It's tidy up time!

There was no lightning or thunder last night, but I have a Velcro dog with me this morning. And it's NOT Murphy. Miss Lexi heard me get up, and she's attached to my leg! It's only foggy outside, so I'm not sure what the problem is! 

I MUST get some of this crap off my desk today. It looks like a tornado hit, which is typical, but why can't I keep it clear? I'm working on it, and I spend time at the desk each and every day, but getting rid of this paper? It just doesn't seem to happen. 

I just had a quick peek at what's there, and OK—so it won't take that long to tidy up! 

I'm happy to report that I've completed a lot of work on the weekend presentations, which is a bonus. And most of the sewing is done as well, so I'm well on my way to completing those tasks. Now I need to get to work on that jacket. It's weighing on my mind, and I need to get to work on it, or I'll be wearing a pink T-shirt to the wedding. 

Frankly, I don't get why brides need to dictate what color the guests wear to a wedding. Seriously? I think that is why my mind is blocked about the jacket. I'm paying big bucks to attend the wedding in another country, and I have to pack clothes in specific colors as well? My brain just doesn't compute unnecessary things! Sigh................  I'll do what I can. 

Since I can't share what I'm sewing yet, I have to revert to the girls and the stuff around the neighborhood. WAIT -- I did manage to clear up the cutting table. It wasn't good - I simply shifted the stuff to another table - at least until I'm back. 

I found this panel and some metallic rickrack that I purchased at Fabricland in North Battleford! It's super cute, and I only bought the rick rack after I saw another customer getting it cut so she could add to her stash. I think that color goes very nicely with the panels I bought!

Metallic rickrack and fabric panels

When I was at Quilty Pleasures earlier this week, I noticed small quilts throughout the store, some with sayings and some without. It was great to happen upon these small quilts, and I love the idea of inspirational sayings on them. So I have to get myself in gear and make some of these. They are small and only require quilting, which can easily be done using the embroidery machine, plus some rickrack and binding, and it's done!

Speaking of inspirational sayings, you just never know where you're going to find something that puts a smile on your face. I was on my way to the grocery store to get oatmeal, and I spotted this box along the side of the sidewalk. 

A quote along the sidewalk!

I'm guessing that it's from a shoebox, but who cares! I love the quote, and it's so true. The only thing that should matter to us is the things that are important to us. I think that is all about being passionate about something. Of course, there are lots of things that matter to us, but we can't affect what happens to them. I'm sure the people driving past had a chuckle as I took a picture of something on the side of the road. I think a lot of people haven't found what matters to them. 

I'm past the point of caring!! 

So Murphy can be equated to a bull in a china shop. She is happy to get into everything and has no issues with tight corners, as she likes to squeeze under a table top or a corner to get comfy. But what about the backdoor? This is NOT wide enough for her, and she stood outside for a very long time, wanting to come in, and wouldn't touch the door until I opened it further. Now, why is that? 

MOM - the door isn't wide enough!

And then last night, while I was watching a video, she wanted to get cozy, and there wasn't enough room in the chair for both of us. So we switched places, and I let her cozy up in the chair while I sat on the footstool and watched my videos! What a spoiled girl!

MOM - I can't see the video! 

And these blooms just popped out of the blue. OK -- they were probably there for a couple of days, and I only spotted them yesterday. The weather has been inclement in the morning, and I may have had my hood up or the umbrella over my head! 

Daffodils

But spring is definitely here, and that's all that counts. It's 12 degrees right now, but very foggy, and it's very early in the morning. 

Instead of focusing on the blog, I've been putting away papers that were sitting on the desk. It looks a wee bit better. At least the section where my keyboard sits is now clear. Although I need to find a new mousepad. The one I have doesn't work so well with my new mouse. 

Sigh—this is what happens when people don't communicate well. As I was clearing up the paper, I happened upon a note. What's the note? OH --- it's a note my mom wrote me, and it was attached to that jigsaw puzzle that they couldn't find. 

I had written Dad an email saying that I wanted him to pick up a jigsaw puzzle on my behalf at the Museum. That was in early February. He did so, but when he got it home, he had NO CLUE what he was to do with the puzzle. Even though I wrote in the email that he was to hang on to it for me. When I asked about the puzzle when I got there, neither of them remembered it. He remembered picking it up, but had no clue what happened to it. 

Well, the note from Mom was somewhat nasty, and she had taped it to the box and stuck it in the box at the door. She got her knickers in a knot for something that had nothing to do with her. It was MY puzzle. Sigh..................   Even writing things out doesn't help them. And why couldn't he just ask in an email what he was supposed to do with it? 

While I can handle the nasty note (it was about the picture on the front - ribbon skirts that are popular among Indigenous peoples), it's the fact that she wrote the note and taped it to the puzzle, and she didn't remember that? That is very worrisome. 

Mom has a habit of writing nasty notes to people and then wondering why they no longer write to her. Sigh..................

I reached out to Joseph, the spin instructor. I feel so bad for him, and I also have on my list to send some feedback to the gym. I am very disappointed, and I can only imagine it's some ridiculous, politically correct reason that he was let go. And that's a shame because their people are their assets, and to get rid of someone who cared so much about his class is terrible. 

Well, I'm off to see Brooke this morning, and I'd better get myself organized for that. There is a ton of stuff to do today, and I'd better get moving. I may or may not make a list of everything that needs to be done before I leave on Sunday. That might be too scary. While I like going on vacation, the prep work to get everything ready is not my favorite! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Let's play ball!!!

I had several cat naps yesterday and slept in a bit this morning, so I think I'm all caught up and good to get back to serious business today! 

