I'm here to make people happy!

YES --- The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is definitely a must-see -- I spent quite a bit of time there a couple of years ago. I talked about it in this blog post. The experience was humbling, and I have some time on Sunday, so I may go and check it out again. The displays change, but the subject matter does not. Sadly, human rights are not equal among genders, races, statuses, and many other factors. We must learn from the past and move forward, but will it ever be equal for everyone? We can only hope. 

All I ask of anyone is respect! It doesn't matter the situation - it matters just to respect each other and any other living creature in our world. Respecting each other can change the world. 

A smile, a thank you, or an acknowledgment can go a very long way!! 

But onto Quilt Canada and what happened yesterday. By the way, there is no new artwork today. 

I was mostly in the classroom again yesterday. The classrooms are on the first floor, and the exhibit hall is on the third. There is one elevator, which is slow, and one escalator that runs up in the morning and down later in the day. 

I suspect because it's easier for me to move around quickly, that I got assigned this task, but you know what? I'm perfectly happy to be going up and down as needed. And it's fun to make sure that everyone is having a great experience with the machines in the class. 

This is one set of two staircases between the three floors. There are escalators for this particular set of stairs, but only one on the second set. 

How many times did I go up and down these stairs? 

I happily took many steps throughout the day, and once I got people going, I made it back to the booth and spotted some people I knew. It's so great to catch up and see people in person. 

Remember that big white box I was moving from the hotel to the convention center? Well, what is in that box? 

It is the NEW PFAFF creative icon 3. It will be officially released in the fall of 2026. So this is not quite a fully functioning machine yet. Yep -- software is an important component of any new sewing and embroidery machine, regardless of what brand you look at. New features and benefits are about to be released. I do NOT have all the details, or I would share them with you. 

PFAFF creative icon 3

As the classroom person, I was able to listen in to what the teacher was teaching, and oh my -- I see another fun project. So many great ideas and there is just not enough time! But I learned of another great little restaurant near the convention center. When the class and I arrived, there was practically no one in the restaurant. They served a great corned beef sandwich - it was fast, and the food was good! 

From the coverage on the wall, it looks like it's been there a long time. 

Oscar's deli

So yes—getting out and exploring the city, even with little time on your hands, you never know what you are going to find. 

Remember the quote on my bed—"Your world will expand with every step you take outside your comfort zone." Not only that, but if I were to eat at the convention center, I would most likely run into someone I know, and then I would be yakking. Not that I mind—trust me, I love to chat and visit —but it slows me down when I'm on a schedule. 

I had the wonderful job of packing up the sewing machines in one of our classrooms. The class wasn't full, and there is no class in that room today. So I boxed up 21 machines. Once you get into a rhythm, it goes quickly.

However, when I was putting the machines into the boxes, I forgot to include the bobbin we removed from the machine. Don't worry - the class got a different bobbin to use in class. 

And all was going very well. I was making great time. Once the class finished, I had the last 6 machines to box up. And to insert that missing bobbin into the boxes I had packed in the morning. When I was done, I had ONE bobbin left over. Are you kidding me? 

One bobbin left over.

Those machines will be sold to customers, and no one wants to be shortchanged a bobbin. The big question now is which box the bobbin belonged to. 

Which of these boxes is missing a bobbin?

So I used logic to figure out which one. I know - that sounds absolutely absurd, but some of the boxes had been packed earlier in the day, and I was certain that all of those had the extra bobbin inserted in the box and that it had to be one of the six that I had just packed. Hmmmm --- which one of the six should I open first? 

Hmmm --- I bet it is the last one I boxed because I wasn't paying attention at the time, as I was listening to the instructor as she packed up the last of her things. I pulled out that last box and reached into the machine to feel in the bobbin case for a bobbin, and there was NO BOBBIN. Eureka!!!! Logic and common sense prevailed, and I quickly found a home for that remaining bobbin!!!

The first box I pulled was the right one!

Here is the information for my upcoming class at Carellen Sewing Center. I will be at the store on Monday, June 22, from 1 to 4 or 6 to 9. There is limited seating for the event, so make sure you get your name on the list. 

