Firsts

Don't we love to document our "firsts"? The first block of a project? First child? After we get the first out of the way, the rest doesn't really count. I have a couple of firsts to share today.

Wednesday was M's FIRST day at school. Yes - she's off to Vancouver Film School to up her game in the acting world. Sounds like she's having a blast and hopefully learning lots. Good luck M!! Someday we hope to see your name in lights!!! Well technically that's theatre, but you never know where life will take you.

The first day of school at Vancouver Film School

A selfie at school with her name tag

We always took a picture on the first day of school. However, I think we totally forgot one year.

Have a look at this beauty.

M - the first day of kindergarten or thereabouts.  Love that tunic that her thoughtful mother purchased in a size too big so she could grow into it. Beautifully accessorized by those CLUNKY looking shoes and let's not forget the BLANKIE!!!!!!   She looks like a chipmunk with her teeth sticking out - she never had buck teeth - just a goofy grin.

When I was looking on my blog for something else, I found this FIRST-day picture.

The first day of Grade 12

A wee bit short on the length of that dress. Oh well, hopefully, she's outgrown that stage. I doubt it. What I don't see - I can't fret over!!!

Oh my - well she is still cute!!!!


Yesterday was a gorgeous day, but I wasn't able to enjoy a walk as I had to teach a class. It was a rope bowl class. For all of you who know how to sew, don't take that skill for granted. Both students were pretty new to sewing, very little knowledge of their sewing machine and it was a wee bit of a challenge. Let's just say it was a good thing we were using matching threads.

Rope bowls from the class

And here's a suggestion to EVERYONE who sews. Do yourself a favor and buy a SMALL pair of snips. SHARP snips. I know where I can get them and I'm tempted to buy a big pack and have them on hand to sell to people. Drives me crazy when they have a huge pair of scissors to cut threads. Oh - that's the joy of teaching. But I'm very serious about the snips. I think I'll get a bulk pack and have them on hand. They are NOT expensive, but people don't know about them.

I'll show you mine one day - I've posted them a number of times.

Oh - I cheated and found a picture on my blog. Here are the BEST snips in the world.

Best snips in the world

But I did get some work done yesterday.

I started the samples for the Kimberbell Designs - Jingle all the Way quilt. Oh my - it's so incredibly cute. I can't wait to get back at it today. This block needs to be trimmed and tidied up. This is just off the embroidery machine.

Candy cane block

I hope to have the entire quilt together by the first class.

Here's my workstation. A total disaster. No room to put the fabric on the table, so it's on the chair. I'm pretending I'm pressing it each time I sit down!!!

Embroidery workstation with fabric strewn everywhere

 Here's my Misty Pines quilt. That's the one by Patti Carey. I'd like to give Patti a high-five for designing this quilt. Many of the fabrics are very close or have such a mottled appearance - I can only imagine it was a nightmare to make the design and then to write the pattern!!!

Misty Pines quilt

 I'm happy to report that mine is now in four sections. That's very exciting and I can't wait to get those last three seams sewn, make the facing and the backing and then it can go into the "to be quilted" pile and off the UFO list. Maybe today!!!

And I took liberty with no one around at the moment and cleaned off that table that was beside my sewing machine so it allowed me to lay out my entire ender/leader project. It's in stages, but I'm making progress.

Ender/leader project

 Here's the next UFO that needs to be worked on. I'll take pictures and post what needs to be done maybe tomorrow or the next day.

The next UFO to work on

 I can't spend all my time working on those UFOs as I have samples and blog posts and deadline quilts that need to be worked on and it's time to get to work on those. Not in a panic, but I really need to watch the time. I'll be sitting down later today to work out a schedule for the week as to what needs to get done. Actually, I might try for the entire month just to help deal with the deadlines.


So I'm reading this book called Every Note Played by Lisa Genova. Has anyone read it? Oh - it's so sad. It's about a concert pianist who gets afflicted with ALS. It's heartbreaking to see what happens to his body while his mind is totally intact. I wouldn't wish this disease on anyone. And the caregivers? Gosh - they are saints! I'm not sure how I would react in this situation - either as the patient or the caregiver. Stephen Hawking, who had ALS for fifty years, did amazing things with his talented brain. Not everyone is Stephen Hawking!