I don't know about you, but this Artemis 2 space mission is just amazing. I know it's over, but hearing all the back stories about the astronauts and what it took to get them there is incredible. It should also teach us, our children, and their children that if you want something, it doesn't come easily. Those four people are the most humble people I've seen in a long time. They are also amazing spokespeople, and show that you don't need a privileged background to succeed - you need hard work, and persistence!! Go Artemis 2 team go!!! Where will the next mission take us? 

I spent the morning at the computer and made huge progress on both presentations for Saturday. Today, I must get myself in gear and get some sewing done. I did a smidgen of sewing yesterday, and that's OK. 

I still had a suitcase of modern quilts that needed to be sorted and taken upstairs. That task is almost complete. Then I had the suitcase from the Monday events, as well as a couple of bags of stuff to put away. 

I brought all the stuff that goes back in Studio B and threw it on the table. I'm happy to report that almost all this stuff is put away. All that remains are the few items that I need to work on this week. Everything else is gone. This packing and unpacking is a challenge, and one must be on their toes to put things back where they belong, or it's a disaster the next time you attempt to find something. 

The table of stuff to put away

It's a slow and methodical process, and you put on some good music or an audiobook, and all is good! 

There are a few things on the cutting table that need to be addressed because I now need the space. I managed to get this pillow out of the packaging. A cup came with it!!! That's from the Pony Express from the Saskatchewan trip. Oh yes -- the Pony Express was working on this trip as well. I dropped off something and picked up other things!

A new bicycle cushion for the living room

I now have a new cushion for the living room and a new mug for tea! 

We had more lightning and thunder around 3:30 this morning, but I was already awake, and so I came down to do some computer work, and I had two velcro dogs surrounding me. Once it stopped, I went back for more sleep. 

These are pictures from yesterday's walk with the girls. The creek in the forest behind the house is rather high. It's a dry creek in the summer.  

The creek in the forest is running high.

And the water is running swiftly through the culverts. At one point, several years ago, this path was flooded. I was traveling when it happened, so I never got pictures, but there were signs that the entire area was shut down. Thankfully, there is a hill between our house and this area. 

The creek has a lot of water.

It was the strangest day -- it was quite warm, low 20 degrees, and the sun came out in the afternoon, and I went for a walk in shorts! I also sat in the backyard for a bit, and Murphy is pretty persistent. 

While I just wanted some downtime, she was insistent on playing with her ball! She's so calculating in dropping the ball in the water. She knows what will happen, and her actions are fully intentional. Lucky for me, there was a slight breeze, and the ball would come back to the edge. She was so careful, and here she's trying to use the log as a brace to reach for the ball. But she knows she will crash into the pond, so that didn't work. 

Maybe this log will hold me!

I tried to show her how to use the net to fetch the ball, so I wouldn't have to get up and use it. That didn't work either!

MOM -- I can't use the net!!!

Then she got miffed and went to lie behind these bushes next to the house. I tried very hard to get her face in the picture, and if you look closely, you can see her eyes. She is quite the pouter when she wants to be!

MOM - I just want to play ball with you!

But we did play ball later, and she was one happy camper. I notice she doesn't play as long as she used to, and that makes me sad. It just means we have to play more often, but for shorter times to keep her little brain occupied! She is one big goofball! 

MOM - can you see me? 

I have several videos to watch in preparation for the weekend classes, and I need to get myself organized to finish watching them. I am not one to speed things up, but I may have to to watch all that needs to be watched. I'm a patient person, I'll just sit back and take the time. Really, there is no need for speed. 

I finished the audiobook yesterday (My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing) and OH MY GOSH. All I can say is this plot is TWISTED!!!! And I finished the ebook (The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery), and it's a fun, light read, and I loved it! I can't wait for a sequel!

I did not go to spin class this morning. I'm still upset by what happened to Joseph, and I really need to send a feedback email. I'm not happy about what happened, and I'm not going to spin in protest. I will have to evaluate that situation when I'm back from holidays. Will I do something other than spin? I'm not sure. I am even considering changing gyms, and maybe this week I'll check it out. 

Thanks to the people who have sent in suggestions for a fall sew-along class. I now have ten ideas!!! Yikes!!!!! Which one will be the lucky winner? I'll be sharing them with my groups this weekend, and then I'll post the ideas online for feedback. The feedback is not a commitment to the pattern or the class; it's just to see what people think. Of course, I'm excited, and I will NOT under any circumstances be persuaded to do more than one. Don't even ask - it's not going to happen. 

I will also be teaching a multi-part session on scrap quilts, which will make two classes. But anything else? Not going to happen unless it's a short one- or two-session class, or maybe the occasional in-person. 

I love being able to spend the necessary time prepping for the class and having the homework completed!

Well, on that note, I'd better get moving as there is a lot to get done today - I have a jacket to make! As for the Virtual Retreat, I will do one on Saturday night only. There won't be time on Sunday, as I'll likely be packing, which only takes a few minutes, but I may be doing the final stitches on that jacket, and I'll need focus!!!!

I'll post the link later this week. We will start EARLIER on Saturday since it's the only day of the virtual retreat. Likely at 3 PM. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Much ado about sleep!

If this post doesn't make sense this morning - it's not my fault!!! As I sit here writing, I'm sandwiched between a Husky and a Retriever who are NOT very happy! They are literally glued to my legs. I'll tell you why in a second. 

I didn't make it outside for a walk before heading down to Quilty Pleasures, which was just a few blocks from the hotel. All was good. The people who attended the events went home with their brains overloaded, but they had the opportunity to ask tons of questions, and we had a great time with lots of laughs. 

And you have to love it when all the technology goes as planned, like the computer connecting directly to the TV for the presentation. The Singer Momento connected to the computer without issue, and it cut like a hot knife through butter! That's how everything is supposed to work, but you know me and technology - there are some days when technology doesn't work as it's supposed to. It was a great day! 

