What constitutes expensive?

 LOL --- I have entered a couple of things into my electronic to-do list, but it's going to take some work to get started to make it truly useful. Baby steps. Meanwhile, I had made a paper list of 12 things I wanted to accomplish in Studio B this week, and I crossed two off yesterday and almost completed 3 more! These are all small things - not actually piecing a quilt, but finishing off bags, or other small items. But all is good!

I get a daily email from the to-do app listing my tasks. I'll have to check it out later as I'm away this morning. Yep -- finally off to the adventure that I thought was last week! 

Yes - more shoveling yesterday, but the driveway is clear, and I heard the plow and the sidewalk plow in the night, so all should be good. Even though the sidewalk plow had done most of the sidewalks right after the storm, there was so much snow, and the banks were higher than the plow could reach, so the sidewalks were not in great shape, and we ended up walking on the road. Hopefully, today will be better. 

But seriously, I am shocked by what people in this neighborhood do. This house is right on the corner, near a high school, and this sidewalk is very frequently used. What? You can see the sidewalk behind that huge mound of snow. They literally shoveled the snow from their driveway onto the sidewalk, and not just a little pile - that is about four feet high! Seriously? 

There is a sidewalk under that snowbank!

Are they so car-centric that they don't even realize there is a sidewalk there? Do they not care? I'd love for the city to hire me, and I'll walk around and slap everyone with a fine that does something stupid like this. It's annoying and just shows how entitled people are! These are drivers who probably don't even watch out for pedestrians. 

I see the girls are making their trails in the backyard, but the snow is so deep that they haven't made many! But Lexi had fun romping around and hopping through the snow. The Husky side of her is finally showing in the snow. Look at her face - she is positively beaming in the snow!

MOM - I LOVE the snow - sometimes! 

Although Murphy is truly the one who is spending the most time in the snow. She is in and out of the house many times in a day. Not because she needs to go, but just to plop in the snowbank on the deck!

MOM- I LOVE the snow - it cools me down!

We had a pretty sunny day yesterday, and there are actually bare patches in the driveway!

Here is one of two tote bags that needed finishing. I mean, why do we let this stuff just sit around and never get done? The second one is almost finished. They are a bit narrow for the depth, but they would be great as a shoe bag! I made the bottom a bit too square, but it's OK. 

Completed tote bag

And I finally got the second sleeve of my sweatshirt done! Again - how long did that take? Not long to finish. Most of the tasks on that list for this week are finishing up small projects, so I hope to get through them and add more! Remember - I CAN, and I WILL -- WATCH ME!!!!

The sleeve for my sweatshirt

And there's one more spool of thread that bites the dust!! I have zero qualms about using up thread -- that's why we buy it! 

One more spool of thread gone!

Speaking of buying things, here's something to contemplate. Remember, I mentioned buying the expensive bras the other day and how much they cost per year? Someone on our Monday call lamented the high cost of purchasing a new rotary cutting mat to replace her THIRTY-YEAR-old one. 

Let's just contemplate that for a second. This existing mat has lasted 30 years -- and yes, so has mine, although mine should be replaced. It still works, even though it looks terrible. 

Here are some properties of the mat that I'd look for: 

• Minimum size (provided I have room): 24" by 36".
• Folding mat - NO!!!!!!
• Mat larger than 24" by 36"? Unless I'm cutting garments, I do NOT need a larger mat than 24" by 36". When have you cut a piece of fabric larger than that for a quilt? Bigger does not always mean better! 

Now let's do the math. Let's say that the mat (24" by 36") costs $150 CDN. WOW -- that's a lot of money. But is it? If you keep that mat for thirty years, and probably the last one you'll buy at our age, then that mat costs you $5 PER YEAR to own. Is that a lot of money? Heck - that's the price of two coffees! STOP looking at the cost of the item and look at the cost per year, per usage, per whatever --- then the cost is not huge at all. It's all about how you look at it --- glass half full, or glass half empty! 

$150 CDN for a 24" by 36" mat is CHEAP, and I'd be rushing out to buy a new one if I needed it. I have three pretty much brand-new mats in my house, so I will never have to buy another one. I need to just move the new one to where the old one is! You can't just look at the cost—you need to consider the price over the projected use period. If you buy a cheaper mat because it's cheaper and then you have to replace it - that isn't a bargain. Buy QUALITY. Buy something that was made for this purpose - not a cheap substitute!

