A doozy of a puzzle!!!!

Yesterday was a special day, and I almost missed it until I saw someone post about it last night. And someone mentioned it on the blog yesterday. It was Winter Solstice Day. While this means winter has officially arrived, it also means that each day is a little longer. Well, the day isn't longer (don't we wish!), but the sunlight is a little longer. I don't care if the daylight is only a few seconds longer— soon it will be summer! Don't worry -- I like winter, and as long as you dress appropriately, it's not cold outside. 

And thankfully, someone mentioned that Christmas doesn't end on December 25, but instead on January 6. Thank goodness for that, because that Christmas puzzle? It's a doozy!!!

I opened up the blinds, although the light gave off a terrible glare on the puzzle pieces, but no worries - I was really only trying to get the pieces face up on the table, and to sort out the border. This goes MUCH faster when you stand up and use two hands! 

I'm ready to start the puzzle

Then I spread out all the border pieces - it seems like a waste of time to put them in the sorting tray and then replace them on the table. I'm still figuring out the sorting tray thing. 

The border pieces

But see what I mean by weird shapes! These are the BORDER pieces. 

Bizarre shapes

Obviously, I haven't discovered all the border pieces, and I'm not even sure that all of them are in the right spot. Thankfully, this one is only 500 pieces as it's going to be a challenge! But when I need a break, I can zip upstairs and attempt to put in a few pieces! 

The border is almost done

AHA -- I was certain that I had purchased a "recipe" book for cutting things on the digital cutter. 

My "recipe" book for the digital cutter

Each material you cut can have its own two pages, where you can check off the type of mat, blade, etc., you use, and there's a spot for notes. I'll transfer my notes and samples into this book, but I think I'll see if I can get it coil-bound first! Once you start to put some samples in there, it's going to be a challenge with the glued spine. I bought this book from my "favorite" online store, and it was printed at their print shop! I think that's kind of cool, even though I'm not a fan of buying from them. The ability to print on demand is enormous. 

The recipe pages

Now that UFO Club is done for this month, I can share some of the work I've been doing. Wait— I can't do that, since some of them haven't been gifted yet. 

I had a Halloween quilt that I made at a quilt retreat in September. It needed a border added, and the backing and binding had to be made. That is done, and now this is moved to the "to be quilted" pile. 

The quilt top, binding, and backing

I also made the backing and the binding for my Green Tea quilt. That binding was a challenge as I used one piece from the fat quarter bits I had left. So there was a lot of cutting and sewing. But there were enough pieces to make a multicolor (multi-fabric) binding, and this was also moved to the "to be quilted" pile. 

The quilt top, binding, and backing

I completed this journal cover. It had been sitting with the front cover pieced, but that was it. So I finished the embroidery on the front and added a tag with my name. The journal cover was an exercise to learn the new features on the Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 3 when it was released several years ago. I was a tad behind, although this is my second one. I know - why make one when you can make two?

The front of my journal cover

Here's the back of the journal cover with some floating stitches. 

The back of the journal cover

Here's the inside. I changed the method for sewing the journal cover. This is my favorite way, and it's super easy to turn inside out, and the inside is completely covered. Here are the instructions for making journal covers my way, and you can decorate them however you like. They make a great personalized gift! There are other blog posts linked to that one (right at the bottom) with different ideas for embellishing journal covers. Oh shoot—I don't see the links. I'll try to remember to post them all tomorrow. 

The inside of the journal cover

I also finished my Halloween ornament. I know -- a wee bit behind, but guess what? It's done and ready for next year! I hand-stitched those buttons on!!!

Halloween ornament

But for the moment, I'm enjoying it along with the heart I hung up the other day! Notice the small green quilt covering the embroidery machine? As I learned yesterday with the digital cutter, it's a good idea to keep covers on all your machines. You would be shocked at how much dust and lint are in the air. And if you don't believe me, take a cup of water, tea, or whatever into your sewing space and leave it to sit for an hour or two. Yep --- you'll find dust and lint on the surface!