Quilting with a digital cutter

While the Singer Momento 24" digital cutter will cut many products, like paper, vinyl, and cardstock, the focus of these demos will be on fabric. See what it can do to make life easier for you if you are hand piecing, into English Paper Piecing, or just for making it easy to cut your shapes for quilting and your applique. Do you need to back your fabric, and if so, how? So many questions will be answered in the demo. Be sure to get yourself on that list. 

And then on Tuesday, Carellen will be hosting me as I do two demos on quilting with your embroidery machine. Those will be amazing as well, and I have loads of samples in my suitcase here at the hotel. So you can't say you saw everything at the show because the samples aren't there! There will be loads of great ideas, so if you have an embroidery machine and don't know how to maximize it for quilting, be sure to sign up!!!

By the way, I will be doing similar demos at Sticharie in Petrolia, Ontario, next week. I will find that information - I don't have it handy, but if you want more information, contact the store. There is some cool new stuff that makes embroidery and quilting come together!!! 

It was challenging to find a spot last night for a large group to eat, so we ended up at a pub near the convention center. It was quiet for a Friday night, but I'm sure our group made up for it in spades. 

And we got to play music bingo. Oh my!! 

Music bingo

There were some great songs with loads of memories, plus a new song or two I wasn't familiar with. And we won two pitchers of beer, which was hilarious since almost no one at the table drinks beer. But we managed to get rid of some of it! 

One of our pitchers of beer

I am not really a big drinker anymore. If I'm going to have sugar calories, I want them from chocolate! 

Then a couple of us left to get some shuteye, though I did NOT fall asleep until hours later. I have classes next weekend, and I have a lot of work to prep for them. I made great progress last night. But when we exited the restaurant, it was pouring rain. I took a picture of the three of us and shared it with our group. I won't post it, but needless to say, we looked like three drowned rats when we arrived at the hotel, which was only a short distance away! My thick flannel shirt was soaked, but it's dry this morning. 

I did manage to do some damage yesterday, and with the help of one of my colleagues, I did some thread shopping. These are Madeira threads, which I haven't worked with much. So these are 30-weight cotton threads. 

Thirty-weight cotton threads

The front of the box

And I bought a few spools of other threads as well; there are still others you did not see. 

More exciting thread

I did pick up a few other spools of thread, and you'll just have to wait to see them when I get home and get a chance to use them. 

I also bought something else that I had already researched at home. I just needed to pick it up along with a few other supplies. I'm excited to try it out, and I can now finish one of my jackets. And while we were chatting last night, I realized that I meant to bring the pink jacket that I made for the wedding (Italy) and totally forgot about it! Darn!!!!

Well, it is time to get the day rolling. It starts early at 8 AM because classes start at 8:30, and there are eager beavers who arrive early. I need to get their machines threaded, and bobbins wound, and show them how to use the machine. Then, a few machines to box up so we don't have to do it all later in the day. 

I haven't seen the quilts, I haven't really seen the vendors, but I will see what I can see today. It's rare that I actually get a chance to check out the quilts, and I only saw the Trendtex Challenge online, and I have bids on two of the quilts. 

Here's a thought for you—do you think that for something like the Trendtex Challenge, the five fabrics should be more cohesive than they have been in the past? Would it encourage more people to participate? I totally get that this is a challenge, but if the fabrics are uninviting or totally bizarre, it is going to throw off those who want to take it on. 

Here is the link for the auction again - there are some very unique and interesting pieces, and I hope to bring home at least one of them. They will mail the items—you do not need to be present. The auction closes in 6 hours!!!!! 

And what is interesting is that it's not always the ones the judges like that get the most bids!!! Perhaps we need to have an online session to help people figure out how to do a challenge. Any takers on that? When the Trendtex Challenge is released in the fall, I might just host a class for fun to see if anyone joins, and we can brainstorm together to work on the challenge. Yep -- and there goes my free time. But I love to teach. I need to teach, or I will wither and die! Or I'll spend all that time in front of a jigsaw puzzle!