Every Note Played by Lisa Genova

If you haven't read any of Lisa's books, you should. She wrote "Still Alice" about Alzheimer's and "Left Neglected" about a serious brain injury. "Love Anthony" is about autism and "Inside the O'Brien's" - Huntington's Disease.  I've read them all but "Inside the O'Brien's".

It's a real eye-opener and again, makes you appreciate EVERYTHING. Something as simple as going to the bathroom! Imagine having arms that are totally useless. You can't even use it as a lever - it's a dead weight that you have zero control over that paralyzed body part. That's what happens with ALS - your muscles become paralyzed and slowly you lose all body functions including the ability to breath on your own and to speak. I'm almost finished the book and I know what happens at the end. It's just heartbreaking to read about the family and all their issues on top of this terrible disease. I have a Facebook friend that is diagnosed with ALS and my heart breaks for him and his family. He was an excellent cyclist and so helpful in prepping for my big cross Canada trip. I haven't touched base with him in a while. I'm almost afraid to, but I'm going to send him a note today.

OK - I sent him a note and cried while writing the entire thing!

To leave you on a happy note today, I have another Facebook friend (Heather Chapplain) who is currently at the Golden Globes with her fashions. She started off as a quilter and somehow ended up in the fashion world. Here's a link to the video that explains how she got to the Golden Globes. She's been posting live IG feeds the last couple of days and it's so exciting for her to be there. Hard work!!!!  Awesome job Heather!!!!

On that note, there's going to be lots of action in the studio today and I'd better get started.

Have a super day!!!


Ciao!!!

Classes for 2019 - Sign up now!!!!

It's time to get the word out. Today it's all about the ongoing classes that I'll be teaching in 2019. There's quite a variety and even one to help you finish your UFOs.



Kimberbell Quilt  -
Choose from THREE different quilt patterns.

Store: Brampton Sew n Serge
Phone number: 905-874-1564


If you're into Christmas, then choose Jingle all the way

Jingle all the Way - Sewing Version

Jingle all the Way - Machine Embroidery Version

How about Halloween? Then choose Broomhilda's Bakery

Broomhilda's Bakery! - The Machine Embroidery Version

Broomhilda's Bakery! - The Sewing Version

If you're not into holidays, there's a fun generic summer quilt called Hello Sunshine.

hello Sunshine! - The sewing version

hello Sunshine - The Machine Embroidery version

There is a fourth option, but the pattern won't be available until February. It's called Make Yourself at Home. You could do one, two, three, or even all four of them. That's for the ambitious out there.

This is a hands-on class (3 hours per session) where you'll bring your sewing machine. The patterns are available as traditional applique patterns or if you have an embroidery machine, you can make them with Machine Embroidery Applique which is very fun to do.

Some blocks require the use of unusual materials like vinyl and glitter. And all kinds of embellishments. It's going to be a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon once a month.

The quilts aren't huge - approximately 52" by 65". We'll also try and have a peek at cutting our applique shapes with a cutting machine.

There's still space in the class, but it'll go quick.  Note that Brampton Sew n Serge is having their open house on Jan 4 and 5th (that's TODAY and tomorrow). I'm still working on the samples so they won't be there for you to look at, but check out all the deals in their newsletter at this link. Check out the newsletter to see what other classes they offer as well.

I look forward to a fun show n tell at the end of this class. Be sure to reserve a spot - they won't last long.

I snipped the information from their newsletter here. I believe the class is 6 sessions long - just the first four are listed here.

Lilla

Store: Oh Look Fabric
Location: Milton
Phone: (905) 691-7765


This is a large quilt (90" by 90"), but you can make it any size you want. There's a total of 25 unique, modern blocks to sew up.

Lilla pattern by Lotta Jansdorrer and Cheryl Arkison

We're going to cover some interesting sewing techniques as we work through the 25 blocks. Choose one background for all the blocks and then use up a FQ collection for the blocks. Or make those backgrounds scrappy and all the block fabric the same or a combination of both.

The class goes for 9 months - Jan - June, no class in July and August, then back in Sept - November. It's on a Friday night so it's a perfect time to have dinner with a friend and then come to class. The first class is on January 11 at 7 PM - so get signed up NOW.  It's going to be loads of fun!!!!