My latest ornaments!

Also, as part of my UFO this past month, I had not one, but TWO (why?) of these small denim totes from the Teach The World To Sew day back in September. Good grief! I could have simply sewn the tote bags together, but NO - I wanted to add some interlinings and quilt them. I have a machine - why not use it? And even though the denim was heavy, I like a bag with lots of structure! 

For the first one, I used a triple stitch on the PFAFF creative icon and quilted through the denim and the fusible fleece. I did a 60-degree diagonal line and used the Projection feature to stitch the lines. I marked one line in both directions with white chalk (chalk-o-liner - the ONLY marking tool I will allow in my space!). I fused Decor-Bond to the lining - the red and white polka dot fabric behind the denim, and rather than making fabric handles, the pattern called for webbing, so I got some of that the other day, as I did not have red. 

Denim tote bag number one - ready to sew together

For the second one, I wanted something different to quilt/decorate the outside of the bag. I LOVE my Three-Hole Yarn Foot and use it wherever I can. One of the Fons and Porter Love of Quilting shows that I taped was all about the Three-Hole Yarn Foot. It is such a fantastic accessory. I hadn't had a chance to stitch the lines before the UFO Club, but everything was prepped. I spaced the lines a bit further apart and decided to mark them all with chalk. 

Preparing the second denim tote bag

So yesterday afternoon, with NOTHING to do, I got myself organized and started stitching. Did you know there are built-in stitches on your SVP-branded machines (Husqvarna Viking and PFAFF) that work with the Three-Hole Yarn Foot? Check them out!!!! And I use the START/STOP function, rather than the foot pedal, to stitch these long lines of decorative stitches. Those long seams can be boring (a great time to problem-solve some other issue), and I find it hard to keep a steady pace with the foot pedal. START/STOP is the way to go! 

Using the three-hole yarn foot

And before I knew it, the lines of quilting were done! For this one, I also used fleece, but it wasn't fusible. I didn't stick it in place. The piece isn't large enough to worry about that. I didn't even pin it. Sometimes I iron the two layers, and the friction from heat and steam is sufficient to hold them in place. I also fused Decor Bond to the lining. More on this one another day, as it's directional and that lining was cut in ONE piece - well, according to the instructions. 

The outer part of the second denim tote bag

Here's a close-up of the stitches. That yarn has a wee sparkle, and I used a matching 40-weight thread on top. If you have NEVER used the three-hole yarn foot, then you should get it out! I LOVE it. 

Detail of stitching yarn using the three-hole yarn foot

And now here's my cutting table for today. I've moved the UFO items that I didn't complete this month to the top of the blue bin, so there's more for me to get done this month. But slow and steady, and I must start on January 1, instead of procrastinating until the final week! 

There are a few things to put away this morning, and I might just take that book down to Staples to have them cut the spine off. But I also want to print some photos, so I could do both in the same trip. 

The cutting table is prepped for today

There are THREE new small projects on the table to the right that I want to make, so I need to add those into my schedule! And then, I put the white bin with the projects that need to be done this week. Technically, that is overdue, but I just couldn't handle it before. 

As I move forward into the new year, I'm going to try very hard to keep up with time management. It won't be easy, but I'm learning every day how to manage my time better. And I'm learning NOT to get stuck on the fiddly bits. Just forge ahead, and they will be done!!!

By the way, and this is not to put anyone into a panic, but is anyone interested in me teaching an ONLINE class through Thimbles and Things? I don't want anything significant, but could handle perhaps a one or two-part lecture or technique class. If you have a topic, let me know (elainetheriault@gmail.com), and I'll contemplate it. NOTHING BIG!!!!! 

I also promised the scrap thing - maybe I can do that through Thimbles and Things!!! That might work. 

And on that note, I'm off to spin class!!!! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

I'm on a ROLL!!!!!

 OH MY GOSH --- someone else calls that fabric FORTREL!!!! They must be from the west, but what a great idea to make quilts for the homeless. That fabric cannot be destroyed. And now I have two boxes to deal with! But at least I know what to do with it! 

