried yesterday to find the clips online, but no way. Does anyone know if these can still be purchased and if so, where? They are actually clips for central vacuums. There are loads of other clips out there, but I want this one specifically.

Clips

I'm going to take a picture of that ad and create a visual shopping list on my phone. I found a couple of other things yesterday in the paperwork that I would like to get my hands on, but haven't been able to find. One of them is a book called The Traveller by Daniel Baylis. It's not at the library and so I've marked it as "want to read" on Goodreads and it'll go on my shopping list for the used book stores.

It's stupid things like that that have created this huge clutter mess. I did not get to the next box of paperwork as I had to do some searching upstairs for something else. Well, I wasn't really searching - I was more organizing a box of sewing supplies.

I did have to stop at Fabricland to pick up some thread that was on my shopping list. While I wandered the store having a look, I saw this Protractor ruler which I think would be an amazing ruler to have. But I wasn't going to pay $74 for it. I'll add that to my shopping list. A shopping list with pictures.

Protractor Ruler by Omnigrid

 One of the errands was to pick up my computer. That was fast as it was ready the day after I took it in. Apparently, the computer has two hard disks. One for data (of which it's mostly the programs that I use) and the second is a caching disk to speed up some often used websites. It appears that the caching disk failed. Why? No idea - it shouldn't be because I never shut the computer off and leave many, many windows open. But it probably is best to get in the habit of changing that. Sigh.....

Caching disk is dead

So it's Monday sewing and while I'm excited to go, I feel like I should be here getting stuff organized since I didn't get a lot this weekend. I'm leaving on Wednesday and have a LOT to get ready for my trip. I'll be coming home early today!!!

On that note, it's time to get moving.

Have a super day. Enjoy this amazing weather.

Ciao!!!!

Straight out of Line!!

That sounds like me! Always out of line! But actually, it's the name of a ruler by Creative Grids. Seriously? Yep. I see they have a video on their web site. Perhaps I should have looked at the video for tips?

In the midst of all this chaos, I still needed to sew and not having anything super urgent on the list, I grabbed a UFO box that was sitting upstairs. Funny how we do NOT forget our UFOs. I seem to remember each and every one.

This quilt was started as a sample for a demo on rulers that I did years ago. I know this is a problem, but if I'm making a block for a demo - why not make a quilt. I know - that's the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard. I would be happier to have a quilt as a UFO than deal with an orphan block. Yep - send me to the looney bin now!  What's even worse is that I know it's a ridiculous thing to do, yet I can't change my ways. What is wrong with me??

Thankfully, I don't have to do those demos anymore! So what does the project look like?

This is what the ruler looks like. (BTW - it's up for grabs - for free)

Straight out of Line ruler by Creative Grids

This was the project box when I rescued it from the pile. Some of the small quarter blocks had been made, the ruler and instructions were in the box as was some yardage. Totally complete - just the way a UFO should be. But there was no indication of my intentions. How big was this going to be??

The contents of the UFO box

That was a HUGE stack of those wonky four-patches.

Wonky four patches

There was some yardage of the two fabrics as well.

The yardages in the box

Oh look, there are a couple of finished blocks. I like the look of the block which is probably why I decided that I would go ahead and make an entire quilt.

A couple of blocks were already made

Hmm - I could make a few more blocks from those smaller wonky four-patches. Let's put them on the wall. Oh - that looks awesome.

Six blocks on the design wall

It took me a bit to get into the rhythm and I wasn't liking assembling this quilt. Notice that after you sewed those wonky four-patches together that they needed to be trimmed. It seemed to be an arbitrary process. But I persevered. I did NOT want this to go back into the UFO pile. I want to start clearing some of those UFOs and I definitely wanted the project box so I could put another UFO in it.

Wonky four-patches need to be trimmed

But then I got on a roll. I'm a more experienced sewer than when I started this project. I know about pressing seams and all that stuff. This one was a bit of a challenge and yes - there are many spots where the seams don't nest. Did I care? Nope!!!  Some of the intersections aren't perfect. Do I care? Nope!!  I wanted this top done.