I had a look around the store between presentations and a few things found their way home with me --- YES -- including some fabric which I typically do not purchase. I haven't unpacked yet, so I'll share later. 

I met up with a friend for dinner - a simple affair at Tim's and we had a grand chat, and I decided to hit the road about 7 PM. It was a five-hour drive, which should get me home around midnight. 

The GPS took me on a bit of a tour through the countryside. I was listening intently to my audiobook and didn't pay attention to the road signs, and, well, I got myself back onto the 401, but not nearly as soon as I had planned. The GPS must have been looking for the shortest distance. I will say that when I went there, I had about 15 km left showing on the gas tank. this time? I had over 100 Km. Now, why is that? Oh --- speed plays a big factor! It wasn't a big deal, and despite driving some of the country roads, the time to get home was the same. 

You drive faster but cover more KMs, or drive slower and go as the crow flies! It was the same thing. All I can say is that at that time of night, there wasn't much traffic. I saw several signs indicating that ALL LANES were closed as I neared Toronto, so I took matters into my own hands and took the toll road to bypass the closures. I didn't want to get stuck in traffic. There was NO traffic on the toll highway. It was very weird. 

The trip home was pretty uneventful, except when I was on the phone chatting with M. I wasn't driving super fast, and I spotted a deer on the side of the road. YIKES!!! It wasn't going anywhere, but it scared me -- you hear so many stories of deer running out into the road. This one was smart! 

I stopped once and had a nap. Could I have made it home without? Maybe, but I wanted a washroom break anyway, and since I fell asleep right away until my 30-minute alarm woke me up, I think the nap was warranted. I had no need to get home by a certain time. 

I got home and unpacked the car, and all was good. As I neared my neighborhood, the book took an unexpected turn. So when I was thinking I could easily fall asleep when I get home, maybe that's not going to happen. I sat in the driveway and listened to the end of that chapter and decided I could finish the book this morning. 

I did read one chapter in my ebook before falling asleep. It was 1:30 PM. 

I had not looked at the weather, but woke up to find Murphy standing by the bed, and the lightning and thunder were wild. It was crazy, and it was raining like mad. She tried tucking her head between the bed and the nightstand. I don't know why she doesn't stay in the stairs room since it's probably the darkest place in the house. 

She doesn't like cuddling, and she no longer jumps on the bed. She just needed to be close. 

 The lightning lasted about 30 minutes. I heard Murphy go downstairs, then went back to sleep. That was about 3 AM. Phew!

I had barely fallen asleep when I heard her at the back door barking her head off! I came downstairs, but couldn't see a thing. I got her calmed down, showed her there was nothing outside, and went back to bed. That was about 3:30 AM. 

My alarm went off at 4:30 AM. I shut it off and went back to sleep. 

The second alarm went off at 5:00 AM. I shut it off and went back to sleep. 

At 6:00 AM, I heard Murphy back in the room, and the lightning and thunder were incredible. The entire sky was lit up from end to end, and the thunder was booming. At one point, you could feel the thunder. I know that sounds weird, but you could feel it. And it sounded like a torrential downpour. I finally got up at 6:30 so I could write the blog. 

In case you don't believe me about feeling the thunder, here's what AI has to say about that. 

And I'm going to go back to bed the second I publish this blog. Of course, that won't happen because the girls will want their walk, and then I'll go back to bed.

I spent the first part of the evening trying NOT to fall asleep and the second part trying to fall asleep, which wasn't a problem, but I couldn't stay asleep!

I have a lot of work to get done this week before we leave, and OH MY -- we leave on SUNDAY, not Monday, so I'm going to lose a day here! How the heck could I make that mistake when it's very clearly marked in my calendar! 

So we'll have a Virtual Retreat on Saturday night, and I'll be around for part of Sunday. I'll post the links later this week. I may just have the virtual retreat on Saturday night since I won't be around. Good grief—well, since I'm now losing a day, I'd better get myself organized, but not before I get more sleep! 

It's always interesting to walk around stores, and I didn't think I had ever been to Quilty Pleasures, but after being there, I have a distinct memory of my bicycle parked in front of the store. Hmmm --- I need to go back and find that. 

OMG --- as quick as that, I found it. August 13, 2014.   Amazing what information you can find on the blog. This was the second time I did a cross-Canada trip on my bicycle, except it wasn't really cross-Canada. I joined the tour in Tottenham, north of Toronto. 

I rode my bike to Quilty Pleasures in 2014

Shoot --- I should have checked the blog BEFORE I went to that store. I would have taken a picture of my car parked in the space to the left of the bike. That would have been hilarious!!!! 

OH -- it gets even better. I was at Quilty Pleasures on August 23, 2015. This time I had the car and the bike! It looks like I was riding the Waterfront Trail, but I'd have to figure out why I had the bike and the car. I think this year was the year of the Row by Row. I must find the license plate. 

I'm back at Quilty Pleasures.

Well, duh—I'm an idiot for not taking a picture of my car at the store yesterday, and who knew when I was there in 2014/15 that I'd be back 10+ years later for an SVP event!! I think that's hilarious! And I was going to take my row-by-row quilt with me. CRAP!!!!

I knew the store looked familiar when I arrived. 

I did find a pattern that might be interesting to teach in the fall. I need to put them all in one spot and start making some evaluations. 

As for the Christmas cactus? It was given to me with a bloom on it, and well, I'm not the best with plants. And the fact that I'm going away for two weeks - I don't give the plants much hope. Hey - it's already been sitting in the fridge, wrapped in soaking-wet paper towels for a week. Let's see -- it might be a Christmas miracle!!!