• This 9-part class is great for new quilters or those looking for a new experience. We’ll meet once a month for a one-hour lesson where you get to share your homework and get tips on improving your piecing, cutting and pressing. The blocks for the next assignment will be discussed and many tips and shortcuts will be passed along. A great way to make new friends, regroup with old ones and learn something new at the same time. If you’re not into making the large quilt, there’ll be loads of discussion on design so you can make your quilt custom to you.

Ultimate Quilt Block Collection

Store: Hobby Horse
Phone: 905-877-9292

Each month, one or more blocks will be reviewed covering techniques specific to those block styles. You’ll learn how to dissect a block pattern to find alternate ways to put it together. We’re going to spend time exploring different settings for the blocks, matching up one or more blocks, and color/value options to make your own original quilt designs. Quilting designs and styles of quilt assembly will be squeezed into the classes as well. The class is a one-hour lecture per month for a total of 9 months.

Dates of this $25 Club are: January 26th, February 16th, March 23rd, April 20th, May 25th, June 22nd, September 28th, October 19th & November 23rd

Class Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Club Fee: $ 25  Book Required: $ 28.00 (Ultimate Quilt Block Collection by Lynn Goldsworthy)

North Stars

Store: Hobby Horse
Phone: 905-877-9292

North Stars is another great pattern by Elizabeth Hartman. Join us for a year-long project where you’ll learn how to read (and modify) patterns, get a better understanding of color and value as you choose the fabrics for each of the adorable nine animal blocks. We’ve got lots of tips and tricks for accurate piecing, pressing, and cutting. Mix and match the blocks to make your own quilt(s) and/or pillows. The class is a one-hour lecture per month for a total of 9 months.
The full-size quilt measures 82″ x 82″.

Dates for this Club
January 26th, February 16th, March 23rd, April 20th, May 25th, June 22nd, September 28th, October 19th & November 23rd

Class Time: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Club Fee: $ 25    Pattern Required

UFO - Finishing class

Location: My studio 

Cost: $125 - $25 is the class fee and $100 is your banked funds! Each month that you complete your goal, you'll get $10 back. 

This is a 10 part session, starting in January and ending up in November (we don't meet in July/August)

You'll pick one UFO or multiple UFOs if you're ambitious. In the one hour class, we're going to break up your project into doable segments. You'll decide your goal for the month based on your work schedule. When you return the following month AND you've achieved your goal for that month, you'll receive $10 back from your banked funds!

This is the perfect opportunity to dig out that project that has been hanging around for years. Don't know where you left off? Need to learn a new technique? Or you just need to get motivated? This is the class for you. 

The dates are:

• January 27 at 2 PM
• February 10 at 11 AM
• March 17 at 2 PM
• April 14 at 11 AM
• May 19 at 11 AM
• June 16 at 11 AM
• September 29 at 11 AM
• October 13 at 11 AM (Thanksgiving weekend - this date may change)
• November 17 at 11 AM

To sign up for this class, send me an e-mail. 

So there you have it! Those are the long-term projects for 2019. When signing up, please put those dates in your calendar. It would be great if you can attend all the classes, but I know that's not always possible. Remember, there's an incentive to attend the UFO class as that's the only way to get your money back - well, as long as your homework is complete. I'll put together an e-mail list for each class so if you miss, then you'll get the homework. I will NOT be putting my tips and suggestions in the e-mail. You need to attend class for that. 

If you're at all interested in any of the classes, I'd call/sign up today. I know that some of those classes have only a couple of spots left. Then you're on a waiting list. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

It seemed like a good idea at the time!

I didn't get as much done as I would have liked yesterday, but then who cares! I'm not in panic mode at this time of year. However, I did get a design off to the magazine and that took longer than originally planned as I kept adding options.

Went for an hour long massage so I'm pretty stiff this morning. But not too bad. Went to Fabricland to find more of that cording and well - I thought that what I have is a different size than what they had in the store. Did I take my sample with me? Of course not!!!!  They even looked in the book for me. I think I know what I need to buy, but not buying it yet. I'll go back today with the sample. Besides there are a few other things I'd like to check and I did see some gorgeous faux leathers that would be awesome to do some embroidery on!