And here's the other thing that drives me mad. We are among the fortunate people who still have a Fabricland (somewhat similar to Joann's) in our city, which sells home decor, garments, and quilting fabrics. It sells yarn and lots and lots of notions. Many do not like to shop there because they feel the items are overpriced. And yes, they have a funky pricing system that really tries to get you to buy a membership, so you save on all the prices. I believe a one-year membership costs $25. I usually save that $25 on the first trip after renewal. 

Here's the thing -- if you do NOT shop at Fabricland, it will close, like MANY of their other stores in Ontario have over the last couple of years, and they are NOT reopening. If there is no Fabricland, then where the heck am I going to buy a 22" burgundy invisible zipper when I want it? 

I can't go to my local quilt shop—they don't stock that kind of thing. Where will I buy those random notions? Again, the local quilt shop doesn't sell that kind of stuff. It's like everything else - buyer beware. Don't just run in and buy willy-nilly. Check things out -- I have never felt price-gouged buying at Fabricland because I look first. 

I do NOT even consider buying many of these things at that online store. As I've mentioned many times, Jeff does not need my money, which is most likely supporting things that I disagree with - NUFF SAID!!! Personally, I think we need to boycott that online store for 24 hours to show that the power is in the consumer - NOT the owner! And while Wal-Mart tries to have basic notions, it wouldn't have a 22" burgundy invisible zipper. 

Do you not find that there is an annoying habit going around these days? People do NOT LISTEN when you are talking. Twice, if not three times, yesterday, I asked questions on our Monday Zoom call, and every time, the person I was asking responded with an answer that did NOT answer my particular question. The answer was related, but it did not answer my question. And one of them was somewhat snarky about it. I rudely interrupted their snarkiness and said -- MY QUESTION IS THIS!!! Sheesh --- what is wrong with people? 

And I know that everyone wants to be helpful, but people -- on a ZOOM call, do NOT take over a conversation because you think you know better than the person who is being asked the question! I target specific people to get them talking!!!!!! 

The other day, I was chatting about the 150 Canadian Women quilt, and Judy sent me pictures of what she has done with hers. She gave the quilt a modern twist and even made it reversible to accommodate all the blocks. 

A modern version of the 150 Canadian Women quilt

The second side to accommodate all the blocks

And she put this dedication to the most important Canadian woman in her life, her mother, on the quilt! That is a very touching addition! 

A dedication to a mother!

Well, there you have it -- another crazy day at my house. No decluttering got done, but that's OK. OH - I did have a long nap. I had lunch and then realized it was one of those "I need a nap, and I need it NOW" moments, so I went to bed. I typically set the timer, which I did, but I was still exhausted, so I went back to sleep for a double nap. I got up and felt so much better. All that shoveling did me in! I had zero trouble sleeping last night, except for when I heard the backup beeper on the front-end loader! 

Have a fabulous day!!!

Ciao!!

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!!!

Did I need to buy this?

Part one of the trip is done. I had a couple of events for Castle Sewing, and that marks the end of the business part of the trip. Yeah! It's not that I don't like it, but now I can just relax, which is even better. 

But I don't know about relaxing because it's 4:00 AM and I'm up because I'm going to be on the move again today. 

It rained all day yesterday, but it was warm - I saw people walking around in shorts and T-shirts. Actually, it was hilarious because I had stopped at Tim's in the morning to get a tea, and there was a guy and a girl huddled in front of one of those fake fireplaces, and he was wearing shorts! It just looked so awkward. 

Oh my— you are going to yell at me when you see what I bought at the store. It's in my suitcase and I'm not going to dig it out. Wait-- I spotted it on their website. I could grab that photo. Let me do that. I can't find it, so I'll have to take a picture later or find it elsewhere on the internet. 

I bought three things, none of which together cost much, and I have room in my suitcase, so all is good. 

Oh -- I found it. 

A dog panel

Yes -- that is a panel related to dogs!!! Do I need this with a basket of dog fabric? No!!! But this will make a nice center, and I can use the dog fabric to make it into a quilt. This one will be for me!!!

I also spotted the True North canvas tote bag panel, so I got one. I'm not a fan of making the bag as is. I always put fusible fleece on the bag and add a lining because otherwise, it just looks way too limp and cheap! Yes - I am very picky about my tote bags! 

True North canvas tote panel

When I was at Tim's in the morning to get my tea, I spotted this at the counter. Oh my --- 

Novelty socks

Yep - that is novelty socks at Tim's. I did not buy a pair! 