You are going to start saying that I sound like a broken record, but this new system of mine is working like a charm. As the number of projects in that blue box diminishes, I am so tempted to walk to the current projects table and pick up a couple more things. I have even grazed the table with my eyes, spotting what can be pulled next. BUT I am resisting!

The point of this entire exercise is to train myself not to start something "new" until what I am working on is complete. Now there will be times when I have to take a break to work on my writing assignments, and that's OK. But I MUST finish what's in that blue bucket before moving on. And I also have to contend with the long arm simultaneously, as I have several customer quilts and some more community project quilts to finish before the end of the year. 

I counted -- OH GOSH - I couldn't help myself, but there are still six projects in that blue box and I NEED to get them done. One of them is a brand-new small wall hanging that I just purchased the pattern for, and I might treat myself to a NEW project once the UFOS in the box are done. The pattern is in the box. I've pulled two small things to work on today. And I still need to purchase that white flannel. 

So I am learning, but it's hard! But it's so worth it, and here are a couple of reasons why. 

I needed to lay out some fabric for a quilt backing. This UFO was in the blue box and had been languishing on those current project tables for a couple of years. All I had to do was place the blue box onto the floor, and the cutting table was clear. Now, is there anything more satisfying than having a clear, LARGE work surface in two seconds? Absollutely NOT!. That's what I keep telling myself: do not add to that blue box until it's empty. It's going to be a huge reward to go to the current project tables and select the next handful of projects to work on. And it's going to happen soon! 

Lots of room to work on the cutting table

And here's another reason why having a clear cutting table is glorious. I had some quilts to trim, and it was a snap with all that space. 

Trimming quilts on the cutting table

So, I'm going to keep resisting and keep my three main workspaces (cutting table, sewing table, and ironing station) neat and tidy, only containing what I am actually working on. The rest of the stuff? It's on the tables. If you don't have that luxury, large tubs will work just as well. Trust me, when I'm done with those tables, there are a few tubs that can easily refill the table. But I plan to keep the UFOs in the tubs out of the way. 

I'm happy to announce that the quilt backing and binding are made for that quilt. The reason it didn't get done before was that I had to sew more than one seam to make the backing large enough. How long did that take me? I'm tired of my own silliness for setting aside simple things. No more! 

Backing, top, and binding

The second quilt for that backing that was on the long arm was completed, and I pulled both quilts off the long arm. 

Dog quilt - Number One

Dog quilt - Number Two

Both are super cute, and I used the same paw print quilting design for both. 

Paw print quilting design

But not before I had to join a piece of batting to complete the second quilt. I knew I would have to do that as the batting was 108" wide and the quilts were approximately 58" each. I happened to have a long, narrow piece of batting (it pays to keep all those cut-offs), and soon I was on my way again. I have a system for joining batting on the long arm. 

Joining batting on the long arm

I use a small, portable pressing surface that I can place between the bars. Then, I have my black fusible interfacing strips precut, and I lay the two pieces of batting together and press them with the iron. It's awkward, but it works like a charm. 

Both quilts are trimmed, and I need to determine what to use for the binding. I did NOT make binding for any of those eight quilts. I was thinking of using the leftover backing strips for two of them. It's busy, but that's OK. 

I need to figure that out today, so guess what's on my cutting table this morning? 

The work for today!

Yes - the two quilts have joined the mix and see - if I had a lot of other crap on that table, this would just look like a nightmare. Instead, it's welcoming! The next quilt is loaded on the long arm, but I need to piece some batting bits together. I may just go ahead and make the batting for the remaining six. I'll see how it goes, but I need to sort the batting by size to make this a bit easier. I have a feeling it's going to be a wild mess in Studio B later today! And the batting closet may be empty!

I also finished cutting all the sashing and cornerstones for my quilt. Yeah!!! Now to find some time to piece! 

Sashing and cornerstones are cut!