And on that note, I'm out of here. I have to iron a shirt today—WHAT????? 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

PS --- Be sure to let your friends know of the upcoming classes so they have time to think about what they want to take in the fall. The more people in the class, the more fun we will have. The details on where to get the patterns, timing, etc., will be up next week if I can get my act together.  Since they are on Zoom, anyone, anywhere can join. 

More Winnipeg artwork

Brenda did a bad thing!!! She reminded me that the ORIGINAL McNally Robinson bookstore is HERE—in Winnipeg!!!! I wonder why I didn't visit it the last time I was here? I bet I totally forgot about it! I just checked the map, and I see there are two locations! I will have to wait until I get a car to get to the big location, but there is one at The Forks, which I hope to visit later today. Thanks, Brenda!!!

Yesterday was the first day of Quilt Canada 2026, and I wasn't at the booth much if you were looking for me. I had mentioned I wouldn't be there, but I did see some familiar faces later in the day. I hope to be in the booth much more today, so if you are around, be sure to come and say hi. 

Oh my gosh --- here's a crazy story that I heard last night. I met up with some of my colleagues just before I headed off to bed. They related that someone had stopped by the booth and bought a machine. They were there because their puzzle-making husband does puzzles with me online, and they were told to stop by the booth and seek out someone with an orange thing in their hair. 

Well, that threw me for a loop, and I had no clue what they were talking about. Online puzzle, male friend? Who the heck could that be? And they had no idea that I had picked up puzzling as a new hobby. Then it dawned on me, this was the man I met during the puzzle social event a couple of weeks ago. He told me his wife was coming to Quilt Canada, and I suggested she look me up! 

He is a geocacher, and I bet he will be at that meet-and-greet today! Or whatever day it was. The world is so small, and people are so connected!!! We all had a great laugh once I connected the dots. And YES—she bought a sewing machine. 

I spent the day, or a good part of the day, in a classroom with 20 students and the teacher. SVP sponsors two rooms with sewing machines, and the class was all about free motion, which required a little bit of setup. It's crazy to set up 20 machines for free motion. Change the foot, drop the feed teeth, change the setting, etc. And then you have people extremely anxious about getting their machines set up when they are not even going to stitch for an hour or two. 

We needed to wind bobbins and thread the machines. It was crazy, but I survived, and then in the afternoon, I had to change them back to regular sewing mode. 

But oh my—people are funny. Only one or two in the class owned a Husqvarna Viking sewing machine, and trust me—I would be apprehensive about sewing on another brand in a classroom. The biggest issue I had was tension. And yes—there was only one machine? Maybe two that actually had tension issues. In one instance, the spool of thread was almost done, so the thread was the culprit. Sometimes, the high contrast some people were using caused the issues. And sometimes the thread was not in the correct position (vertical versus horizontal), and several other issues. 

But what got me is that a couple of people said directly to my face, "I am an experienced free-motion quilter." Well, if you are, then you should know that high contrast is NOT a tension issue but a shadowing issue. They looked at me like I had horns on my head! So many people were quick to blame the machine - "My machine at home would never do that." Seriously, people -- you are here to learn and have fun, not criticize the machine that you are using as part of your class fee, so you don't have to bring one.

I had some very picky people in that class - well, probably two that were the worst, and one of them apologized to me at the end about her trying to be so perfect with her project. Her work was just fine, and the tension was just fine - she was just damn picky for no reason and to criticize the machine. I didn't even ask what machine she had at home. 

I had time to people-watch in that class, and it was hilarious to see the different personalities. One woman arrived late, but only by five minutes. Within minutes, she had stuff strewn around her chair, and it was crazy to try to get to her machine to help. Then her phone rang in a very loud sound that went on and on. Where is her phone? Tucked in the depths of all her crap!!!

Anyway, the class was very interesting, and I was happy to be the fly on the wall, and I hope to try this when I get home. I think the classrooms today are a much easier setup. Simple sewing. Yeah!!!!

OH MY -- look what I spotted at the booth next to us. Yep -- there is a LOT of John Deere fabric in there. I wasn't going to buy any, but Margaret spotted a vintage-looking one that I may have to get some. It doesn't even look like John Deere fabric. And I spotted some other interesting fabric in that booth, so I will have to check that out today. I don't have to worry about the weight, but I need to worry about the space. I don't have a ton of room. 