I went for a long, long walk and I have another post office story for you. I arrived at the post office with five things that needed to be mailed. One was a letter and it had something other than paper in it. However, I put a regular stamp on it and it was gone. Two things already had prepaid postage and addresses on them. That was easy, but I did have to buy a padded envelope for one. It's about time after how many years that I return the old transponder for the 407 toll highway.  I had to buy another envelope to send some fabric to Terry in BC. And the last item, I had was a box - yes - at last sending those two quilts and a book to my Mom.

The box wasn't heavy - it had two small wall hangings in it, a small piece of dowel, and a small book. It cost over $20 to mail it. I almost had a heart attack. Are you serious????  I paid - this way, I get my Mom off my back. But wow - it just goes to show that I could NEVER deal with participating in a swap. I could NOT handle the price of shipping stuff.

I did feel sorry for the man who had been standing in line and was filling a form out on the side. When he was finished, he asked if the clerk could continue with him, but she made him go to the back of the LONG line. I didn't think that was fair.

It's like buying a car. NO - I haven't heard a thing about the car yet. I'm going to call today or look at the file on the internet. Yep - that's how you check today on your claim. I could call, but I can also just look at the file.

Not sure if I'm going to need to buy new, but I'm pretty sure. I've got a number in my head of what I'll get for my car and another number at how much additional I'll have to shell out to get a new set of wheels. For my entire life, I've had a Toyota car and it's always been red (oh - there was one car that was a blue), but you get the picture. They've always been manual as well. I think you see where this is going.

Well before the Matrix, I had an Echo which was a small car and very inexpensive to operate. I could get almost 600 KM to a tank of gas and I was happy. When I bought the Matrix, I can barely get 400 KM from a tank of gas. I was totally dismayed and annoyed. But the car was much heavier and consumed more gas. This time, I'm very aware of that and am going to forsake a larger (Rav 4) car for a smaller one (Corolla). That's assuming I'm buying a new car.

I also looked at the Prius C which is a hybrid car. I decided that the extra money it costs to buy that car (which is smaller than the Corolla) doesn't justify the gas savings I would get. Let's say that I fill my tank once a week at an average cost of $50. That's average of what I put in my Matrix right now. I could NEVER have a huge vehicle that took $100 to fill. Anyway - that works out to about $2,500 for the year in gas. If I were to save 1/3 of that by buying a Prius, I would save $800 a year. But it would take 4 or 5 years to recognize the savings in the price difference between the two and the car is much smaller so I wouldn't be able to shove rolls of batting in the back and sewing machine boxes.

I guess I'm trying to be conscientious of my carbon footprint and trying to reduce it as much as possible. OH - here's another thing about carbon footprints and then I'll get to the quilting stuff. Did you know that buying online actually INCREASES your carbon footprint rather than reducing it? Why? Things like rush or failed deliveries, porch pirates, returns, split shipments and traffic congestion (to get the package to you). All those factors are about equal to the "cost" of you going to the store and buying 24 items. So if you think buying online is green - it isn't. And besides - we need to get out of the house!!!!!  I felt so good after my walk yesterday that I didn't feel guilty about having a hot chocolate.

All that to tell you that I didn't get much done in the sewing department yesterday. But I did get more paperwork cleaned up and in the recycle bin.


And of course, this morning, I ran out of bobbin thread so that took 15 minutes to clean out the machine and rewind my five bobbins.

I now have five columns of Misty Pines completed. Column 1 an 2 are sewn together, as are 3 and 4.

Five of the eight columns are done!!!

 There are 5 blocks left to sew together. The last three columns should go together very quickly if I can get to the sewing machine.

The last three columns

What's exciting is that this is a UFO. I'm good if it gets to the "to be quilted" stage. I don't need to finish it, but it might get quilted this year. I'm going to try and reduce the pile or at the very least, not allow it to get bigger. If things go well, I should have ONE of my TWELVE UFOs done by the end of the week. Of course, there are technically 24 UFOs on that list (carry over from previous years) so I must get another one done this month. It's already pulled out and I don't think it will cause me too much grief. Wait until you see it!

Here's my ender/leader project. I'm almost at the stage where I need to do some more cutting. I'm making great progress and so nice to have everything prepped and ready to go.