Not only do I have to piece the battings for those remaining six dog quilts, but the backings need to be made as well. The fabric is pulled, but the backings are not made. I suppose that will be my project for next week, and I would love to have all eight done by next weekend. I don't think that is realistic based on a couple of things in my schedule, but we'll see how it goes. I'm going to push to get them done! 

It was a windy, blustery day, and this leaf got stuck to the kitchen window! The backyard, which was relatively clear of leaves in the morning, is now covered in leaves! I won't touch them until all the leaves are down. And there are still loads to go. 

This leaf wants in!

Look at this beautiful girl! I signed up for a course on using the camera on my phone, so be on the lookout for new and creative photos. But I haven't had a chance to start yet. However, even taking a picture from a different angle can be significantly more interesting than a straight-on view. 

MOM - I am NOT impressed!

She loves that dog bed now. Wait -- someone asked me for the name of the bed, and I took a picture, which I don't think I ever posted. Well, that was silly of me. Here's the link to the dog bed - it's on sale! I think it took her some time to get used to it because the bottom is canvas, so it's not solid, but she loves it now! Why does she have that face? I told her she had to share her bed with company, and she was NOT pleased! She will be happy when he gets here! 

Since Lexi is a snuggler, but only to furniture, she loves the side rails on that bed. If it were open, I don't think she would sleep there. 

Well, I did it again! I bought a new fitness tracker, and this time I went back to my old standby (FitBit), even though I realize that it may be discontinued soon. The entire line (brand) might be wiped out, but I didn't like the Samsung watch. WAIT --- it worked perfectly fine - absolutely nothing wrong with it, except it logs steps, not KMS. I know -- a ridiculous thing, but I like to see those KMS. So I wore both yesterday and will wear them together today to see how they compare. Then I need to set up the FitBit with KMs showing, and then I'm good. 

What happens to the old one? DH wanted something to track his sleep, so he will get the Samsung! I wasn't going to buy a new one unless I had a home for the old one. 

TWO fitness trackers

There are days when I wonder how I am still alive. I seem to struggle with taking health matters seriously. But I'm trying. I got a letter from the government yesterday saying that I was due for a FIT test instead of a colonoscopy. OK - the test is much easier than the procedure, so I called my doctor to order one. Then the receptionist said, 'We have the flu shot.' I don't want the flu shot! 

But I did say I needed the shingles shot. So I went in yesterday afternoon to get that. I wonder about my doctor because I can call in the morning and get an appointment in the afternoon. She must not have many patients. Anyway, when I got there, she said I had already had TWO shots for shingles. Seriously? Apparently, she gave me one two years ago, and I got one from the travel doctor this summer. That can't be right - I told that travel doctor I didn't want a shingles shot from him. 

He was giving me so many needles that day that I have no idea what he gave me. And I forgot my yellow vaccination record at home yesterday. Well, I got a third one, so that is it -- NO more shots for shingles! And while they tried to persuade me to get the high-dose flu shot, I refused. If I were prone to getting ill, then in a heartbeat I would. But until I reach that point (I know --- you are saying I could avoid getting to that point), I don't want a flu shot! 

I still have loads of pictures to share, but I don't have the time or space this morning. But here are two. When I was at my parents', I was helping Dad get some of their income tax paperwork squared away, which meant going into the closet to pull the folders off the shelf. One of the sharp-edged folders fell right on my nose, and it bruised! I didn't even notice that until I got home! And I almost have the start of two black eyes! Good grief!! It wasn't a hard hit, but it was direct! It's all gone now! 

A bruise on my nose!

I was recently in a place where I heard a presenter discuss threads and the reluctance of people to purchase multiple colors of thread, particularly in the machine embroidery world. What? That is next to impossible, as everyone loves to buy, and the more threads you have, the better. 

This is my cotton and polyester thread drawer, which I use for sewing, not machine embroidery. You can't just have ONE blue - you need many blues! 

My cotton and polyester blue thread collection

And now that all my threads are organized by type and colors, I can find anything in a flash! 

