Quick wits and creative thinking saved the day!!!!

Yes -- someone mentioned that I took the time to clean up as I went and that Studio B will be waiting for me when I get home. Well, it would be waiting for me under any circumstances, but it will be waiting for me with open arms! I don't know why I took the time to put things away, or found a corner of the table to set aside the things that needed to be put away, and then I did it before I left, except for a few things. 

That didn't take that long, and since everything has a home, it really wasn't a big deal to put things away. It makes it so much easier to work. And I find it very therapeutic and satisfying to tidy up. So while I'm going to enjoy my time here, I can hardly wait to get home and get back to work. I really enjoyed those last couple of weeks, although lots of other things got set aside. The pace will be a bit more relaxed, and I NEED to empty at least one table of unfinished things before the end of the summer! 

For the most part, my travel days are pretty boring. However, yesterday, on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being very dramatic, it was about a 5. Let's just say it could easily have become a ten, except for some quick action! 

DH asked me if I wanted him to drive me to the airport. Hey -- if you are willing to get up early and get me there early, then I'm OK with that. I had a few last-minute things to switch out or throw in the suitcase, and then we were off. 

I haven't flown to the US in a long time, which isn't a big deal - it's just remembering how the airport works in that area. I got my tag for my luggage and put it on and then tried to figure out what was happening in the bag drop area. It was a zoo. Then I realized that there was no single line - it was just small lines in front of each of the drop-off conveyor belts. That was a disaster, as the machines weren't scanning properly and sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn't. 

People were getting very frustrated and trying multiple times; eventually, it would work, but not always. I was one of the lucky ones. I only had to try twice, and my luggage was accepted. However, the people behind me were getting impatient, and there was no need for that. Just patiently wait your turn, because the more you grumble, the less likely it is to work!

Then I got in the wrong line to get through security. I had to backtrack out and get in the NEXUS line, but that's OK. It was easy to fix. While this process was easy, there were lines at security since only one lane was working. NEXUS was easy, except I ended up in the wrong maze (again!) and had to backtrack. There was no lineup; I just went down the incorrect aisle. 

I had breakfast in a restaurant. Something I don't usually get to do at the airport, but I had left myself lots of time just in case. 

Then I got to the gate. As I was approaching the gate, I spotted this flight attendant, and I had to take a picture. OH - I didn't forward it to myself. From the back, she looked like Barbie. Her waist compared to her hips was so out of proportion. It just didn't look natural, nor did it look comfortable, although her belt wasn't really cutting into her skin. It was just weird. Turns out she was the flight attendant for my flight! 

Margaret joined me at the gate, as we were both on the same flight. The good news of the day is that I got upgraded. I know - I wouldn't usually use my points for a two-hour flight, but I keep missing out on the upgrades on other flights, and so many points were lost at the end of the year, so I take them when I can!!!!

This is the view of my city from the airport. Yep -- I live quite close to the airport, but not close enough or in the area that is directly affected by the noise. Almost all of those highrises are condos or apartments. They are NOT office buildings. It's such a weird city - I believe Mississauga is the seventh largest city in Canada, yet it doesn't have a radio station, a newspaper, or TV. All of that entertainment/communciaton comes from Toronto. We are a suburb of Toronto. It's weird. 

Mississauga skyline from the runway

And then we arrived in Nashville, Tennessee!!! This is my third time here. 

Welcome to Nashville!!!

We decided to take a cab to the hotel rather than Uber. That almost became a terrible mistake. We arrived at the hotel, and I paid the driver with my credit card. We got our luggage and went into the hotel. Margaret was in the process of checking in when I spotted this painting on the wall in the lobby, went to take a picture, and realized I didn't have my phone!!!!! Margaret quickly said the cab was still sitting at the curb, and he was just about to drive away when I ran outside madly flapping my arms to get his attention.  

YES -- when I went to pay him, my phone fell to the floor, and I didn't realize it. Thank god he was still there, and Margaret spun me into action, or it would have been an unpleasant day trying to track that cab driver down. Thank god I like to take a lot of pictures! 

Anyway, since we are in Nashville, there is music-themed art everywhere!!! 

The art in the lobby

The next issue was my hotel room. It appears that I didn't have a reservation. WHAT????? How could that be? Well, I realized after that we were EACH supposed to book our rooms, not just book ourselves into the conference. OH -- I totally missed that part of the email. We have some protocols for other events and don't require us to book our rooms. I think I was busy with the wedding when that email came in, and I totally misread it. Yep - that email came in on June 3, and I totally missed the big BOOK YOUR ROOM button!!!!

OK -- so now what? The hotel still had rooms, but not at the discounted rate. And there is a big price difference. I was happy to pay the difference since it was my fault. We happened to run into our great leader at the time, and she suggested that Margaret and I share a room since the suites are actually very large. I asked, and Margaret said that worked for her - we have roomed together before. So another HUGE thanks to Margaret for saving me some money. 

I am now totally indebted to her this week!!!! I will say that I'm a bit happy about that as I find it totally wasteful that each person has their own room, although I get that people don't like sharing. But seriously --- there are two huge beds, and the bathroom, and then this whole living room space, and there's a door to the bedroom. It works for us, and I'm set up in the living room so I can write the blog without disturbing Margaret!! 