John Deere fabric

I do not have any other pictures of quilts in the show, but I hope to get some pictures of quilts, the Trendtex Challenge, or something today. It's a bit hard as we are here to work the show and not spend time wandering around. And usually when we have time to wander, I'm so brain-dead that I don't see anything! There are oodles of quilted clothing as well, which is fun to see. 

Now I've taken my own advice about attending quilt shows and found a very quiet, "private" place to eat. Tim Horton's. I really do suck at finding places on Google Maps. Wait -- that is not true. I can find them no problem, but I cannot get there! I am good with the Geocaching map, but not Google Maps, and it's the same map. 

Anyway, in the morning, before the day started at 8 AM, I managed to find Tim's in the nick of time and still made it to the convention center. That Tim's location is only one block from the convention center. So when it was lunch time, I went to Tim's. There were only a handful of people there, and they were NOT Quilt Canada people, although a couple came in after me. 

Meanwhile, the line at the convention center for the food place was HUGE. How many complaints will they get for that? And there were other places outside the convention center. There will be NO reason for anyone to complain because there were other places. Just get out your phone and search. Yep --- I get it that the restaurant inside the convention center was easy to get to, but not to wait in that line. There were options. And I was to Tim's and back before some of those people got served - I didn't time it, but I walked and was back well within 30 minutes. 

But here is something new. I asked for chili, and when I opened the bag, I got the bread but no butter. It's a new policy. If you want butter, you have to ask for it. I guess there was too much waste, so that's a good thing.

You now have to ask for butter with your chili.

After the show ended at 6 PM, we zipped back to the hotel. I ate alone in the restaurant downstairs. There are days when I don't want to talk to anyone. I'm talked out. My throat, despite trying to keep hydrated during the day, is dry and scratchy, not from being sick, but from overuse. I just like being by myself. And so I had a quick bite to eat - I am so not into food these days. The thought of a large meal or anything heavy makes me ill. Not physically, just the thought of eating much isn't my thing when I'm at a show. 

Then I was off to finish my Adventure Lab. I did NOT intend to walk far, but well, one thing led to another  - literally. 

The first stop was very close to the convention center and was easy to walk to. This piece, titled Justice, stands outside the Law Courts building. 

Justice

It looks just like a big, heavy (30,000-lb) metal sculpture. But did you know that the three free-arm pieces actually move? Yep—I was able to move one of them; the other two appeared to be stuck. But just a slight touch, and it moved. I learned that on the app. They are perfectly balanced, so they settle back into place on their own. 

Three arms move

The last two pieces of art in this Adventure Lab took me on a wild trip down to the bridges and across several rivers. This piece was tucked along a pathway. It's called Niimaamaa and is located in the Forks district. 

Niimaamaa sculpture

OK -- so you can't read this, but it was the sign by the sculpture.

What most people would miss, and you can't really see in this photo, is that there are stars and constellations painted on the top (well, middle) section of this sculpture. So if you visit it, be sure to look UP. 

Stars and constellations are painted on this sculpture.

The final sculpture of this set was across the river, near the Université de Saint-Boniface. So that was a long hike to get there, and for the life of me, I couldn't get around the buildings. I decided to cut through the place, not realizing it was a rambling maze of connected buildings. So I ended up walking all around. If I had NOT taken the "shortcut", it would have been much faster! 

The controversial Louis Riel monument

Again, another controversial piece of art, and it was in a more prominent location, but was moved to its current location in 1995. 

Louis Riel sculpture

As I was walking to the final sculpture of the Adventure Lab, I passed a building that isn't a cathedral, but simply the shell of one. How cool that it has been turned into a gathering place or used for smaller outdoor activities. It was very neat to walk through with no roof. It's called the Saint-Boniface Cathedral and was destroyed by fire in 1968. 

Inside the shell of the Saint-Boniface Cathedral

There is a new, modern cathedral at the back of this one. Can you imagine what that rose window looked like? The opening is HUGE. 