On that note, I'm a bit more awake, and I'll take the girls out for a walk since it's stopped raining, and then I can go back to bed. I need to get to work so I can put my headphones on and finish that book (1 hour 32 minutes). Where do women get such twisted tales? Even without the twist, this book (My Lovely Wife) is twisted! 

And maybe not -- it's raining again, and there is still lightning and thunder. Probably best to not walk in the forest, although the storm isn't as close. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Patience is a virtue!!!

I am glad to hear I'm not the only one who lived through "hardships" as a kid. Life was certainly different if you lived in the country or a small town, and probably also the geographical location. I think it developed a certain resiliency in us!!! 

Also, I do not expect everyone to be able to stand up and sit down without using their hands at this point in time. Maybe you are recovering, maybe you are building your strength, so you have to start small and build up your strength in your legs, your core, and your upper body. But do NOT for a minute think that just because you are "old" that you are excused from keeping that strength up! The strength thing is probably MORE important now that you are older than when you were younger. 

If you don't believe me, imagine this, and it won't be pretty. You walk to the washroom. Phew --- that's step number one. Then you need to get undressed for your task. You then need to sit down, and some places don't have handholds. You could use the seat itself to lower yourself, but that could be yucky. OK -- so you have maneuvered yourself down, now you have to get up. Imagine you are all alone!!! Imagine your body weight. There are many factors involved here. 

The issue is that if you cannot go to the washroom on your own, you have lost your independence for a very important bodily function. Please do NOT be one of those people. My Mom is now entirely dependent on my Dad, and that means he is no longer able to do the one thing in his life that he loves. That is a HUGE issue!!! And for the moment, Mom is lucky to have Dad around. He has his own issues and could easily become less capable than she is. What if he gets hurt or sick? 

I think we put the fear of god in her, but perhaps a bit too much, which is why she thought she could just get up and try to walk on her own. Not if you have let your leg muscles atrophy! But she doesn't get it! Sigh....................

I'm not trying to use this scenario to scare you, but just to face reality. And as the clock ticks, our bodies are happy to not listen. I just don't want to see any of you in that same position. It's not pleasant. 

As I dug out my laptop this morning in yet another hotel, I had to find a plug to plug it in. You would think that all hotels would have learned by now to put a plug on the desk so we don't have to search under the table for one. That takes me back to all those days so long ago when we had to hardwire our laptops to the internet in the hotel. And that plug-in was usually UNDER the table, not on top. 

While I might be a big traveler to some of you, DH does a lot more than I do. But if I were to think back on all the business trips over the years, there were lots and of course, loads of stories to share! And crap - I packed everything, but forgot to bring the charger for my Fitbit, so that battery is going to die today, but I certainly won't be getting any steps in today, so it's not a big deal. 

We had two great sessions in the morning yesterday. My current project for Many Blocks is Sylvia's Bridal Sampler quilt. This was assembled by Jennifer Chiaverini, who is the author of the Elm Creek Series. If you click that link, you'll see MANY quilts made by other people. The blocks have very different construction methods as they were compiled from 72 different people. 

There are 140 blocks in the quilt, and I taught this back in 2012 at Ruti's Needlebed. I know I recently mentioned that. After doing my recap a while back, I found I had made 100 blocks, leaving 40 blocks still to make. The blocks are 6," and altogether, they will make a very large quilt. I don't want another large quilt, so I'm going to make three quilts -- two of them will require 56 blocks each, and with sashing and borders, the quilts will be lap size. The third quilt will use 30 blocks and will be slightly smaller. It means I will have to make 2 blocks for that to happen. 

The big question is, will I make all the blocks in the book? Some of them are pretty complicated and require a lot of work. The answer is YES!!! I want to say that I have made all the blocks, and there is something to learn from the ones remaining. 

What I don't understand is how some of the blocks got abandoned. This block was all cut out and just needed to be assembled. YES -- there are a lot of Y-seams. 

The pieces were cut for this block.

A little bit of patience, and it was together and pretty square. You just take one small seam at a time. 

The bridal bouquet block is together.

Then the next one had the fabrics selected in a bag, but not cut. That was easy enough to cut out. I have all the skills for these blocks!

The next block is ready to sew.

And there was the bow tie block, which also required Y seams. I must have left all those Y-seam blocks for the end. And before I knew it, those two blocks were complete as well. 

Two more blocks

This hunter's star block needed a bit of repair work, as I had put one of the fabrics in the incorrect place. It is paper pieced. The first part of the paper piecing (the thin lines in the middle that form the stars) was done, but the larger triangles still needed to be put on. I made a mistake with the fabric colors and had to fix it. 

Another block is complete.

So with very little effort, four blocks were made. And that completed the first page of the blocks listed in the book. 

I decided to forge ahead because there is very little free time between now and the next class. OK -- I have no idea what was going through my head. This next block is also paper-pieced, and all the components were done!! All that remained was to trim the components and sew them together. Seriously????

One more block

Why --- can you tell me why that block didn't get completed? And I've looked at the next one, and it's the same scenario. It's paper pieced, and all the components are together!!! It just needs to be trimmed and sewn. My brain obviously works in mysterious ways!!!

But then I looked at the next couple of blocks, and fabrics had been selected, but the pieces were not cut out. Well, I'm doing a presentation today on the Singer Momento, which is the 24" digital cutter, and guess what? I needed some samples. So I fussed around, and YEP—I cut the next block with the digital cutter. OK -- so it took a bit of time to figure out how to make that happen, but it took mere seconds (no kidding) to do the cutting. 

I don't have the block together, but it will be easy when I get to it later this week. I have prepped several other blocks that are fussy to cut (appliqué), and it will be good practice to cut them on the Momento. 