So while that wasn't a total disaster as there were rooms here, it would have cost me a lot of money for that mistake on my part! BUT all is OK and the rest of the day went just fine. Lesson learned -- check all the details of the email for upcoming conferences. 

I walked around a bit in the morning. We met up with others in our group, but they were going shopping. Seriously? I don't need to go to a mall to shop. So I struck off on my own. Shopping is the most boring thing in the entire world, unless you need something, which I do not. 

And it was super hot outside - 31 feeling like 39!!! 

I did some Geocaching and Adventure Lab stuff - of course I did! I spotted this Music City Walk of Fame across the street from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. 

Music City Walk of Fame

And there were a lot of very familiar names along the walk. It was quite fun to read all the names. By the way, we are staying right downtown near the Music City Center, which is where QuiltCon was held in 2019, and a group of eight of us shared an Airbnb. 

Johnny Cash

I spotted a lady wearing this purse and had to stop to ask her where she got it. It's adorable, although I probably would never use it. They were from Pennsylvania, and I think they had bought it at the airport on a previous trip. They did not buy it here. And she had badges on her strap. 

Cute purse for using while in Nashville

I was at "our" restaurant back home a couple of weeks ago when a young lady walked in and sat down near us. She was wearing this gorgeous yet simple pink jacket, and the cut and color looked absolutely amazing on her. I stopped on our way out and complimented her on the jacket. People, even strangers, are extremely flattered and happy when you do that. It's something simple, but it can make someone's day!!! If you see something you really like, don't be shy about stopping them to ask questions about it or give them a compliment. It puts a smile on people's faces!!!!

As I was walking, I spotted this. Hey—if I can't eat donuts while I'm away, why not pancakes? Apparently this is a very famous pancake house, called Pancake Pantry. 

Pancake Pantry

I don't remember the time of day when I passed, but both times, the lineup was insane!!!! I am NOT waiting in a line in the heat to eat pancakes! And our breakfast is included in the room fee (oops - let's not say that too loudly), so I'll eat here. BUT - just for the fun of it, I could run down one morning - it opens at 6 AM. How many tourists could be out at 6 AM? 

The lines were long at the Pancake Pantry.

There is a large old bridge that was converted into a pedestrian bridge, so I decided to walk across it. It's called the John Seiganthaler Pedestrian Bridge and was built in 1909!!!! 

Sign on the pedestrian bridge.

And of course, there was a geocache on the bridge, so I had to get that. I had to use the hint, which is probably the only way I would have found it. There is a LOT of metal on that bridge, and a small magnetic box can be attached to the railings anywhere! 

The geocache

This is the view from the bridge. 

The view from the bridge

I decided to stop for lunch and went to The Diner, which was just down the street from the pancake house. By this time, the sweat was pouring off my face as it was hot outside, and it was the perfect time to stop. I don't know what those fries were spiced with, but they were the best fries I've ever eaten. And everywhere you go, they serve pickles. Good dill pickles!!!! 

So we have a thing about fries at home. I don't eat them, but they came with my sandwich, although I could have substituted them for a salad or green beans if memory serves me correctly. Because they were so good, I had to ask if they were air-fried or fried in oil. They were fried in oil! If they had been air-fried, I might have had to think twice about the air-fryer. But I don't think I'm ever going to change my mind about the need for one at our house. 

The diner is a multi-level restaurant, and if you click on the link above, you can see an aerial view of the area, including its proximity to the bridge. The owner loves all things diner-related, and there were many vintage pictures on the wall that I forgot to photograph before I left. WAIT -- that photo on The Diner's page is a 360-degree photo - just let it play, and it's quite cool to see downtown Nashville. 

I would go back there again!

What other oddities did I spot? Well, if you got cowboy boots, you need to flaunt them. I spotted lots of women wearing cowboy boots with shorts and dresses. I think it would have been very hot to be wearing cowboy boots yesterday. While I had shorts with me, which I changed into, I didn't have open sandals, and my feet were hot. However, we will be inside the hotel for the remainder of our time here, so there was no need to bring them. 

Cowboy boots are very popular items.

And this is a driverless car!!! To use it, you download the Waymo App, and away you go. I'm tempted to do it just for the fun, but I don't think we will have time. Look at the big honking sensors on its roof and the sides. They use an electric Jaguar I-PACE SUV. 

 

The Waymo driverless car

When I first left the others as they went shopping, I happened to walk in front of this Baptist Church, and the daily greeter tried to nab me!!! But I quickly got out of his clutches. It's a huge church, and while he was trying to be very helpful and friendly, I didn't need his help. I had my geocaching app! 

The First Baptist Church

Then I was back at the hotel to get to work. We weren't supposed to work, but what the heck else was I going to do, so I pleaded that I was bored and got put to work. 

There are boxes and boxes of the new PFAFF creative icon sitting in the hallways as they were unpacked and tested. We didn't get a chance to explore the new software features, but we will have that opportunity later today. 

Lots of new sewing and embroidery machines!!!

This conference is all about all new things for Singer and Husqvarna Viking as well, but the icon 3 is the big draw. Today is all about training and education for the staff, and tomorrow is the big day when we see dealers and their staff. 

Then it was back to the room, and I decided I had time to rip out those stitches that I didn't like. I got all three designs ripped out, and I hope to find a few minutes and the proper hoop to restitch them later today. Actually, I only had to remove the stems from the flowers - the actual flowers were fine. 