I think that having my sewing things organized, where I can readily find them, has helped me to get my brain organized. I am determined to make the most of my sewing time, and this week, I'm on a roll! 

What kills me on the paperwork is the follow-up. I have two pending calls and am waiting for an answer! 

On that note, I have a list of paperwork items to accomplish this morning, and then I'll be back in Studio B this afternoon to see what I can get done. If I keep this dedicated, I might even take the weekend off! Well, I have an adventure tomorrow and two sessions on Sunday morning, so I won't get much done on Sunday afternoon, and that's OK. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

PRIORITIZE FOCUS WIN!!!

That feels better—I was off bright and early to meet with Brooke. My legs have been so tired since my last trip, but after my stretching and compression pants, they feel so much better! 

Well, I am loving this relaxed schedule and certainly want to take advantage of it for as long as I can! I have two trips, a quilt retreat, and one guild lecture to round out the last two months of the year, so that should be pretty easy. It's giving me lots of time to tackle those current project tables, but as we all know, everything takes longer than we plan. 

However, I managed to eke out a few things yesterday. The quilt is trimmed and ready for pickup! 

Then I loaded the next quilt and realized I had the backing for TWO quilts here. Remember the dog-themed quilts I made in September? I need to get those quilted, so one of two is done on this backing. 

The first of the two quilts for this backing is quilted

I won't unload this, but simply add the next quilt to the backing and away I go. It's pressed and ready to load this afternoon. The batting is wider, but not quite wide enough for two quilts, so when I get to the end, I'll add a strip to the bottom. 

Here is a better picture of the L stitch as a reference point when advancing a quilt. 

The L stitch as a reference

I was wondering how easy it would be to remove it, and after timing that other quilt, I quickly removed the reference stitching. It was super easy to remove, and I think I just found a new way to mark my quilts while quilting. This reference mark will always be there in case something happens. It takes a few seconds longer to stitch the mark, but it is well worth the extra time. I'm a believer! And I'm sure there are many other little tricks that I could learn about that software to make my life easier. 

Thanks to the APQS dealer out west who helped with that one. 

I also got the backing completed for that other quilt, so now it's in the "to be quilted" pile, and I have done the three things on my list for the afternoon. That quilt had been languishing on the floor under a table for several years! 

The backing, the binding, and the quilt top

Now what? I looked in the bucket on the cutting table and picked the next project, which was a quilt that needed the sashing cut. Actually, I needed to cut the cornerstones as well, and I had enough fabric scraps to do so. 

The cornerstones and the remaining fabric scraps

All the scraps are now compiled in a plastic bag. I finished with all the fabric except the background, so it all went into the project container, along with backing and borders, and the book for Vintage Farm Girl II. 

The leftover fabrics for the next quilt

The backing and borders won't fit in the box, so it went on top, and that project box got put on the shelf. 

This box went back on the shelf

The old me would have left that box out because I might want to start it. Well, the new me says NO -- I will pull it out another time, but now is not the time to work on this. My goal is to complete the top, backing, and binding of the original one. And this is how those tables are going to get clear! 

I still have more cutting to do for the background and borders, and that is on today's list. This is a larger project and I can't finish it in one day, but I can set myself a goal for each day. 

What is nice is that these projects I'm working on are ones that I committed to myself and the Many Blocks and UFO Clubs to get done. YES -- PRIORITIZE FOCUS WIN! 

And yes, before I shut things down last night, I had everything prepped and ready on the table for today. Notice how the blue box is NOT overflowing at this point. Yep --- there are still a few projects in there before I need to fill it up again. But so far, this is all working just great! 

The cutting table is ready for today

I seem to have this need to know that something is waiting for me to work on, but I overwhelm myself and my space by filling it with things I am sure I can accomplish in a day. If I can continue in my new way, I may just make this routine a habit! And dare I say I see some progress on the current project table? There was a basket of fabric on the table for the second Farm Girl quilt, but since I decided to set that aside, the basket is gone! 