Like everything, there is a learning curve, and once you get that under your belt, the rest is easy. Yes --- I am cutting fabric without any stabilizer (fusible) on it, and it's cutting like a hot knife through butter. If you are in the Ottawa area, you should come and see what I'm doing this afternoon!!!! I'll be at Quilty Pleasures in Orleans, and that demo will be from 2 to 5. In the morning (9 - Noon), I'm talking about the Creativate ecosystem and what you can do with it, as well as the Creativate embroidery software. So much fun!!!

For those in the Creativate embroidery software world, here's something new!!! You now have access to this embroidery software on your tablet or iPad. yep --- you are no longer married to your laptop for that. You cannot make modifications, but can you combine and design? Yep -- you have that ability. When I was at my parents' one day, I only had the iPad with me, and I played around with designs from the online Design Catalog and created what would go on the back of my jacket, which I need to finish this coming week for the wedding. 

You just need to select the EMBROIDERY tab from this menu, and you are in!!!

The Creativate app on the iPad

My brain will never (and never wants to) stop learning. There is always something new, and I admit that sometimes it's hard to keep on top of everything, but you just go with the flow. What you don't know, you ask, you find out what resources are available for learning, and then you experiment. Trust me, I have never been so frustrated in my life as I have slogged through some of the learning stuff. But the minute I get it figured out? That is better than winning the lottery. And sometimes we are so impatient because we want it now. I totally get that, but teaching ourselves patience and practicing it is such a useful skill. 

The current generation has not learned that! OK—some have, but not everyone. We all need to learn to MAKE things with our hands! 

I don't know about you, but I am watching tons of videos about the four Artemis 2 astronauts, and wouldn't it be fun to think about going back and redoing your life path? WAIT --- I'm very happy with my life path, and I don't regret it, but can you imagine what life would have been like if we were encouraged from day one to do anything we wanted? As I was growing up in a small town, my path was to become a teacher, a secretary, or a nurse. Those were about the only jobs I had been exposed to. Seriously??? I could have done so many other things, but I had no clue!! 

I eventually became a teacher—who knew that would happen? I'm happy, but if I come back to this world in another life, I'm going far! I guess the important thing in all this is that I found my passion, and I can't complain one bit!

It's unbelievable what you can do in this world. I've been messing around with learning how to create files for 3-D printing, and well, I'm not really at liberty to show you what I did. Well, I can show you, but not in the context. I'll do it another day, when I've got it perfected. But it's been a learning experience, and I'm in love with more opportunities to learn. I'm using the program Tinkercad, and it's so easy to learn. 

During our machine embroidery club yesterday, one of the ladies showed us this, which was printed on a 3D printer for her sewing machine. 

A 3-D printed thread stand

It's a 3-D printed thread stand to keep your thread from falling off the table and to keep it lined up by color. The stand snugs around the handle and is brilliantly designed. 

When you start investigating the world of 3D printing, you will find all kinds of stuff that have already been designed, and you can buy or use for free. Take those files to your local makerspace (I went to the library), and they will print for a nominal charge. The item above would take a fair bit of time, and I'm not sure it could be printed on a public printer. It was printed on someone's home 3D printer. 

My Dad and I were having great discussions about it, of course, and it was because of him and his work that I was inspired to create my own file. It's super simple, and I'm still making a couple of prototypes. Remember --- patience is important!!! You can find tons of already-made files on Thingiverse.com.

The drive to Ottawa was fine. I'm not a fan of long drives, but it worked out OK. I stopped twice along the way - once to drop off my Cricut cutter since I no longer need it, and it's one more thing out of my house. It sat on one of my tables, and now it's gone! Then a second time for a potty break. It rained the entire way!!! Yeah!!!

I had a few snacks with me - I love snacking when I drive. Thank goodness I'm not a truck driver because I'd weigh 400 lbs before the end of the first week! But with a very twisted audiobook (My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing) and access to hands-free texting and calling, I made good time. Where do these authors get these twisted plot lines? I swear it is the women who have the most twisted minds. Most male authors used guns and gore -- the women? Not so much. 

If you are going to be kidnapped by someone, I want it to be a man. The women have too many creepy ideas! Just kidding -- I don't want to be kidnapped by anyone! 

When I arrived, I was down to fumes in the gas tank. Well, not really, but my low fuel indicator was on. So I gassed up last night, so I don't have to do it today when I'm finished and heading home. 

But seriously--- I think this is silly. When you fill up, be sure not to put diesel in the car. Some pumps have gas and diesel options on the same pump. And usually, the diesel is highlighted in yellow and is off to the left. I had to look twice before I realized that this was a gas-only pump. It was only the price that alerted me that the left-most one was gas. 

An all-gas pump

And I made it to the hotel in Ottawa (Orleans) and am just down the street from Quilty Pleasures, where I'll be today. 

Oh -- the joys of travel, and even though it was a long drive (5 and a half hours), it was probably faster and more reliable than air travel. By the time you get to the airport early, land, wait for luggage, get a car, and drive to the hotel, I thought it would be just as efficient to drive. I'm glad I drove. I'll likely need a nap on the way home, but that's OK. Plus, I didn't need to worry about how I packed. I literally threw stuff in the car in open bags. And I got to drop off the Cricut as well. 

I think it's going to rain all day today, but it's supposed to be warmer. It was cold yesterday, and with the rain? That went right through you! 

On that happy note, if you are in the Ottawa area, be sure to come and see me today!!! We don't get out and about super often, and we have great stuff to share. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!!

Quilting in space

I'm glad to know I'm not the only space nerd who also enjoys quilting. We live in an amazing world. People like my parents went to school in horse-drawn cutters (like a sleigh) and wagons, or they walked several miles. No electricity for my parents when they got married in 1954. No TV, no running water! And now, from the comfort of their Lazy-Boy chairs, they are watching the Artemis 2 circle the Earth while we hear everything they are saying in crystal clear voice communication. 