Ripping out stitches in the hotel room

Then we had some snacks in the hotel dining area, but snacks are not enough for me. I was trying to be very good, so I drank plenty of water at restaurants and tried to eat healthy. I was on my own for dinner and struck out to eat in a place right beside The Diner. The Pancake Pantry is not open in the evening. 

This was quite the place (Champy's) with all the lights, and the food was decent, but dressing on the side, please!!! Thankfully, I asked for that because they brought me two small tubs of dressing. 

Dinner at Champy's

I spotted this on the menu, but I didn't have any!!!!

Sweet stuff at Champy's

And then back to the hotel. OH MY GOD -- the one thing I forgot, and I keep forgetting, is my darn toothbrush. Seriously? I need a dedicated travel bag of toiletries, as I've done this so many times that I don't know why it doesn't register with me. So I had to put my shoes on, and I was getting tired at this point, but I went downstairs, where I got two tubes of toothpaste - I have some in my luggage, but couldn't find it and my very flimsy but serviceable toothbrush. 

Well, it's time to get this edited. Be sure to look back on the post with my upcoming class information. I had said to not send me emails before August 1, but I see some people sent me emails yesterday. So guess what -- send me the emails, and I'll just sort them here, and that is OK. I see that Out of Hand is sold out of the pattern, but if someone calls them, they can order more! I'll send them an email. Be sure to include the class name in the subject line, as it makes it much easier for me to sort them when creating distribution lists. 

I just emailed Out of Hand about the 40 Shades of Grey pattern. If you contact them ASAP, they can place an order from Australia or wherever they buy them, which will be more efficient. If you let them know you want a pattern, they can place an order and get one for you. 

So yesterday was an interesting travel day, and it could have been a total disaster. But thankfully, it all worked out. No one yelled, no one panicked, and all is good!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Anything is possible if you believe in yourself!

OMG—I am stunned, and I'm exhausted. But I managed to finish everything I planned on getting done! If I had had that extra day, I might have finished the two samples I knew I had run out of time for! 

I'm thrilled to death. Did it help that I started listening to a hilarious detective story? I don't know, but whenever I was doing something mindless, I listened to the book, and it helped to keep me on track. 

Let me share the samples that are done. 

You already saw this sample - it's the tablet case, but I had to saturate the front flap to get rid of the water-soluble stabilizer. That resulted in some creative drying, but not before I used a towel to absorb most of the moisture. I tidied up the inside, and it is stitched back together. 

Drying the table case

I must admit that it took me a bit to get started this morning. I just saw everything that had to be done today as a daunting task, and I really didn't feel like getting anything done. But then I opened up my tea bag and looked at the quote. 

My motivator for the day!

That was my incentive to get myself together, get downstairs, and get to work! 

The first thing I had to do was to remove all the excess water-soluble stabilizer from the linen table runner. 

Removing the excess stabilizer from the table runner

That was a very time-consuming job as I didn't want to cut the linen. And I was able to remove most of the errant stitching I had done, and there was no need to fix it after those stitches were removed. 

Then I threw this and the napkin (thanks Elle and Torry) into the washer to get rid of the excess stabilizer. 

Then I ironed the napkin again, and it looks stunning. That darn thing just doesn't want to photograph well. 

The napkin

Here's a close-up of one of the flowers. I'm very happy with this. 

A close-up of the napkin

Next up was to work on the zippered pouch. It went together like a hot knife through butter, and I'm very happy with the results. That flower (the same as on the tablet case) is on both sides. 

My zippered pouch

Here's the inside of it. 

The inside of the zippered pouch

I like to make a box corner on the bottom of my pouches, but I was working with a smaller piece of denim, and there wasn't really extra space. So I decided to round the bottom corners, which gives a much nicer look than square corners on a flat pouch. 

Guess what I used to round the corners? My new corner tool. It worked like a charm, and I was able to use my rotary cutter on it. I am a VERY HAPPY customer. I love it!!!! I will definitely be using this a lot!

Rounding the corners with the corner ruler

OH - -I also got the cuffs on the shirt, and it got hemmed. But when I went to put the pearl snaps on it, there was no tool in the snap boxes. That was a separate tool. So back to the fabric store, and they didn't have any!! I looked at other tools for grommets, eyelets, and other fasteners, but none looked like the one I needed. There is no time to get frustrated - as I stood chatting with the salesperson, my mind was already moving ahead. I will wear the shirt as a jacket, and I have a great belt to wear with it! No problem. Let's just move on. 

Then it was time to tackle that linen table runner. I must say that I have been avoiding working on it, and I don't know why. The fear of the unknown? How does one hem a table runner nicely? Well, I sort of had an idea, and so I just went for it. And here is the table runner. It's about 25" wide, so about 50- 60 inches long.

The linen table runner

While it has a few peculiarities, I'm very happy with it overall. I love working with that linen, and I have ideas for something else. That was supposed to be the linen for a wedding outfit, which didn't happen. But now I can use it for something else, and it's beautiful to work with. But this runner does need to be washed again. The water-soluble stabilizer that remains is keeping it nice and stiff, but not too stiff. 