I had purchased this book a while back, and it was in the blue box as well. I read the book last night (cute story), and it's on the shelf with the other children's books about quilts. Should I ever be blessed with grandchildren, they will know all the quilt storybooks by heart!

Storybook about the little ghost quilt

You know me and the wonderful world of technology. Well, for the most part, I email photos to myself -- and if you need to email pictures to someone, you should be aware that you can CHANGE THE SIZE of those photos. Many people don't know that, but it's a great thing to learn. However, there are times when I need to download pictures, and I have a data cable to do so. I have two of them. 

My data cable

However, something had happened, and the cable transfer wasn't working. OH, great —now what is the matter? I tried both cables and different USB ports, but NOTHING. And I really needed to upload a video because that was on my list of paperwork things to do. 

Hmmm -- I wonder if Google has an answer, and YES it did! I switched my phone in July, and for whatever reason, there are new settings for the Samsung 25+ phone. Of course there are—thank goodness people make videos about these small techie details. 

The phone has to be unlocked—that I learned many years ago —but you also have to allow it to transfer the data—that setting is new. Once I did that, all was good again! So if you want to watch the video and haven't seen it yet, here is the link. It's the video of my quilt show as the featured quilter at the Buckhorn Quilt Show back in early September. It's all about machine embroidery on quilts—from embellishing quilt blocks to making entire quilts with embroidery, quilting, and making labels. It's a great show if you want to check it out. 

The bottom line is that I fixed a problem I was going to need an answer to next week, and another crisis is averted! 

I also had some paper from packaging that came in the last couple of days that I wanted to cut up, so it was on the cutting table, and it's now cut. I want to try my hand at making this IdeaBook, and they used brown paper for some of the pages. 

Some of the pages for my IdeaBook

I ironed the pages after cutting them to remove some of the wrinkles. No steam!

The pages are ironed

If you want to know what I carried home in that suitcase of mine, I dug it out yesterday. When I stopped by the farmhouse, I had a quick peek in my old room, and there was the FORTREL (crimpoline) quilt on the bed. I had planned to make one, but why make one when there is one that is just going to be left behind? 

With a sleight of hand, I removed the quilt from under the crap that was on the bed. ICK!!! It smelled like a non-housebroken animal had slept on it, and I found a mouse nest with skeletons in it. They were probably smothered by the polyester! I found a plastic bag to put it in because not only did it smell like urine, but it also had that musty, old-house smell. GROSS!!!!! I was NOT putting that in my suitcase unless it was encased in plastic! 

I laid it out in the backyard yesterday, and of course, the girls were extremely curious to see what it was all about. I checked it, and there are NO holes front or back—the mice probably broke their teeth trying to chew through it. It's back in the plastic bag, and I'll wash it this weekend. I will likely never use it, but it's a good quilt to have -- these were keepers back in the day. And besides, Victoria Finley Wolfe has one that her grandmother made! My mom would have made it. 

My crimpoline quilt

My girls are too funny—they do NOT want to be caught sleeping together. Lexi is outside, Murphy is inside, and they are happy. 

This is how we sleep close to each other

When they were both out at the same time, Lexi was sleeping by the door, and Murphy was by the gazebo. You would think they didn't like each other. 

When they sleep outside together

Look what I found at the dollar store - those sheets of laundry soap! I didn't check the price against what is in the grocery store. Are these the same products? 

Sheets of laundry soap

And OH MY --- GO JAYS GO!!!! They won last night, which is very exciting. I was listening to a group of employees from the radio station, and many of them had NOT been born when the Jays last won the World Series. I can't say the same thing! 

And that's it for today -- the pile of paperwork to process is set up, and the list of things in Studio B is ready to go, and I'm fired up!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

The signs of autumn

OK -- someone turned off the heat! It's cold. I wore shorts yesterday, but I think I'll find some pants this morning. 

So far, so good on the jet lag. With the full day of travel and the ability to sleep like a baby on the plane, I didn't need a nap yesterday and went to bed at my usual time. I did wake up in the night, but was able to get back to sleep, and so the day is now just like any other day! Let's hope I don't get hit with a whammy later on! 