The last 100 years have been amazing. 

Not to disappoint my students, both presentations are done. And, my curiosity got the better of me for one of them, and they may regret asking me questions! BUT --- if you don't ask questions, you don't learn. I ask questions, then I try experiments to test the theories. I want to understand the WHY of how most things work. Some of it is over my head, but for the most part - I'm good. 

Oh my --- I finished reading a book yesterday—well, listening to an audiobook —and OH MY --- this sounds familiar. Then I chalked it up to the narrator's voice and the same physical scenario as the one I listened to recently (same author in a series). I realized after I listened to it that it was a series, so I decided to go back to the first book. 

Imagine my surprise when I went to log it and found it was already in my database. WHAT? How could that be? Yep—apparently I read it in February, 2021. Well, that's a long time ago, and I must have had COVID fog!! It doesn't matter - it was a good reminder of how the series started! But sheesh—you would think I would remember this. Maybe I do, and I'm just blocking it. In his favor, DH said, that 2021 was a long time ago! Thanks, DH!!!!

More drama on the parent front. I had a discussion last night, and they confessed to the issue up front. Mom just doesn't listen, tries to do things she shouldn't, and runs into trouble. I explained how she should progress to get stronger, but NO! Two falls this week since I left. She thinks she can manage on her own rather than have a physiotherapist come into the house, as I suggested, to help her regain her strength. Dad is home with her to help with washroom duty (the man is a saint!), and not a single complaint about him not being able to go to work. And he is chatting with a doctor on Monday to arrange for in-house physio. She just needs some guidance as to how to address this situation. Instead of asking, they just let it slide. Sigh...............

I said I would be on a plane tomorrow if they needed me. Let's see what happens. But let this situation be a lesson to everyone. If you lose strength in your legs and can no longer get to the washroom on your own, that is a massive issue for staying in your home! Stand up/sit down and do it many times in a day. It's important! And even if you end up in a care home, and you can't do the washroom on your own, you are at the mercy of the overworked care workers! Stand up/sit down! Preferably not using your hands! 

Yesterday was a bit of a whirlwind day! I did a wee bit of sewing until I realized I had to switch the stitch plate to the single-hole one, and I was getting tired by then. No worries -- I have show-and-tell this morning. Then I watched some videos on YouTube (I have so much to learn!) and, while I was doing that, I did some handwork. This table, where my serger typically sits? No room, as I spread stuff out to take pictures today or to get ready for my presentations tomorrow. 

A very busy and messy work area

I learned a ton of stuff yesterday. And yes—there were many frustrations, and the air was a bit blue when YouTube asked for a password. Well, it was Google, but still. Passwords and I do not get along - at all! 

And with the upcoming vacation, two classes, and UFO Club next weekend, plus making a jacket, I envision that next week will be a bit silly. Not over the top because I have started on all the stuff - it just doesn't allow for much downtime! But that's OK. 

Technically, things won't get back to order until I'm back in May. Oh well --- it's life, and there isn't much planned for the rest of the year, but we all know that can change in a heartbeat. 

When I met that old boyfriedn before leaving Saskatoon, he gave me some well-watered plant clippings. ACK!!!! I'm not good with plant clippings! Anyway, they are sitting in water at the moment, and I think the small ones could be planted directly into soil, while the Christmas cactus needs to sprout roots. 

My plant clippings

Let's see what happens. 

Since we are all quilters and space nerds, here's a video from 12 years ago featuring Karen Nyberg as she attempts to sew a quilt block in space (on the International Space Station). I wonder if she got those scissors preapproved? LOL. I love seeing the female astronaut's long hair in space. Christine from Artemis 2 had curly hair, and it was all over and looked amazing!! Imagine if all of us had hair like that! I mean, how it reacts in zero gravity. 

And here's another video of Karen after she retired. What a fascinating story, and there are lots of other videos you can watch as well. 

My computer desk looks like a tornado hit it, and it's likely not going to get better until May. I'll just have to live with that. At this point, May looks pretty empty, and barring any unforeseen things, I should be good to get caught up and get everything tidied up! 

OH -- I'm reading a very fun book at the moment. I think this one came from The Globe and Mail lists. It's called The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery. It's supposedly the first in a series, and oh my --- what fun!! A locked room mystery and an unlikely cast of characters. I'm whizzing right through it, which I shouldn't be because I have stuff to do!!

On that note, I'd better get myself organized and walk the girls before the presentations. 

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

If you live near Ottawa and have a free day tomorrow, April 13, why not come to Quilty Pleasures to see me? From 9 AM to noon, I'll be chatting about the Creativate ecosystem and sharing some cool things I've created using the apps, the embroidery software, and how it all ties together. Super fun. This is appropriate for anyone with a Wi-Fi-enabled (SVP brand) sewing and/or embroidery machine. 

Then from 2 to 5, I'll be chatting about the Singer Momento - 24" digital cutter. How to make SVGs from paper templates, cutting fabric, and a whole lot of other things. This is appropriate for anyone who wants to learn digital cutting, and it will be specific to the Singer Momento, but anyone is welcome to come. 

Click the appropriate event (or both) in the calendar to register. See you there!!!!

Splashdown

OH --- I had the blog already to go and then forgot to press PUBLISH!!!

OH MY --- I'm totally obsessed with making up these presentations. When people are interested, I'm prepared to go to the ends of the Earth to find the information. I spend tons of time researching stuff for my groups and even if they don't appreciate it, (I'm sure most of them do!), I still learn a ton of stuff by finding the information. 