But when I got in the car, I had a problem. There is a cup holder, but it was HUGE. The two spaces would be great if I had my big water bottle with me, but with a Tim's cup? This is going to be a problem. 

Hmmmm -- as I looked at the cup holder, two buttons popped into view that said PUSH, so I did, and then these little wing things popped out from the side and made the cup holder fit my water bottle and my cup of tea! 

An adjustable cup holder in the car

OK -- that's a pretty brilliant way to accommodate any size cup holder. That's in the K4 by Kia. 

On my drive from Langley to West Vancouver, it took me 50 minutes, so that shaved an hour off the trip from the day before, but there were still a lot of slowdowns. It's only 50 K after all, and it's mostly highway! Yes - I said there were no highways, but there is the Trans Canada. 

I arrived at M's, and while she's still not here, we had a phone chat and visited with Dillon and Bear. Then Dillon and I went out for dinner and had a nice chat. 

And I got to stay in their nice little guest suite on the main floor of the house they are renting. It's pretty cool and certainly much better than my little Airbnb place from last month. The previous night, I was in the Holiday Inn, so all is good so far. 

And let me say that Vancouver is a DARK city at night. If I were a pedestrian here, I would ensure that my entire body was covered in reflective tape. There are few street lights in West Vancouver, and with tons of trees and hedges, it is dark. The rain didn't help!

However, I'm on the move this morning and need to leave shortly. It's going to take a few connections to get to my next destination, so I need to get moving. 

Have a wonderful day!!!

Ciao!!!

New habits

There are TWO new habits that I want to add to my OCD behavior this year. One is to write in The Happiness Project book every day, which takes no time at all, and the second is to promptly respond to ALL the comments that people post on the blog. So far -- I'm good! 

As M (my daughter) mentioned and I had planned, The Happiness Project book (the blue book I just found again) is by my bed, and those new snazzy colored gel pens. My writing sucks, and it is even worse writing in bed. Sigh  - I'll try to make it neater, but there are NO promises in that category. Hey --- if no one can read it, that's OK. It's mostly for me, anyway!

But I will need an easy way to access all those colored pens -- I LOVE them. And I'll choose a different color every day! OH -- a quick and easy project to make! I need to keep a list of those small projects that I want to make, so when I need to make something for QUILTsocial, I already have items to make!

And if people (YOU) took the time to write comments on the blog, I feel it's a MUST to respond to those comments. It's been hit-and-miss in the past, but it's a good connection to people. So if you comment, expect a response from me in a day or two!

Hm--- so I went to the post office at the mall two days ago to mail a sample of an upcoming workshop I'm teaching at the Niagara Heritage Quilter's Guild. That's booked for March 23. I bought a bubble wrap envelope, had it all filled out, and took it to the cash. The manager was insistent that I should use a BOX instead. Better service, faster, cheaper, blah, blah, blah. 

I'd already written on the bubble envelope, so that would be wasting the envelope. The package arrived the next day! So that wasn't so bad for the less desirable option. How much faster would it have gotten there with the box? The same day? I think not!

So I was back at the post office yesterday to mail something else. This time, I used the flat rate box. It was a different person at the counter (DARN!), but I had it all filled out and labeled when I got there, as the cashier commented. Well, why wouldn't I? 

This box is going to Oshawa, about the same distance as the other package, but in a different direction. It was $1 cheaper! Let's see what happens!!! 

Using a flat-rate box

And while I was at the mall AGAIN, I decided to check out this wrap I keep passing. I LOVE wraps, and yes -- I already have a few too many, but this one is very dressy compared to my others, and the best part -- it's plain and can be embroidered!!! 

Can you believe that the one I wanted and saw the day before was GONE? Of course! This time I tried on the item to see if I really liked it. Yes, it's excellent, but I'm not a powder blue girl, so I asked if they had different colors. They have another store, and yes, they do. So they are shipping the other colors to this store so I can have a look. Another trip to the mall!

A powder blue wrap

Of course, they had some gorgeous orange ones, but they were already embellished, and I wanted to do the embroidery myself. 

When I finally got home from ALL my errands and was ready to work, it was almost 4 PM. I know -- I spent a lot of time in the morning chatting with people, and HEY -- sometimes you just have to do that. It shouldn't all be about work and head down! 