Twelve blocks are done!

As I was madly sewing, I was trying to figure out how many blocks I could get from what was cut. Hmm - I could get 24 blocks. That's a lot of blocks, but it's going to make a small quilt. There is that extra yardage. I wonder how many more blocks I can make?

So in a burst of energy, I cut up the remaining yardage into the squares that you need to start with. The ruler is a multi-size ruler. I believe my starting squares were 6 ½".

Squares cut from the yardage

I had no choice now, but to continue. This was going to be a UFO no longer!!

As much as I fuss with my cutting table, this is what it looked like when I was trimming those blocks. Barely enough room to work!! I know - what a mess. I'm happy to report that the cutting table looks much better now. This is how I used to work and it was even worse than this. That was years ago when I had no idea of sorting and decluttering and finding homes for things.

A wee bit of room on the cutting table to work

I was able to get enough blocks from that extra yardage to make one more panel of 12 blocks. In total there are 36 blocks in the quilt which is about 62" by 62". I know - a square quilt. Well, better a square quilt than a small quilt. There is NOTHING left over of that red print. Well, a few rectangles, but it's more or less gone. The extra white will go back in the stash.

The top is completed!!!

Now all I need is to find something to bind the quilt with. I'm thinking dark blue and I found a backing fabric for it yesterday.

Speaking of backings, here's a sneak peek of how the backings look this morning. My helper, Ronda came over bright and early. I was still vacuuming the floor when she got here.

I measured (using the ruler on the edge of my cutting table) and Ronda cut labels and did the writing and pinning. Despite the number of backings that we were dealing with, it went pretty quickly and we were finished by 11 or so. By the way, that ruler on the edge of my cutting table is a big sticker. Not sure where I got it, but it's one of the most useful things I have in the studio!

Neatly stacked and labeled backings

Think about that - it took two of us almost three hours to measure, fold and label all the fabric I have for quilt backings! No - you don't want to go there.

I'm going to direct you to Norma's blog. Norma is also trying to get better organized and this is what she did with her backings. I LOVE IT!!!!!  Marie K would be so proud. Did you see the lists??? I didn't make a list because all of my stuff is NOW out in the open (in a dark room with no windows - well one window that will be covered over). I can actually see what I have for backings. Norma - I'm super impressed!!! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks to Judith who shared a couple of videos on how to fold fabrics. Quilt Addicts Anonymous. and here's another one - also by Quilt Addicts Anonymous. Personally, I hate to do trendy things! I refuse to fold my fabrics or clothing like Marie K. That would drive me crazy because if one thing got out of place?? Nope - can't cope with that. Sorry!!

It's like my mantra for free motion quilting - the more consistently inconsistent you make the quilting, the more PERFECT it is!!! Here's the thing - I have a lot of stuff. It needs to be neatly organized. I do NOT want to spend days and days folding the darn stuff. It's somewhat folded. I like my method of putting it on the open shelves. But then I have the room to do that! I just went with the flow when I folded yesterday and you know what? It looks pretty darn good and fairly uniform. You'll see that soon.

So when I went to find a backing for that Straight out of Line quilt, it took mere seconds to browse the shelves. I didn't find something on the shelves (yes there is an S there) of the labeled backings, but I did find something suitable in the fabric bolt area.

I'll share more of that with you later this week and YES I have pictures.

After Ronda left, I had to finish quilting a quilt on my domestic machine. YES - I do quilt quilts on the domestic and I have to say that my little Husqvarna Viking Opal 690Q worked like a charm. It has many of the great features of the larger machines - it's just smaller. Great stitches and easy to maneuver the quilt (which wasn't large) with that machine in my big cabinet. The only issues were mine alone because I'm trying to cheat the system. Let's say that I'm messing with my bobbin winder and well - I messed with it, but things are good now!!!

On that note, I'm out of here. Two more sleeps until retreat. My goal is to get enough pictures edited so you have something to look at while I'm away.

Have a super CANADA DAY!!!!!

Ciao!!!!