I just discovered something else that I need for my research. I'll share it all next week! 

Did anyone watch the splashdown of Artemis 2 last night? I was glued to that. It's hard to comprehend that the space capsule was hurtling towards Earth at approximately 24,000 MPH, and within 15 minutes, it was floating down at 32 MPH with three massive parachutes attached. I must say, when the final three parachutes deployed, my heart was in my mouth as it seemed to take forever for them to fully open!! 

What an adventure, and I'm sure those four astronauts will be very busy in the next couple of months as they process everything - both the data they captured and what their brains and bodies processed! I found it totally fascinating, and I'm glad to say I was able to watch both moon missions, though I only remember the 1969 moon landing, not the liftoff or the splashdown. Perhaps we didn't watch any of the rest, or more likely, there just wasn't the same coverage as this time due to the lack of technology. 

I had an interesting day as I madly worked on samples for my upcoming presentations on Monday. I'll be at Quilty Pleasures (Ottawa), and the events are open to anyone. Check the calendar at that link. 

As usual, I'm learning loads -- it really doesn't matter that none of this is new to me -- it's just that the technology keeps getting updated. My experience and knowledge expand, so I'm better at it every time I give a new presentation!!

OH MY GOODNESS --- the day started with cleaning the floor in Studio B, and then I noticed a lot of dog hair wound around the wheels of one of my chairs, so I cleaned that as well. The joys of hair! Don't worry --- even if you don't have a dog, this will happen, and I've seen lots of hair getting wound up in the wheels of walkers and wheelchairs last week!!! Long human hair! I guess that's one reason to keep your hair short, but even short hair will get wound around the wheels. Let's not forget the threads!!!

Dog hair wound on the wheels

I'm happy to report (knock on wood) that my cell phone seems to be working much better than it was. I'm able to take phone calls, and my voice doesn't disappear. However, old habits die hard, and I am still cautious when answering the phone or settling into a lengthy conversation because I'm always thinking I'll cut out. It'll take me a long time to regain my confidence in my phone! 

A friend of mine recently got a puppy -- a Golden. She lives up north and was wishing the snow would disappear because it's getting soft and hard to walk on. WAIT!!!! Don't wish for that because the next stage is MUD and those goldens love their mud!!! 

I do not know why Miss Murphy insists that this flower bed is hers! It was even raining, and she was still content to sit out there and get wet and dirty. The dirtier and wetter the better! Sigh...........

MOM - thanks for providing this beautiful outdoor dog bed for ME!!!!

And then this is the two of them in the house later in the day. Seriously? How would you caption this picture? It looks like Lexi beat up Murphy, when I'm pretty sure that Murphy lay on the floor to make Lexi feel superior. How civil is that, especially for a golden who is pretty much in your face all the time!!! 

They are just a hoot to watch and provide hours of entertainment. 

MOM - Murphy is broken!! And it's not my fault!

I stole these pictures from Cynthia Frenette's Facebook page. This is the artwork she created for a new fabric collection. OK --- those flowers look simple, yet it's not something that I would be able to do. I love her simplistic style and the colors - grey, white, yellow, and black- are right up there with the modern crowd. 

Cynthia's artwork

And there's the resulting fabrics. The collection, called Blissful Blooms, is produced by Ink & Arrow. Here's a link to their page so you can see it better. Ink & Arrow is the "modern" fabric division of QT Fabrics. 

In the interesting world of fabric production, this collection was available for shipping in January 2026. But all fabric companies produce limited early yardage (digitally printed) or GASP—some companies print the fabric, and it sits in a warehouse until it's time to ship to stores!! You can't have all the fabrics shipping at the same time, so the delivery dates are staggered. 

Here's a quilt that was remade with this collection. 

If you look at the picture of the marketing material linked to the fabric collection, you'll see this. All those images are digitally produced. They used to be REAL quilts, but many companies, especially in the modern world, do not actually make the items—they just render the fabric onto shapes to give consumers ideas for where and how the fabrics can be used. 

It doesn't really matter—many of us are visual learners, and whether it's a rendered drawing or a real picture, I think we all get the ideas!!! 

I absolutely adore the contemporary floral print that you see on the bottom of that marketing page. It's so soft and pretty, and the repeats are AMAZING. You really don't see the repeat -- well, you do if you look for it, but some repeats, especially of large-scale animals, just look fake! 

Well, nothing specific on the agenda for today as far as meetings or online stuff, but I'll be busy as a bee in Studio B as I assemble my samples for Monday and as I make new ones. By the way -- the information on the Quilty Pleasures website says the instructor is Claire. I'm subbing for her as she is unable to do the events. 

And on that happy note - I'm out of here!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Change is coming!

I received some shocking news yesterday while I was at the gym, and big changes are coming for me! OK -- I'm exaggerating, but for me, it will be a big change. I will not be like my parents -- I will embrace the change, although it's very upsetting. What happened? 

I learned that Joseph, the most amazing spin class instructor, was LET GO!!! No one seems to know why, and I don't have his contact information, but I'm going to try to find it so I can reach out to him. I'm also going to write a few emails to the local club and to the head office in the US. 

I'm sure he would only have been let go because of complaints, since this is a person who went above and beyond to ensure everyone was having a great time in his classes. He prepped videos to keep us entertained while we cycled; his music playlist was amazing and so motivating. Apparently, the class participants found out on Wednesday (I didn't go because I was getting ready to drive to London), and everyone is in an uproar. 

Will there be an uprising? I don't know, but I'm going to find out. I'm not sure I will go to spin class on Monday—it's kind of... Should I boycott the classes because of what happened? Or embrace the change as if nothing happened and continue attending the class. I need to see how the others are going to react. He was so well-loved! 