Time to address the elephant in the room. I've got an offer to cut those wood pieces; however, on my walk, I spotted some short strips of lattice, which I promptly picked up, and they may work. But I'm waiting for them to dry before I use them. The strips of flooring will have to work for the weekend. Then I'll see. I've no shame in picking up stuff off the street if it will work for me! 

The sit-down quilter (Platinum 160 by Husqvarna Viking) is still in the box. I forgot to take a picture of it set up on the table, but it's all set up, and the tension is tested. I had to play with it a wee bit, but it quilts like a charm with two very different colors on the top and bobbin. That's the test of a great machine --- can it sew without getting pokies on either the top or the bobbin. That is NOT recommended, but for testing, it's perfect. 

The Platinum 160 by Husqvarna Viking 

The power tower got moved to its new spot, and the old power bar was removed. Nothing is plugged in yet, and I plan to do that later today. Those cords need to be bundled up -- they are a mess. 

The power tower in its new spot

I had to dig through a pile of old quilt magazines, and OMG --- look at the date. I was practically a newborn when this was published. OK -- I'm kidding, but the magazine is almost an antique! I have sorted my magazines by title, and when I want to read a title, I grab the stack and start browsing. Sometimes they are sorted by date, and sometimes they must be sorted. So the first thing I do is sort by date, and I found FOUR duplicate copies. They are now in the recycling. I LOVE going through these old magazines, and I have some stuff to share with you another day on what I found! 

An OLD quilt magazine

So it's a sad news day. My bag I bought at Stonehenge (YES -- THE Stonehenge) is finally on its last legs. 

My Stonehenge tote bag

This has been my GO-TO shopping bag for the last two or three years. It's been to the library, the mall, the grocery store, and everywhere. But sadly, it's wearing out. I was going to take the side panels and use them on something else, but even the one is starting to wear thin. Surprisingly, the handles are entirely INTACT. 

My tote bag is wearing thin

It's a loosely woven burlap but with a plastic liner. Even the liner is breaking apart. I don't remember what I paid for this bag, but I got my money's worth. 

The bottom corners are almost gone

The holes in the corners are getting too large that I'm afraid something might slip through, so I went to the "bag closet" and found something else. Oh - I found one of those plastic bags, but look at the size? It's HUGE, which I hate. I've used it twice, and it's too big. So (I know --- do not yell at me), I'm going to chop it down. All those plastic bags come in that size, and while great, they are too big! I will take the handles off and cut about 4 inches from the top of the bag. Fiddly? Yes -- but I don't like it. And yes -- I could make a new one the exact size of the Stonehenge bag, but I have these other bags, so I might as well use them. 

The new bag is four inches (at least) too tall

Do NOT worry -- I will ensure I keep the measurements of that Stonehenge bag, as it's the perfect size for me. And I'll recycle the handles and one side, and I will make something cool from it -- just not at the moment. 

I did a bit of cleaning on the cutting table --- this huge bag of leather scraps I bought a couple of weeks ago got put away. I can't wait to use it for little bits of applique. The leather is gorgeous!

A bag of leather scraps

Two more quilt tops from Diane have been added to the "to be quilted" pile. 

Two new quilt tops from Diane

I didn't take a "before" picture, but this is the current projects table, which looks pretty good. I know -- it's messy but much better than it was. 

The current project table

I took that large green tub and filled it with stuff from the table. Things that I won't be getting to for a while. I need to find a home on a shelf for that stuff, which I'll do. Then I could move things from the cutting table that I was supposed to be working on and to clear the space, it went to the current project table. That leaves the cutting table pretty clear. The goal is to keep the cutting table 100% clear, except for the project I'm cutting. The other things I'm also working on, but perhaps not that day, will go on the current project table, and everything else is shelved! That's the goal. I'm close! 

The cutting table this morning

The hardest thing is not getting something done before a new deadline arises, and I must switch. If I could figure out how to make that happen, I'd be golden!! 

OK -- so Lexi and Murphy are entirely different in their food habits. Murphy has to sit and wait for her food because she'd be gobbling it down before the bowl even hit the floor. She is very good about this and waits; she also knows to only touch Lexi's dish when it's empty. 

Lexi, on the other hand, is a grazer. She can leave her food all day and eats it when she feels like it. But she also likes to squirrel food away, which is hilarious. She will take a few morsels to the dog beds and try to hide them. Well, it's hard to hide it under the blanket when you're standing on it. And, of course, now that the food is OUT of Lexi's dish, it's fair game for Murphy. If we only had Lexi, I'm sure we'd be finding dog food everywhere in the house! 