Ender/leader project

Then I dug this out. Recognize that fabric? Yes - this is the same fabric as that big ball of string that I showed you yesterday. I must have been having fun cutting all those strips. This was years ago. Anyway - what is all that mess?

Another mess of strips

This is a crocheted basket. I know - it did seem like a good idea at the time. 

Crocheted basket

That's what the cording in the other pile was for. The cord was inserted into the fabric tubes and then used as crochet cotton. There's still yards of the cording. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it and what am I going to do with this big basket???  Hm - actually I have a thought and I might just do it. Bottom line - it would be great to have this mess cleaned up before the end of this year.

Clothesline inserted in fabric tubes

I found this project inside a laundry basket that is LOADED with small projects. Half completed projects so that'll help out with the 100 finished items for the year.

Now I'm off to make a list of things to look at when I'm at Fabricland today. Not adding anything new to the list. I'm trying to make samples for embroidery and to finish up some projects.

On that note, I'm out of here.

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!

A big ball of string

I've had more productive days in the past! And there are days when it doesn't take much to make me unproductive. For the last week, I've been quietly searching for a piece of paper - a paper on which I handwrote some things. It was timely that I find this paper. I searched through my e-mail trying to recreate what was on the paper, but I could only get part of the information. So I read all afternoon because I was mad at myself for losing that paper.

Then right after dinner, I came back to the computer desk and VOILA - I found the paper. It had slipped behind the tray on which the keyboard sits. I was a happy camper for the remainder of the day!!!

But that just goes to show you that I need to do some serious cleaning up in here. My plan is to try for 15 minutes a day to "undo" the piles of crap. I will get there. And by spending the mornings doing paperwork, I know that will happen.

Keep that thought in mind as I talk about another piece of paper I found a couple of months ago and have been saving it for today. It was a HAND WRITTEN list of the family's resolutions for 2005. YES - 2005!!!!!! 

Here's my list:

1. Lose 15 pounds
2. Finish M's room
3. Finish the wedding ring quilt
4. Organize the dining room!

Isn't that hilarious???? 

OK - so for the update. Yes - I lost the 15 pounds but only this past year. Thankfully though, it wasn't more than 15 that I needed to lose - in other words, I didn't gain any in those 13 years. M's room was professionally painted years ago so I was off the hook for that. I finished the wedding ring quilt - well I turned the quilt into 3 quilts which I finished piecing a couple of months ago and hopefully, they'll be quilted by March. Organize the dining room? HA - Oh my!!!!! 

In my defense, a lot of stuff has come in here and then has been taken out. But there's a lot of stuff that's still here after 13 years. It would be great if I could once and for all get it done. I went through a pile of stuff yesterday and I believe that 90% of it went into the recycling. There's another pile on the kitchen table (no room on the dining room table to work) and I would bet that 100% of that small pile is going to be recycled.

So do I have new resolutions? Nope - just complete another 100 projects for the year. Oh - and maybe get the dining room in order!

I found this quote when I was cleaning up. I love it!!!!  It's amazing how good you feel after a brisk walk - YES - even in winter. It's good for you and helps reduce your carbon footprint (more on that tomorrow). I can walk to the grocery store, the mall, the bank, the dentist, the hardware store - well, I can get a lot of my errands done by walking. So it takes a bit more time. But when you factor in parking and then walking from the car to the venue - it doesn't really save a whole lot of time. I'll be off to the library and the bank later today. Perhaps even the post office which is in the mall.

Quote about walking!!!!

What's important is to MAKE the time to be able to walk. We get so caught up in the craziness of life that we forget about the important things. I'm going to try and keep my schedule "light" so that I have the time to walk somewhere at least 3 or 4 times a week. I don't take the girls when I walk on my errands. Don't want to leave them unattended outside and they just slow me down. I'm a very fast walker!!

Speaking of those 100 projects, here's what got accomplished yesterday.

Remember that green bucket of mess from yesterday????  See - this is the kind of thing that I'm trying to get rid of in my 100 projects mission. If someone were to come in and look at this mess - what would they say? TOSS!!!!!  I guess my ultimate goal in all this is that I don't want anything to be tossed!

Bucket of string

I started by sorting out the cord. I don't think this is clothesline cord but it could be. It seems a bit heavy. There were three separate pieces. What was it for? I've no idea. No - that's not right - I think I know what I was using it for. I have to dig something else out and check.