The hem turned out nice - I hemmed it towards the back and mitered the corners - of course I did. That is the mark of a quality table linen. 

I had some experimenting to do with the embroidery machine, and I got it done and figured it out. This was the only area where I wasn't happy with my initial results. Well, when I did things a bit differently, it came out beautiful, but I learned a thing about using different types of fabric for the base. Let's just say that denim with spandex is not easy to use! I must make myself some notes on that technique when I'm back home. 

By this time, it was about 7 PM, and there remained ONE last item to be quilted and bound. Without so much as a second's hesitation, I set up the PFAFF icon 2 for free-motion quilting. The piece isn't that big, so it didn't take that long, and the binding was already made, although I had to add one more strip. And VOILA - the last piece is completed!

My wall hanging is complete!

As for unfinished stuff? I prepped the one item that I want to quilt, and if I get a chance, I'll do it at the show. If not, it's ready to do when I get home. There is one small wall hanging that I need to embellish further, and my success with my experimenting tonight means that I have some ripping to do and then I can redo that part on my shirt. WAIT - that's a different shirt than the one I made. This stitching was on a ready-made shirt. Oh shoot -- I need to throw that thread in my bag in case I get a chance to do it at the show. I will NOT have time to do anything - I know that, but just in case. 

The suitcase is packed even with my clothes. The only thing missing are the toiletries, and it all fits in one suitcase, which doesn't weigh that much. yeah!!!!! 

I've written two blog posts - the one with the classes is below this one, so be sure to go there and check it out. 

And as I left Studio B tonight, look at this. 

The cutting table is clear!

The cutting table is bare!!!!! Now if I can only figure out how to keep it that way! 

And here are the work tables. 

The machines are all put to bed for five days.

The stuff on the left is what I have to put away when I get back. I was too exhausted to make that happen tonight. Yes -- I am writing the blog the night before because I won't have time in the morning. 

We had several tornado warnings today, and it appears that one of them occurred about 3 KM from my house! WAIT --- when I look at the images again, someone says it's in Milton, which is about 10 KM away. Let's say that it was relatively close. The dogs were freaking out as the alarms went off on the TV and on our phones. 

But this was the sky when I went out later, and we got a lot of torrential downpour. 

The stormy sky

And can you tell me what Lexi is up to? Her hind legs are BLACK. I suspect she is digging under the shed and then she gets covered in dirt. She seems to like it! 

MOM - I'm a dog - I get dirty!

Well, on that note, I'm out of here. I have an early-morning flight, and I should be on a good schedule for the rest of the week to post the blog. I can share with you all the fun stuff that is happening where I am headed. I don't think I mentioned where I am going. If I did, then it's not a surprise; if I didn't, then it will be a surprise!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!!



PS --- Had trouble falling asleep, so I got up and worked on the puzzle. I was either too exhausted or too excited. Here's what got done. 

 

Classes for Fall 2026 and Winter of 2027

 Here is all the information for the classes. If something seems amiss, then let me know. I may decide to run a couple of one-time classes, and if you have anything in mind, please let me know --- elainetheriault@gmail.com. 

I'm thinking of a users' class for the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 for starters. 

For this first class, I'm waiting for confirmation that it will be run through Thimbles and Things. A SNAFU with email on my part. If this changes, I will let you know. 

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Sign-up for this class will be through the Thimbles and Things website. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter so you’ll know when they open registration later this summer, as the class is limited to 99 people.

https://www.thimblesandthings.com/

Making scrap quilts beautiful!

(hosted by Thimbles and Things)

Dates: September 19, October 24, November 28, December 19, January 16, February 20, March 20, April 17, May 15, June 26

Time: 9:30 AM EST for ONE hour on Zoom

Participation: While attendance isn’t mandatory, and the sessions will be recorded and available for a limited time if you can’t make the class date, please don’t use that as an excuse to only view the recordings. You won’t be able to ask questions, and if you aren’t in attendance, you can’t participate in the show-and-tell.

Skill Level: ALL

Homework: While you don’t need to make a quilt each month (think of a wall hanging or lap quilt if you do), it would be very beneficial if you organize your scraps and share your ideas for sorting and storage with the group.

Description: We’ll be investigating how scraps are generated, how small or large the scraps should be, how to store them, and what to make with them. Each month we’ll cover some great tips and tricks for scraps, including transforming “ugly” scrap quilts into beautiful works of art! BONUS: each month you’ll get several patterns/techniques/styles to help use up your scraps!

I love scrap quilts, and there will be loads of show-and-tell, which means loads of inspiration!

WAIT – you don’t have scraps? I’ll also be sharing how to make scrappy quilts with your stash!

Sign-ups for the next four classes will be via email to me directly. I will start accepting emails on August 1. No need to forward funds at the moment -- just be sure to send a separate email for each class. Please put the title of the class in the subject. That is how I search and file the emails. 

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Show and Tell

(hosted by Elaine Theriault)

 

Dates: September 12, October 17, November 14, December 12, January 9, February 13, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12

Time: 9:30 AM EST for ONE hour on Zoom

Cost: $50 for all 10 sessions

Participation: While attendance isn’t mandatory, the sessions will be recorded and available for a limited time if you can’t make the class date. Please don’t use that as an excuse to only view the recordings. You won’t be able to ask questions, and if you aren’t in attendance, you can’t participate in the show-and-tell. If you sign up, I would like to see at least the wall hanging from each of you!