He must be devastated (OK—men don't get devastated over stuff like that), but he was so passionate about what he did. I can envision TWO people in our class who would potentially have precipitated such an action. One of them I heard is no longer a member of the club. Apparently, she was asked to leave about two weeks ago. She was very annoying! She told the story of health reasons that caused this behavior, but somehow I don't think so. But let's just say that she was LOUD and very disruptive across the entire gym, and it's a huge place. When you notice someone is NOT in the gym, that means they were extremely visible or vocal. Let's call her Jane. 

The other person who could be involved considered herself a close friend of Jane. Let's call her Mary. Mary was so grumpy and never smiled. Once, when there was an issue with sitting on the wrong bike (we are creatures of habit and like to sit on the bike we have reserved), I mentioned after class that perhaps we could just agree on which bike each of us would sit on. I mentioned it to the other ladies who sat in this one area of the spin room. Mary looked at me with daggers in her eyes and said, "I need to be with Jane because Jane needs me now."

Meanwhile, Jane is chatting with Joseph with not a care in the world, but according to Mary, she is grieving because something happened to her son. Anyway --- it's a very mixed-up affair, and if this has something to do with Jane and Mary, I'll scream bloody murder. Thankfully, Jane is gone. She was very socially awkward. 

Obviously, there is more to that story between those two and their interactions with Joseph, but I never gave it more thought than that -- both of them liked chatting him up, but I don't know all the details. But if Jane was getting negative vibes from the club management, I can see her trying to take others down with her. 

I'm not sure you'll appreciate these next pictures. They show up, but not as well as seeing them in person. Here are two table runners that I've done - I stitched them with edge-to-edge quilting on my embroidery machine. The first one has a black thread on the front and back. See how the black disappears into the black fabric and stands out quite a lot on the lighter parts? 

The black thread disappears on the black fabric and is very visible on the lighter fabrics.

And the black thread is very visible on the orange backing. 

The black thread is very visible on the back.

Then I tried a gold thread on the top for the second one, and you can see it more evenly across all the different fabrics on the top. 

The gold shows up equally on all fabrics.

The orange thread on the back literally disappears into the fabric. I like the second one much better than the first one.

The orange thread disappears into the backing.

All the cables and tripods got packed up into their labeled bags, and it's great knowing that when I need them again, it'll be easy to find all the bits. There are a lot of other cables in that white bin, but all I need for Facebook is right here! I must remember to order a new power cord for that switch box, as I still haven't found it and am using the one from my Cricut machine, which I'm selling. So I will need a new one. 

The bag of cables for the Facebook Lives

I got some machine embroidery done yesterday, and while I was babysitting it, I decided to forge ahead and finish the puzzle. Yikes --- that green in the bottom was a bit of a challenge, and it was after 10 PM when I finally went to bed. That is very late for me, but I was determined!!! I will hang on to this puzzle, as it was purchased especially for me in anticipation of my upcoming vacation!

My Mount Etna puzzle is complete!

I'm not sure I'll start another until I'm back from my vacation, but we'll see how it goes. I also started working on the two online presentations for this weekend, and I have mostly completed my part, which is always the largest. Now I wait for the participants to send me their homework pictures, and I insert them. There is SO much to discuss. In a way, I compare myself to Joseph. We are both passionate about what we do, and we don't get paid for all that prep time, but we don't care. While I love the time I spend with the groups, I thoroughly enjoy the prep, especially when I have loads of time to do research. And OH yes—I've been doing some research!!!!

I needed to go back to the library yesterday—yep, I'm becoming very friendly with the librarians, and it's all in the name of research. Research that can't be done online! And that's all I'm going to say about that. And when I got back, it was warm, so I sat in the back with the girls for a bit. 

And guess who was up to her tricks? The instant I sat down, Murphy threw her stuffed fish into the pond. Dogs are very intelligent. She knows that she will get a reaction from me when she does this. 

MOM -- the stuffed fish JUMPED into the pond!

Thankfully, it was close enough so she could dig it out herself. Did you notice that Lexi is just happy to lie down beside me? 

MOM - I rescued the stuffed fish!

Not content with the stuffed fish, she went into the house and grabbed a ball, then dumped it on the ground. I swear she is losing it, though, because she stares at that ball like she expects it to move. 

MOM - Why won't the ball move?

And when it doesn't move on its own, she takes action and grabs it and throws it in the pond. 

MOM -- the ball moved - into the pond! 

Knowing that I wasn't going to get up, she decided to stare at it in the water. 

MOM - the ball is going to drown!!

And when I still wouldn't get up, she rescued the ball herself. 

MOMO - no worries - I saved the ball

The same thing happens when I sit at the kitchen table to eat. Murphy decides that it is the perfect time to play ball, and we are no longer going to play ball in the house. Well, then you can pet me!!!! She is relentless in her attention-seeking. I try to spend some quality time with her every day, but that is not enough. 

I put on my headphones and listened to an audiobook -- I have a few that I downloaded in the last couple of days. Focusing on the book put me in the zone, and I puttered around doing some machine embroidery, getting the tables back where they belong, and actually attempting to clear the cutting table. There is literally NO room on it at the moment, but I don't need to cut anything yet. 

Work continues on the two presentations for the weekend, as well as the in-person ones. I need to make a few samples, review the already-made presentations, and gather more samples that have already been made. 

And if you are looking for a retreat house and you live on the east side of the city, here's the link to the house I was at several weeks ago. It's called My Quilting Retreat. The house is large and in a beautiful, rural spot, but it is about 6 minutes from Annie's Quilt Shop. Lots of bright light in the sewing room and everyone gets a double bed!!!! Check out the link. 

On that note, I'd better get organized as it's going to be a lot happening today, but at my new relaxed pace! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!