Lexi trying to hide dog food in the dog bed

At last, all the stabilizer is removed from the large piece of embroidery. There is still more to remove from the smaller piece, and I made good progress last night. What will I do when this is done? I'm sure I'll find some other handwork project. 

More stabilizer removed

OK --- so how many of you spend the time EACH DAY deleting ridiculous accounts that start following you on IG. I don't have a ton of followers, but I get new requests almost every day, and I check them out and delete them. I didn't always do this, so from time to time, I try to scroll through my followers and delete those robotic accounts stuck in the middle of my good followers. 

What a flipping waste of time and the comments you get from some of those robot accounts are ridiculous. How does anyone fall for that?? Oh, people do, but it's a shame!

So there are FOUR presentations this weekend. I've got all the distribution lists in order (I think!). I don't know that I'll do that to myself in the future. I still have more work to organize, but getting those distribution lists was the worst! Well, just time-consuming, and lots of intricate filing was required. I'm still not out of the woods yet, as I have more e-mails to process for classes at Thimbles and Things. I'm trying to keep up! And I've got a couple of pocket folders that I'm using to store all my notes and ideas for the classes. 

I'm super excited, but there is one ISSUE with any of these clubs or groups. I can only encourage and inspire, but I CANNOT do the work for them. They will only learn if they are willing to make mistakes and take chances. The other day, I played with my embroidery machine and did some programming. I had a vague idea of what I wanted, primarily by size. Ultimately, I created something very cool, and who knew that was possible? It came about only because I was WILLING to spend the time and play! 

Wish me luck communicating that to the group! 

Here's a good quote. 

Well, it's time to get moving!! There is MUCH to do today, and I've now in catch-up mode!!!

OH --- so if you have cleared up your ironing board, it's time to move to the cutting table. You are going to remove EVERYTHING from it. As you remove the items, what has a home can be put away. Do THAT! Then what is left? OK -- so you have one or two projects that you are currently cutting --- put those back on the table. Then evaluate everything that is left. If it is stuff you still need to complete but need more time to work on, get a box and put it in it. Label the box and keep it handy so you can get what you need. But leaving it on the cutting table is distracting! I'll be working on my cutting table today. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

PROGRESS!

I'm so excited, as I made excellent progress yesterday on my projects, and it makes up for the lack of real progress on projects over the last couple of days. 

It seemed to take forever to get the first one done, and I thought I was doomed for the day. But at last, I got my scrappy green quilt done. Well, this is step one of the project. It's not super big -- about 21 inches. I made 49 blocks that are 3" finished. It was totally from the scrap box, and it took a long time to complete. So if anyone is complaining about not having enough to do -- start sewing from scraps. That'll slow you down!!!

My scrappy green quilt top is done!

Then I changed the thread color and finished the binding on this quilt. 

The binding is done on this quilt

I see the edges are a bit wavy, which means it should have been blocked before I put the binding on, but I'm going to try and steam it to get it flat. It's not bad and just needs a sleeve on the back, and then it's done!!

The binding is on the wall hanging

Then it was onto the next project. I had THREE almost finished tote bags. The only thing left to do was add the flap. The flap was cut, but I couldn't finish them - why? Because the three pieces of Velcro were missing. One part of the Velcro had been attached to the bag, but the second half was missing. When cleaning up something in the closet upstairs, I found the Velcro bits. So I brought the three bags with me to get them done. 

The missing flap on the tote bags

I stitched that Velcro in place even though it's supposed to be fusible - I never trust that. So three tote bags are now completely done. 

Three completed tote bags

Then onto the last project slated for yesterday. Could I get that done as well? It was a tote bag that I promised to make for someone. When I was prepping for my serger class, I needed a piece of very loosely woven fabric to showcase the serger, and this was precisely what I was looking for. 

I had prepped all the pieces by fusing the fusible fleece and the Decor-Bond to the fabric. I used my Singer steam press, which made that task extremely easy and took seconds instead of much longer with an ordinary iron. If you are into making bags, you NEED a steam press. 

This tote bag was a preprinted panel that the manufacturer suggested you sew together with NO LINING and no interfacings. I've seen it done that way, and it looked like a limp rag. Very sloppy, and with the loose weave of the "canvas," this would fray to death. So I made it like I make all my tote bags -- Fusible fleece on the outer part of the bag, Decor-Bond on the lining, and the handles were made substantial!! 