Skill Level: ALL

Pattern: Show and Tell by Elizabeth Hartman (many sources to purchase online, or support your local quilt shop if they have a copy)

Size: 75” by 85” (there is also a smaller version, 45” by 57”, or make a wall hanging from one block (24” by 28”)

Homework: Each month, you’ll be assigned one or more blocks from the quilt pattern. The final show-and-tell will be in June 2027.

Description: These forest creatures are super cute and just waiting to show your precious small quilts! The focus of the class, besides having fun, is to improve your accuracy. You’ll learn the efficiency of cutting fabric, and there will be plenty of tips for accurately cutting the many pieces, pressing to reduce bulk, and sewing.  

This will be a good scrap buster quilt, although you may want to purchase one fabric for the background.

I have not checked the yardage amounts yet, but a quick check indicates the required amount seems reasonable.

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40 Shades of Grey

(hosted by Elaine Theriault)

 

Dates: September 12, October 17, November 14, December 12, January 9, February 13, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12

Time: 11:00 AM EST for ONE hour on Zoom

Cost: $50 for all 10 sessions

Participation: While attendance isn’t mandatory, the sessions will be recorded and available for a limited time if you can’t make the class date. Please don’t use that as an excuse to only view the recordings. You won’t be able to ask questions, and if you aren’t in attendance, you can’t participate in the show-and-tell.

Skill Level: ALL

Pattern: 40 Shades of Grey (although you can purchase this pattern directly from Wendy Williams, the shipping from Australia might be prohibitive. There are Canadian shops that sell the patterns)

https://outofhandquilting.com/products/40-shades-of-grey-pattern-book-by-wendy-williams

Size: 84.5” by 84.5”

Homework: Each month, you’ll be assigned one or more blocks from the quilt pattern. The final show-and-tell will be in June 2027.

Description: There are loads of sewing and applique techniques in this quilt. I will be selecting techniques starting with the easier ones and working our way to the more complex ones.

This will be a good scrap buster quilt, although you may want to purchase one fabric for the background. And we’ll look at ways to make this quilt a bit more cohesive.

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My Kinda Town

(hosted by Elaine Theriault)

 

Dates: September 19, October 24, November 28, December 19

Time: 11:000 AM EST for ONE hour on Zoom

Cost: $25 for all 4 sessions

Participation: While attendance isn’t mandatory, the sessions will be recorded and available for a limited time if you can’t make the class date. Please don’t use that as an excuse to only view the recordings. You won’t be able to ask questions, and if you aren’t in attendance, you can’t participate in the show-and-tell. If you sign up, I would like to see at least the wall hanging from each of you!

Skill Level: ALL (preferably if you are familiar with paper piecing)

Pattern: My Kinda Town (Peggy Larson for Fiberworks) (many sources to purchase online, or support your local quilt shop if they have a copy)

Size: 42” by 54”

Homework: Each month, you’ll be assigned multiple blocks from the quilt pattern. The final show-and-tell will be in December 2026.

Description: Build a funky town in your favorite colors. Customize those buildings with names or landscape fabrics. Various tools for paper piecing will be discussed, as will the freezer paper method and a hybrid of traditional and freezer paper.

This will be a good scrap buster quilt.  

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Wool Applique

(hosted by Elaine Theriault)

Dates: January 16, February 20, March 20, April 17

Time: 11:00 AM EST for ONE hour on Zoom

Cost: $25 for all 4 sessions

Participation: While attendance isn’t mandatory, the sessions will be recorded and available for a limited time if you can’t make the class date. Please don’t use that as an excuse to only view the recordings. You won’t be able to ask questions, and if you aren’t in attendance, you can’t participate in the show-and-tell. If you sign up, I would like to see at least one square from each of you!

Skill Level: ALL

Pattern: Kits are available for purchase at a reasonable cost directly from Wonderfil. There are many more than the ones shown above. Note that each image is actually FOUR kits – they have combined four kits in each photo. I am working on a price for the kits and a sample thread pack. Alternatively, you can use wool scraps and DMC or Perle Cotton threads if you wish. I will provide more information on the kits and sample thread pack once you sign up.

Size: 6” square

Homework: Each month, we’ll explore the ins and outs of hand applique using wool! Supplies (wool and threads), stitches, transferring designs, and finishing will be covered. The final show-and-tell will be in April 2027.

Description: These kits are a great way to be introduced to wool applique without a huge expense. The kits are pre-cut, so you will only buy what you need, and there will be no leftovers. A very economical way to experiment with wool applique.

 

I need ONE MORE DAY!!!

You did not miss a post with an update on the Visual To-Do list. I will get my act together when I'm back later this week and give you an update. I need to refocus when I'm back and get to work on those items. I have been working on them over the last couple of months, so there's been lots of progress, but no finishes. I need some finishes!

Speaking of finishes - I have two more projects to share with you. Actually, make that three. 

Here is the table runner that has been finished for several days. I dug it out of the suitcase and took a picture of it. The same motif is on the other end. This is the $4 find at the thrift store. The runner is very long, and there are a couple of very faint stains on it. I covered up one of them with the motifs. I'm very happy with how it turned out. And all I needed to do when it was done was to clean up the back - I didn't have to finish anything! I am tempted to stitch two more images in the center. I created a single image by cutting and pasting parts of this one. I'll rethink that when I'm back. I have saved the threads so it's doable. 