The facade of the cathedral

And by this time, it was getting late - thank goodness that we are almost at the summer solstice, so the sun is out late in the evening. I walked across the footbridge on the Red River to get back to the downtown. I also walked across the Assiniboine River on the way to those last couple of sculptures. I walked across a lot of bridges. 

And there it is - the Winnipeg sign. You can just see the top of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in the background. This is a very funky, arty area, and I hope to explore it more this week. 

I'm in Winnipeg!!!!

And what about this sculpture? That looks a bit out of focus, perhaps? It's called Forever Bicycles. 

An out-of-focus sculpture

It is a sculpture containing 1266 bicycles!!!! It's pretty cool to see in person. 

And here's another view of the piece. I don't know if there is an optimal place to view where you only see one bike. I must go back and explore that. It was getting late, and I was getting tired, so I didn't stay long to explore. 

Another view of Forever Bicycles

On my way back to the hotel, I spotted this massive mural on a wall. 

Mural on a wall

And there you have it -- another art-inspired tour of Winnipeg. There is so much art, and the name of the Adventure Lab I was doing was entitled "Is it art?" And you can see so many controversial pieces were included. 

There are two other (much shorter) Adventure Labs that I want to explore, and I'm here until Wednesday, so I should have plenty of time to do them. 

Remember, I'll be at Carellen Sewing Center on Monday and Tuesday. One day will be all about quilting with your embroidery machine, and the second day will be all about the Momento digital cutter. I've got samples that are NOT being shown at Quilt Canada, so even if you visited here, what I'm showing will be NEW. 

And I have so many ideas of what I want to make - I need to start making a list. Where is that darn AI when I need it? Nope -- give me a piece of paper! I really think there is something to be said for using a piece of paper to get ideas down. Or, if we were Dumbledore in Harry Potter, we would all have a pensive and use our wands to transfer our ideas so we could go back and actually relive them! 

And now back to some quilting stuff. Remember to check out the list of classes for 2027 in yesterday's post. And if you are at Quilt Canada, you can get the Show and Tell pattern and the felt kits. I saw some people shopping yesterday! Oh my—those kits are so cute—I want them all!! And they have new ones that are not on the website. But if you can't be here, I'll be providing much more information when I'm home. 

So there are two rivers that meet in downtown Winnipeg - the Assiniboine and the Red River. Did you know that when that happens, it's called a confluence? Well, guess what? That was the theme of the Trendtex Challenge this year. I purchased a kit, but just didn't get around to making one. It was interesting to see how others interpreted the theme, and this year, you had the option to make a wall hanging or a bag. I have NOT seen the pieces in person, but you can bid on all the items, as they are used as a fundraiser for the Canadian Quilters Association. Here is the link—which one do you want to bid on? 

And on that note, I'd better get myself organized. I want to get to the convention center a wee bit earlier to prevent people from panicking about setting up their sewing machines. I swear, people panic for no reason. They are here to have fun!!! I don't know how many times I told the group that yesterday, you are here to play with the technique. This is NOT an heirloom, just listen and learn. But so many people were willing to give up listening to the teacher's instructions and ask me questions about setting up the machine that they were not going to use immediately. I refused to answer their questions and told them to listen instead. 

The other thing that shocked me, and I guess it's not out of line. I was there to help them get set up on the machine. Most people didn't believe that that was why I was there. Do they really think they will be left alone with a brand new sewing machine? 

Mind-blowing. I must write a list of tips on what to do and not do when you are taking a class - any class. It will blow your mind, I'm sure. 

BTW --- I WANT to renovate my shower at home so it's like this one. This is the BEST shower I've ever seen and used. I LOVE IT!!!!! Remember—the controls are on the wall opposite the shower head. Makes so much sense. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Art in Winnipeg

OH MY GOSH --- I'm a slug this morning, and I just could not get myself out of bed. It was only when the threat of not having enough time to get what I needed done that I finally got out of bed. I guess the time change, the setup day, and everything are finally catching up to me. And then I had a dream that I had fleas. Good grief!!!