Three balls of cording

Then there was this mess. I'm not even sure what I was going to do with it, but it was about 1/3 complete. I had joined a LOT of strips together and they were sewn into a tube with right sides together. I was inserting the large piping into the cording as the tubing got turned inside out. Don't ask - it was a tough job. I finished off the 1/3 that was almost done. Hey - that wasn't so bad, so I started on the second 1/3. I managed to get that done as well. Then I rolled it all into a big ball. 

Big ball of covered cording

 But wait - the fun doesn't stop there! I still have 1/3 of the strips to deal with. But I had run out of cord. So I'm off to Fabricland today to get more cording and I'll get it all inserted in the fabric tubes.

Strips of fabric tubing waiting to be turned and stuffed

I can't remember how I started the first 1/3 of the insertion process. So I did the second 1/3 a different way. Let's just say that my upper body got a good workout yesterday!!!!  DO NOT do this. It's a hugely physical job and there are other ways of getting stuffing inside a fabric tube. But since I'm this far along - I'm going to finish. Yes - I'm determined to clean up this mess.

I simply plugged in my earbuds and listened to an audiobook. It was pretty neat - the book took place in Australia and was read by an Australian. Love the accent and it made the time go by fast. I finished a physical book and an audiobook yesterday and I see that a new audiobook came in and was downloaded. Something to listen to today while I finish off that other 1/3.

Now that the Christmas break is over, it's time to buckle down and get back to work. The Monday sewing basket is filled with the fabric, pattern, and necessary tools for some applique prep. That was great to get that done. And then back to the delinquent list of UFOs.

I'm back working on Misty Pines by Patti Carey. I have two columns sewn and the third one is on the wall. There are 8 columns in total.

3 columns of Misty Pines

Progress is a bit slow at the moment because I'm sewing up the "tree" blocks as I need them. This is my stack of LABELED blocks. You need to label EVERYTHING on this quilt or you simply can't make it. 

Labeled blocks

Here are the components to make the remaining 11 tree blocks. I think that's how many are left to sew together. Then the last bit of the quilt will go together fast.

Components of the Misty Pines blocks

Oh - could I get it together today? I might, but I also have to get started on class samples and blog posts. I do NOT want to get myself into a bind where I'm rushed and no time for those walks. I'm going to be much more mindful of my calendar this year. I hope - it's only day two of the new year!

I have 14 projects with deadlines on my list for the year so far. As some get completed, I'm sure there'll be others that will take their place. The trick is going to be to get it all done without getting caught in a time crunch.

The other thing I'm learning - WRITE EVERYTHING in a notebook. It's a lot harder to lose a notebook than it is a piece of paper. I was getting much better at that, but somehow that stupid piece of paper slipped off the tray. But all is good.

Hopefully, you're all making progress (however small) in your areas that you want to clean up/organize. I can't wait for the day that I walk into the office and there is an inviting space to work and when I want a certain paper that I could run over and put my hands on it immediately. I can do that in my sewing space, just not in the office - not yet!!!!

Have a super day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!

Happy New Year - 2019

Happy New Year!!!!!

It's a bittersweet morning at our house. M, James, and Mr. Bear have already left and are at the airport waiting for their flight home. I miss them already. Well, I do miss Mr. Bear!!!  OK - so who am I kidding - I did enjoy their visit and I will miss them. Have a safe flight and LOVE YOU ALL TO PIECES!!!

Mr. Bear checking out his travel bag

M, James, and Mr. Bear

Mr. Bear looks like a seasoned traveler

I think he's much happier to be going as a passenger this time instead of cargo!

Yesterday was - well - it was just one of those days. I was on a mission to finish those 6 items so I could arrive at 100 items on my finished list for 2018.

I had some paperwork to catch up on in the morning so that took precedence. Then when I did start, the day didn't start well.

I needed to print some labels and instead of printing an entire sheet of labels, I tried the tape trick. For some reason, it didn't work out quite as expected.

The result of a paper jam in the printer

Oh, shoot - what a pain. This time, I stabilized the fabric properly with an Avery shipping label and it worked much better. Now I had four labels to stitch on.

Properly printed labels!