My $4 thrift store find

It's linen, so a good dose of starch helped enormously to make it look pretty. Speaking of starch, I also finished this one. Sorry—that's not a very good picture, but it's also a thrift-store find. There were four identical items in a bundle for $5. Are they runners? napkins? They are about 18" square. 

My table topper

I'm getting pretty good at embroidering two-sided items, where the back will show. However, the one time I had to change the bobbin, I forgot to bring up the thread, and there is a tiny nest of thread on the back. It's not a big deal, but it drives me nuts when I mess up the sequence. Just too many things on the go. But if I didn't mention it, I bet the average eye would not spot it. 

A linen-like table runner

I did rinse it thoroughly to remove the stabilizer, but it still needs a wash and then restarch. I have another table runner to finish today, and it will definitely need to be washed, so that will happen this afternoon. 

I did a lot of tidying up of threads and stabilizer last night and this morning. So while this looks finished, it's not quite done. 

This is also a ready-made item. It's a tablet case from the dollar store made of felt! For the technique I used on the embroidery machine, accessing the space I needed from both sides of the felt was a challenge, but the EPIC 3, with its free-arm capability, worked like a charm. 

The front of the felt case

This is the back of it. I'll take closer pictures later, but the center looks like it has been done with a punch needle, but nope - that is machine embroidery. I plan on putting some snaps on the front - the original had this crazy colored elastic and that would cover my embroidery, so that had to go!

The back of the case

I have two small embroideries to do today, and that will be it! One of them is to repair the boo-boo I did on my big table runner, and the other is an experiment. There is one aspect of all the stitching I've done that I'm not happy with, and I want to try one more experiment before I leave. I'm still taking my unsatisfactory samples - hey -- we all have those, and they are how we learn. Our industry experts will be at the event this week, so I need to run one last experiment before chatting with them. 

I had some felting to do, and that took a very long time, but it's all done. Of course, I want to remake one of the samples to try something that I thought of when I was finished (of course!), but that will have to wait until I'm back. This is what happens when I work. I make one sample, which leads to making more as I ask and answer the question, "what if.....".

Felting on the embroidery machine

Now let's chat about the shirt! The yoke went on much easier than I thought it would, but it was still intense. It's so amazing to sew with a fabulous sewing machine that doesn't care how thick the fabric you are working with is! 

Then I had to sew this trim over the yoke seam, and that was challenging. I have no idea why, but I broke two needles. At first I thought the sequins were hard, but they were not the problem. Anyway -- I took it a bit easy after the second needle broke, and the trim is on, and it looks amazing! Thank goodness I shortened the sleeves and the shirt, but it's going to be a bit too big for me, but that's OK. I was wondering where else I could wear this shirt and then remembered that Quilt Canada is in Calgary next year! Perfect!!!! 

Trim on the shirt

There was more hand stitching when the collar went on. Nothing that I can't handle, and soon I was topstitching the collar. There is ONE small point adding a collar that drives me nuts: where the very front edge of the collar is sewn to the placket. I can do a decent job, but it's not perfect! How the heck do they get it perfect? I must Google it and find a lesson or go back and look in my books. I know how to do it, but there's a trick or formula for accuracy I'm missing. I believe it has to do with grading seams and reducing bulk! I thought I did that, but not enough!

OK - Googled it and found a Threads Magazine article, so I'll have to investigate that for next time. Shoot - I should have done it yesterday, but like I said, my collar looks amazing, just not perfect if Patrick Grant and Esme Young (hosts of The Great British Sewing Bee) were to look at it! 

Hand stitching the collar

The cuffs are prepped and ready to sew on, but first I had to sew the side and sleeve seams. That is done, and the seams are finished - all by machine! Yep -- think about that for a minute. The sleeve seams are finished by machine! Thankfully, the sleeves are wide, so I was able to stitch all the way down through the sleeve. It was like sewing in a tunnel, but since the tunnel was wide, I could sew a few inches and reposition the fabric. 

Finishing the sleeve seam

So what remains to do today? The cuffs, the hem, and the snaps must be on the shirt! That shouldn't take nearly as long as I spent yesterday on the shirt. The large table runner needs a minor touch-up: trimming, hemming, washing, and ironing. I have a zippered pouch I'd like to finish - almost all the components are cut and ready to assemble. I have a small wall hanging to quilt and bind - all the supplies are sitting on the cutting table ready to quilt. I want to sew up the felt case that you saw earlier. 

That will leave one table runner that I was going to quilt, and that isn't going to happen, but I'll finish the prep work and take it with me - it might be a good sample while we are in the booth. There is one small wall hanging that won't get finished. The machine embroidery is done, but I have to think about the next step, so it will go as a stitch-out. I'm good with that. And there is the one embroidery sample that I'm not happy with, and after I do my experiment, I'll just bundle it all up and take it with me. 

It's going to be another intense day. When I work like that, I don't have music, nor do I listen to an audiobook. Actually, I was listening to Sugar, Fat, Salt, and I swear I didn't hear a single word the narrator said! But that's OK. I work much better and can focus 100% without listening to anything. 