Another reason to fly business class if you can, but it also depends on the timing and which direction you are flying - east or west. It all worked in our favor, so that's a bonus. 

Miss Lexi seems to be fine, and she also slept through the night, so it must just have been excitement from knowing that she hadn't been abandoned! Poor girl! Both of them were ecstatic to go for their long walk. They had been walked daily while we were away, but not the typical long walk. Murphy will never get it through her head that we walk a specific route, not the amount of time it takes. So if you walk really, really fast, the walk is shorter! 

But both of them stopped to sniff lots!!! There was a lot of pee-mail to catch up on!!!

Me? I got right into my day and didn't stop! I have a lot to prepare for the September events, and there's no time to waste. 

I've unpacked my stuff, and it's in the wash; I'll deal with it later today. It's all my travel clothes, nothing I wear around here, so there's no rush to get them done. Remember, travel clothes are typically thin and lightweight. Yet, they can be durable and warm. Just for fun, I weighed the backpack before I emptied it. OK -- so I'm obsessed with traveling light. My "big" backpack was 13.7 pounds, which included the weight of the backpack itself at 1.5 pounds. 

All of this fit into it — a pair of ski gloves, my winter jacket, my storm pants (OK, there were a few things I wore here), pants, shirts, long underwear, my sarong, and so on. 

All this was in the backpack

Believe it or not, there were a few things that I did NOT use. I forgot to pack my towel when I went on the hike. An extra pair of socks, the belt to my new pants, and a few odds and ends. But overall, I did pretty well on the packing. 

Extra stuff I did not use

My small backpack weighed 7.9 pounds, and it contained a lot of unnecessary items. Mostly electronic stuff, so I need to be more diligent next time. I took way too many charging cords, and the power bank did NOT work as I would have liked. And a bathing suit that I always pack, but never use. That's the last time -- it does not come with me again!!!! And I took way too many protein bars - I ate half of them, so next time, I'll reduce the number I take. I greatly appreciated having them with me, so I don't regret that, but I don't need quite so many. I didn't use everything in my medical kit, but it's better to be safe than sorry on that front. It's tiny, but a mighty kit. I also had way more drugs than I usually carry, and I was lucky on that front and only used what I needed. 

Unnecessary stuff I packed

In total, I carried 3 pounds of stuff that I never used. What a waste of energy!!! OK -- I'm kidding, but next time, I'll pack a wee bit smarter. I love the minimalist approach, and if I hadn't had those bulky cold-weather items in my bag, packing and unpacking would have been a breeze. As it was, the backpack was full and things were crammed in. However, proper travel clothes do not wrinkle. 

When buying travel items, weight is my first consideration. DH did pretty well, with his small backpack and a canvas tote. It was more effort for him to carry that in his hand rather than on his back, but we didn't have a second backpack, and he did just fine. And while it may look geeky to have one backpack on the back and one on the front, it works well for travel. 

I noticed whenever we had a driver, they always took his bag, but they never took my backpacks!!! Which is fine, as I was comfortable wearing them to the car and had no issues. 

I even bought a couple of things that added to the weight. Here's a picture of one of the items. Technically, it's a pair of pants - something I've wanted for a long time. I actually had a pair of these pants years ago and loved them, but they went out of favor. Now, they are back in style. They are wraparound pants. I might wear them this coming weekend in Buckhorn! 

My wraparound pants

I have more stuff to show, but that's all I got around to at the moment. 

So then it was back to work as usual. I had to find some batting to piece together for a quilt that I loaded on the long arm before I left. I'll be quilting it later today, as it needs to accompany me to the show next weekend. I have another quilt to bind that will also go to the show with me. So, yes — there will be brand-new quilts that no one has seen before, and some of these are UFOs, so it's a double whammy! Well, some people have seen some of these quilts, but not many. 

Piecing batting

The batting is loaded, and the threads are chosen. I just need to press START. As if!!!!!