Speaking of handles, I used the bits that came on the panel as decorative trim on black fabric for the handles. That meant I had to turn the tubes inside out! That's not a fun job when you don't have a tube-turner. But I found tweezers in my toolbox and used those. It was still a fiddly job, and several times, I was tempted to give the entire thing back to the owner and have her finish it. But NO -- I persevered. 

Turning the tubes for the handle trim

Then it got down to the wire -- the last bit, which is to turn the bag inside out. I hate that part, and I was tempted to give it to Ronda like this. 

Turning the bag inside out

But NO -- I persevered. It helps when you sew with friends as they keep your brain occupied while you do those awful jobs. And VOILA -- the finished tote bag. 

The completed tote bag

Notice how it stands up on its own? It would never have done that if following the instructions written by the manufacturer. And personally, I think the proportions are out. It's too long for the width, so if you have a short person, this will drag on the ground! Sigh -- not my bag, not my problem!

So you want to see what some of the others are working on? Dede and Kathi both got their tulip table runners completed. Now they just have to quilt them, which I think Dede will attempt today. 

Tulip table runners!

And Katheleen is working on the strips sets for a bargello quilt. Plus, they did a lot of other work, but that's all I got pictures of. 

Katheleen's bargello

I dug through my project bag to see what I could work on today. I have to say that it's kind of fun to get caught up on or finish a project and move to something new. I did FOUR things yesterday. At some of the retreats, I work on ONE project for the entire retreat!!!

Today, I have another scrappy project. This is all the leftover yellow flannel that came from the community projects. Most of the scraps were prepped and ready to sew (it's good to be prepared), so I started last night. I now have 31 blocks made. 

31 blocks scrappy yellow flannel blocks

There's a larger piece of flannel that could be used for the backing. Using that as the backing, I would need to make 64 blocks, and I might just have enough scraps to make that happen. 

Sewing scraps of yellow flannel

The blocks are 5" unfinished. And there's one more piece of flannel that will work for the binding. My goal is to get the top together and the binding made. 

Then I have one more scrappy project and a small paper pieced project on the agenda for today. 

Tomorrow is our last day, and this is what is left in my project bag. There are three projects there; none of them will take super long to do, but they will still take time, so I feel that I packed very well for this retreat. I'm finally learning!!!

My project bag is almost empty

Let's not forget that we took a trip to Creekbank Sewing in the morning. This is a store on a Mennonite farm about 30 minutes away. We all came away from that store completely energized, and I'm sure they were happy with our visit. Here's the thing -- the two ladies in that store were the BEST salespeople I have ever seen in a quilt store. If you were looking for something, they showed you what they had, offered suggestions, and weren't afraid to dig out whatever to show you more. They were never pushy, but they were good!!

It was hilarious, but I swear that we all almost walked out with some form of quilting or sewing machine! Yep -- if we could have fit those boxes in the car, we would be sewing on Berninas today! Anyway -- those ladies were very professional, and I love the store. They have some classes that sound very good, but unfortunately, I won't be around on that day. Darn!!!!

I spotted this old sewing machine on a shelf. This was probably the top-of-the-line (or the ONLY) sewing machine offered by PFAFF at one point in time. 

An old PFAFF sewing machine

And today -- this is what they have. 

The creative icon 2

We passed a ton of wind turbines on the way there, and I managed to get this picture as Katheleen was speeding down the road. 

Wind turbines along the road

We're done!!! We completed our 10,000 KM trek across Canada on March 31. We came in 66th of 243 teams, which is fantastic considering we are four people and NONE of us are runners. We averaged just under 36.5KM each day!!! That's pretty darn impressive. Thanks to Helen Anne, Nancy, and Shelly for a great adventure!!! What's next for our little group? 

I slacked off with the walking yesterday; although I did walk 8 KM, it's nowhere near my norm. I'll get back to it seriously after this retreat. It's probably good to take a wee break. In the afternoon, I walked to the grocery store and picked up something for dinner tonight. And on the way, I spotted two Canda geese. Did you know they branch out into pairs at this time for nesting? I had no idea, but now that Katheleen mentioned it, I'm noticing them in pairs everywhere!

A pair of Canada geese

So the class that wasn't Zoom, but is now hybrid so we can attend is on today!! That's this afternoon, so I'm looking forward to that. I have loads of learning to do with the Brother Scan and Cut, so hopefully, this will help. 

On that note, I"m out o  here. I have work to do, and there's no time to waste!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!