I mentioned the other day that all the stuff that was not needed for the trip was put on a different table. I need to focus and see progress!!! So as I worked and things needed to be put away, I simply shoved it onto that "empty" table that I've been using to work. 

Things that need to be put away

I'm happy to report that the table is clear this morning, except for the table runner that needs to be worked on and the hand-stitching needles, which I'll need for the cuffs. The rest is put away!!!!

And the cutting table looks a bit different this morning. All the drawers are closed! And each project and its supplies are sitting in their respective piles. This picture was at the high point of productivity during the day. More drawers open, more productivity! LOL! It's all very civilized and organized. Whatever I don't get done by the end of today will be bagged, with the supplies (mostly thread) shoved in the bag, so if I can find a sewing machine tomorrow, I will be able to continue working. 

The cutting table

I am pretty happy with all the work I've done over the last two weeks, but as I always say before an event, I just need ONE MORE DAY!!! If I had one more day, I could easily finish everything. So why do I always shortchange myself by one day when I'm planning? Of course, I might surprise myself and get all that done, but I doubt it! It's probably that I push the envelope and try to squeeze that one extra day of work in, without actually having the day! 

Needless to say, the puzzle didn't get much time devoted to it. I made progress, but not much. Well, I shouldn't shortchange myself—a lot got done, but there was no need to pull new pieces. I still have quite a few that got pulled the other day. Those darn butterflies and bugs are a challenge to be sure! 

Now for what you have been waiting for - the list of classes. The dates are in - I just need to go back and proof it one more time just to be sure. Given my limited time, I'm going to post it on a separate blog tomorrow. Some people will get the information via email - those on my last year's class lists. I really need a general mailing list, but who has time for that! BTW -- the emails will NOT go out until I'm back, as I don't have access to group emails unless I'm home. 

And I won't get any work done before my flight tomorrow, since it's at 8 AM, so I'll be up and out the door. I must remember to pack some clothes! I'll do that while taking a break later today. 

On that happy note, I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

New ways to work!

Last night at dinner, DH asked me if I was going away in two days. I said yes. He then asked why I wasn't all in a tizzy and panicking about getting stuff done. Well, I have a new philosophy - what gets done gets done, and what doesn't? It didn't need to be done! 

Having said that, I did make good progress yesterday, and I've already been working for several hours this morning. I had a bizarre dream which prevented me from going back to sleep. Nothing to do with sewing or deadlines. What I need to do is to stop embroidering for a bit and focus on finishing the samples that I have stitched out! 

I might make that today's priority.

Yesterday did not start out well. I had planned to finish the stitching by lunchtime; however, an errant bobbin dictated that wasn't going to happen. I swear these things just happen to make me humble. I was stitching out four flower sections in the same color. The first two worked beautifully; the second two - the bobbin went haywire. Could I live with it? Absolutely not! So out the stitches came. And isn't it amazing that if it takes 5 minutes to stitch them, it takes at least 10 times longer to take them out? 

A wee bit of ripping 

And while this looks wrong - stitching upside down - for this technique and using the Specialty Techniques Embroidery Hoop - it's perfect. You'll see the finished sample tomorrow. I keep saying that because I did not take a picture of that other sample yet, but I will! 

Stitching upside down using the Specialty Techniques Hoop

I was using regular embroidery thread, as well as some thicker threads. I seemed to have created a trail of thread in the room. How did this thread get on the back of the chair? That wasn't even the chair I was using when I was embroidering!

Perle cotton threads on the chair!

It's one thing to embroider on a piece of cloth and then make it into something. It's quite another when you are trying to stitch on a ready-made item. You typically have to take it apart to some extent. And this is what part of my embroidery looked like. This was step one. 

Step One - stitching on the right side

That looks just fine, but when I had to turn the hoop upside down and transfer all that bulk to the left? Well, that wasn't going to work. Hmmmm -  now what? WAIT -- I have a free arm on the Husqvarna Viking Designer Epic 3, so I slide off the embroidery extension table and VOILA -- all that bulk fit UNDER the free arm of the machine! It was tight, but it worked! I'll share that sample as well tomorrow. 

I'll double-check later today, but I've done close to 20 hours of embroidery, if not more, over the last 10 days. That is not the time the machine has been on, but the time that it was actually stitching. Not changing the bobbins or the top thread, but the needle actually moving! 

At the same time, I'm trying to sew my shirt. Well, the second or third step of sewing the placket on the front was to hand-stitch the edges on the inside down. WHAT?? I don't have time for handstitching, but I sat there and listened to my audiobook. 

Can you tell which side is hand stitched and which is not? 

The right side of the button-hole placket

The wrong side of the button-hole placket

While I am not a fan of hand stitching, I'm darn good at it! MOST hand stitching should be invisible. Stitches on a binding should not show; stitches to hand stitch the edges of anything should not show! Yes - it's slow and takes up a lot of time, but you know what they say - if it's worth doing, do it right! 

BUT I was so excited because I got to use a new tool. This is called a Hot Ruler by Clover. 

Using the Hot Ruler by Clover

When you need to turn under an edge, in this case a 5/8" seam allowance on the long edge of the front placket, then you place the ruler on the fabric and with the markings on the ruler, it's easy to fold and press that very accurate seam allowance. 