Then I decided to try to clear the cutting table, which, despite my rush to leave on vacation, didn't look too bad. I have two quilt tops that I completed before I left, and they needed backing and binding. I have this wide back that is perfect. So I will need to quilt the first quilt and then use the leftovers to piece the backing for the second one. All of this is now in the "to be quilted" pile. 

For the "to be quilted" pile

I decided to make the binding for both and found a striped fabric in the black/white basket. Since it was striped, I decided to make bias binding. I think I goofed on the size of the fabric squares, which was wasteful on my part from a work perspective. I  made two squares of bias binding, but it's not enough, and so I will have to make two more squares. I'll leave that for when I work on the second quilt. When calculating the amount of binding needed, I forgot to take into account not only the length but also the area of the necessary binding. DUH!!!!! Oh well—it's not the end of the world. 

Cutting bias binding

The binding is ready to go - I joined the two strips together to make one. Once I see how much more I need, then I'll cut more fabric. 

The binding is done

I had a virtual meeting first thing in the morning, which led me down a rabbit hole this morning. And I managed to complete one more embroidery project, so that was good!

The following slate of items is pulled and on the cutting table for today. It's great to just putter around on my own time! I love it!!!! And I might say that the cutting table is looking pretty good, and I hope to keep it that way. Just pull out what needs to be worked on that day. Nothing more!!!! Some of this stuff just needs to be put away, which I should be able to do. Or while the long arm is running, I can create my next embroidery files on the computer. That kind of thing, and that makes me very happy!

The cutting table

As I mentioned, this month is going to be insane. Here's a brief recap so you know where I'll be, in case you'd like to visit.  

September 5 and 6 -- Buckhorn Quilt Show

September 8 - 14 -- a Quilt retreat --- I know --- bad timing!!!! However, there is room, so if anyone wants to attend a quilt retreat at Spring House, there is still space available.

September 18  - Facebook Live using the PFAFF (I need to confirm the topic)

September 19 and 20 - A two-day hands-on embroidery workshop with Thimble Quilts and Sewing in Lasalle (near Windsor). This is a super fun event and a great way to get to know your embroidery machine. Contact the store if you want to come!)

September 23 - Stitch by Stitch (Kingston) ---- What's new with Husqvarna Viking and What's New with PFAFF (YES-- some fantastic new products are being introduced!!!!

September 25 --- an event at another store east of Toronto; details are being worked out, and I'll let you know when they happen. 

And then I'm home and have nothing on the calendar (except my online classes!) for three months. However, I'm sure something will come up! 

I walked to the grocery store yesterday and NO!!!!!!! The signs of autumn have arrived. 

Fall plants for sale!!!!!

I can deal with the flowers, but this? It's way too early!

Not pumpkin spice already!

And there's that Murphy! Curiosity killed the cat, well, it's going to kill the dog! We happened to have these two wrought iron tables, which fit perfectly in front of the front windows, because she is a nosey dog and would be jumping at the windows if they were not there. So it's not enough to look through the table, but being right underneath works just fine! The height is perfect for her! She can see the traffic coming and going. Silly Murphy!!!

Mom -- I fit perfectly under the table! 

And that wraps up another crazy day!!!!

Remember -- it's Virtual Retreat this weekend. Stop by to say hello, and I'm sure there will be loads of catching up to do! I already know we're going to have a discussion on metal hoops!!! And there will be numerous other topics as well --- it's amazing what our brains have to share with each other, and you never know what you can learn by asking questions. That is a fine art, and well, asking questions is a fabulous way to learn! 

Saturday, August 30, 2024 --- starts at 6 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82693702241?pwd=QpQkm8Ppppy1XwCPOqva1bcgJCWKdP.1

Meeting ID: 826 9370 2241
Passcode: 795071

Sunday, August 31, 2025 - starts at 3 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81073536036?pwd=uxRqMnK1aSKrmrcSO78w8QQs5g44eA.1

Meeting ID: 810 7353 6036
Passcode: 596838

Have a super day!!!!!

Ciao!!!!