Time to get to those last two bindings stitched down. I stitched the first one in place and it was only when I went to do the final join that I realized that the binding was cut at 2 ¼" not 2 ½".  ACK!!!!   How could that be? I tried to stitch it to the front, but the seam allowance was too large for that binding width so I had to take the binding off and restitch it in place. GRRRR!!!  Next time - MAKE A NOTE that the binding isn't the normal width.

Seam allowance is TOO wide for the binding width

And now the piece is finished.

It's done - OH! it's not!

As I was admiring it, I realized that there were four buttons that also needed to be stitched in place. And now it's finished!!!!

Finish number 96 for the year!

The back of number 96

I had that big sleeve to stitch in place. I also had to go to the UPS store and while I was out, I thought I would stop at the laundromat! I know - I told you I wasn't in a panic!!!  The duvets went in the washer, I walked next door to the UPS store and mailed my package. Then walked to Tim's and finally back to the laundromat where I listened to my audiobook and hand stitched away.

I got home and finished off the sleeve and the label. Now it's hanging in my upstairs hallway and looks awesome!!!!!  I'm a big fan of scrap quilts and this one is definitely scrappy. That's finish number 95 for the year.

Finish Number 95 for the year

By this time, I think it's around 4 PM or even later. Oh my - I'd better get myself in gear!!! But I knew the next couple of projects were small. The binding was put on this one yesterday, but it still needed a label.

I stitched a folded triangle in the top two corners into the binding for the hanger. Super easy and NO hand stitching required.

Triangle corners for the hanging sleeve

And here it is - Finish Number 97 for the year.

Finish Number 97 

 Let's keep at this - the light is at the end of the tunnel. I had to put the binding on this one, sew four buttons on, and attach a hanger.

Finish Number 98 for the year

I used a ring for the hanger. That was easy!

The back of number 98

This bag has been sitting in my studio for a long time. I really wanted to put a row of topstitching around the zipper. That got accomplish last night and this is finish number 99. I told you some of the finishes didn't require a lot of work!!! Actually, this bag is quite funky. And it wasn't easy to do the topstitching. With all the lining and interfacing in the bag, it didn't want to turn very easily under the sewing machine - even with the free arm. But it's done!!!!

Finish number 99

Then it was onto the last item for the year. I've been working on this for the past week. I had to stain and varnish the legs and put felt pads on the legs. I had to zip to the hardware store yesterday at 4:30 (a half hour before they closed for the day!) and get felt pads. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute. The legs had dried by then and all that was required was to screw the legs into the base.
That was EASY!!!!! But a lot of steps had to be completed in order to make it easy. I finished that one at 8:30 or thereabouts.

Finish number 100

So yes - I did it! I made 100 items in 2018. Some were completely brand new, some were finishes of an existing item, some took a long time, some took small amounts of time. But the bottom line - the studio looks that much neater and tidier without those items hanging around.

I'm going to do the same thing for 2019. There are things that have languished for a long time and they need to be dealt with.

Case in point, M woke me up to wish me Happy New Year and do you think I could get back to sleep? Nope - I think a nap is definitely going to be in order for later today. After an hour of lying awake and my brain is going, reading didn't help, I got up and went to the studio to start work!!! I tidied up those big plastic bags of projects. And I pulled out this mess. I'll share that with you when I'm further along. Oh, what a way to start 2019!!!!

A mess to start off the New Year!!!!

I didn't get this picture posted on my Instagram account so I'm posting it here. This is my top 9 from Instagram. I'm excited to see a VARIETY of things in that group.

1. Oh, Look Fabric where I taught (and will be teaching) a lot of classes. 
2. Ziplining
3. Cycle trip 
4. Tuffet class number two (that I taught)
5. Quilting the WEMQG charity quilt 
6. Tuffet class number one (that I taught)
7. Collage class (I was a student)  
8. In the forest taking photographs of quilts  
9. Cover girl - that's my quilt on the cover!!!

Top nine from Instagram

I started to create a blog post with all my finishes in it, but I abandoned that part way through the year. I will do it this year because while I have a list, I think it would be fun to actually see all the finished items.

I'll share the funny resolution story with you tomorrow. I'm too excited to get back to my first UFO project!!!! Who am I kidding? I'm falling asleep now!

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!