The pressed seam allowance is perfectly lined up. 

I've left it out in case I need it again, which I think I might use on the yoke, which has to have the entire edge turned under (1/4") and then stitched in place. 

The only thing is, it made it challenging to sew the shoulder seam and sleeves. This is a solid white fabric, and there is no right or wrong side, except what you choose! I've been having fun with that, but now that the sleeves are in, it should be much easier! However, because of the way I finished the sleeve seams, it's still a challenge to tell which side is the right and which is the wrong side of the shirt. I have to check that placket very carefully before sewing anything. 

I still have to finish the seam finish on one sleeve, and then I can move on to the other components. 

Speaking of sewing - remember back in the day when everything we sewed was a 5/8" seam allowance? How do you judge that on your machine? You can use the markings on the stitch plate or this Adjustable Guide Foot by PFAFF. 

Adjustable Guide Foot

I love it, and I love having all the necessary presser feet at my disposal so when I need something, I grab it from the drawer. 

Speaking of drawers, have a look at this. This was the state of the drawers in my space this morning! OH -- I guess I could be a bit tidier, but that will all get put away and tidied up later today. 

What's with all the open drawers?

What was I looking for? I needed new needles, cleaning tools for the bobbin case, and some marking devices! ALL of them were exactly in the place they are supposed to be, so I am no longer wasting time searching for anything. That saves me enormous amounts of time and prevents so much frustration. I discovered another cabinet in the far corner while digging out the tracing paper, and I will need to clean it out when I'm back. 

As for the "empty" table, it wasn't empty! There were boxes of thread piled all over it. My yoke (white fabric) still needs to be cut out. But did you notice something else? 

The "empty" table isn't so empty.

As I work on my shirt, I don't want to just throw it in a heap, so I grabbed a hanger. Hmmmm -- now where do I put the hanger? WAIT - I have that bar on the table top, and it's the perfect place to hang the two shirts I'm dealing with at the moment! 

There is only one problem with this arrangement. As I worked at the embroidery machine, I kept feeling like someone was standing at the end of the table! 

A great place to hang WIPs

If you look carefully at the picture on the right-hand side, you can see most of the Visual To-Do list. Oh my—there are still a lot of things on there. I'm working on several of them and will attempt to focus more on them in a week. And there are several that are almost finished; those should be my priority when I'm back. 

Usually by dinnertime, I am done for the day, but yesterday I was close to finishing a couple of things, so I kept working. I was very glad when this popped up on the embroidery machine. My embroidery was done and so was I!!!

Done for the day!

And then I got to do the fun stuff - I got to work on the jigsaw puzzle. OK --- I am not a fan of puzzles with a lot of insects and flowers. They are very challenging to do. I made progress, but not a lot! But it's not the end puzzle that is important. It's the process. Slow and methodical and making my brain think! That's all I care about. It's not a speed puzzle after all. 

Progress on the puzzle

I have a story to share about the girls, but I don't have time for it today. But I will say that Miss Lexi is a diva. She will eat only when she's starving, and often her food goes untouched. She likes when a snack goes in her dish (a few veggies cut up), and then she will eat her food. She is not starving - there is always food out there for her. 

But both girls are now on Omega 3 - they probably should have been on it way before now. I managed to find a liquid form, so they get one squirt at each meal. Well, that Miss Lexi is there almost before Murphy is and gobbles the food down. It's one squirt of oily stuff, but she loves it! 

MOM - I love my food now!

And while I was stitching this morning, she was giving me grief. She is on the main floor, while I'm in the basement. She will not do the stairs, and I'm OK with that. But I could hear her moving around unusually, so I came up to investigate. And there she was trying to get out the screen door. So I let her out. She is not a barker, so if she did fuss with animals in the back, she would be somewhat quiet! She had better be - it was VERY early this morning. 

I left the door open about 6 inches and went back downstairs. Murphy was quiet as a mouse downstairs with me, so I was good to leave the door open. Then I could hear Lexi fussing again. What now? OH -- she's outside, and the door isn't open ENOUGH for her to come in. Good grief - she is not a big dog - she could easily have fit through the opening. "But MOM - the door would have touched me!"

Oh, Lexi —it's a good thing we love you! You are becoming a very fussy girl. WAIT --- you were always a particular and fussy girl. 

I got more work done on the class offerings, and I should be able to post it tomorrow. If not, it will be early next week. I want to proof the dates to make sure I haven't screwed up!

Well, I have a yoke, cuffs, and a collar to install today. Easy stuff! The rest (side seams, snaps, and hem)  I can finish tomorrow. And I have two embroideries I really want to get done today, and I must make that small repair on an item I did earlier this week. Then the rest of my focus will be on finishing the samples. I still have some experimenting to do, but I'll make that happen when I get back. There is always experimenting! 

I'll have one item that I won't be able to touch, but I'm going to take it with me. I'm going to be in a room filled with machines that are capable of doing that stitching, and I might even get some of it done while I'm showcasing the products! So I must make sure I have all the supplies for that. 

There will be so much for the "guests" to see that no one will know if a sample or two of mine aren't there. Who will know? Absolutely no one, so I'm not going to get my knickers in a knot! For me, it's more about the learning than the finished sample, but it is nice to have finished samples to show.

And on that note, I'm out of here to get things done. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!

.