I will not have time for a walk this morning. Shoot --- but I only have myself to blame. I did get to bed at a decent time, but I needed to make up for the time I'd lost the night before. Anyway -- no need to worry -- I'll be walking around today, so all should be good. 

The weather is very decent here, so that is a good thing. The walk from the hotel to the convention center is short - about three blocks, if that! So when you have to carry a sewing machine from your room to the convention center, it's no big deal. 

There's something NEW and exciting in that big white box. I'll take a picture of it today. By the way, it's on a smart cart, so no heavy lifting required. 

Something new and exciting in that white box

We had two extra hands during setup today, and oh my goodness, it showed. We were out of there in good time. Typically, we finish just before the awards ceremony, but we had a few hours to spare, and I needed a nap. I hope my sleep schedule gets back to normal soon. 

I don't have time to point out various things on the Canadian Quilter's Website this morning, but please check it out. You can bid on the Trendtex challenge art - wall hangings and bags this year!!! And I'll point out some things tomorrow. I'll find a link to the winning quilts. 

So on my walk, I discovered some art around the city. It's always exciting to look at the Adventure Labs (geocaching) because you never know what you'll find. And can you believe - I spotted a geocaching Meet and Greet on the app as well. I think that was yesterday, or is that today? And yesterday at breakfast, I spotted a gentleman wearing a geocaching t-shirt. 

There are five stops on all Adventure Labs, but I only made it to two and was hoping to do the other three this morning. That is NOT going to happen. I will get my act together and do it tomorrow. 

Here is a piece of art. Based on the information in the app, I think it's quite controversial: it is supposed to represent a field of wheat, but given the cost and the look, not everyone agrees. Does anyone appreciate art? And there is always controversy over the price. 

Artwork representing fields of wheat

I'm not sure if you can read that, but one side is in English, and the other is in French. You can click the photo to enlarge it, or find the information online. 

The plaque for the artwork

This is the second piece of art on the tour. It's called High Five. 

High FIve

This is all you get on the plaque, but what I love about the app is that it gives you some history of the art. The one above is supposed to represent numerous things, and instead of me regurgitating it all, you can read more about it here. 

The plaque for High Five

Here is another piece of art - it's actually a water feature/fountain in the shape of a beaker. It's very cool because water is falling from the bar while steam comes out of the top. A string of lights below the bar illuminates the water. 

"emptyful" art sculpture in downtown Winnipeg 

AHA—Google AI is pretty smart, because I quickly found this description of the art piece. It's called "emptyful."

And then there are various other art pieces around the city. A lot seems to be happening around the public library. 

More art outside the library

I found these amazing bike lockers on the street. They are wedge-shaped, and there are two side by side. The narrow end of one and the wide end of the other. Together they make a rectangle. The only other place I've seen bike lockers is at the Amsterdam airport. These are outside the library. 

Bike lockers

And then you have this blast from the past. It looks like it was a candy factory at one time. Oh my gosh --- who remembers the Nutty Club candy with the red and white figure? The building was constructed in 1905 and 1907. It's called the Scott-Bathgate Building. 

The Nutty Club candy factory

OH MY—here's a very interesting story about the company. The logo is called the Can-D-Man. It stopped producing candy in 2024. There are pictures of the candy on that link, and the one I remember the most is the popcorn, where you got a prize in the box. I ate a lot of that as a kid! Check it out --- what a cool story. 

And this is the view from my hotel window. That is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. 

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

It looks like they have an interesting exhibit at the moment. It's a "quilt" that highlights the memories and truths about the residential schools. 

The building is very unusual, and the entrance, which I shared last time I was here, is very uninviting. But the subject matter within that museum is very humbling. 

I will have some downtime all day Sunday, as well as on Monday and Tuesday mornings, but I also have a couple of friends to visit, including my nephew. So I'd best get those organized, so I know how much time I have on my own. 

And oh my goodness -- I spotted this on IG the other day. Seriously??? Puzzlers have "to-do" lists as well? I'm doomed!!!! I won't ever show you my puzzle to-do list. 

Oh shoot --- I have no idea how to crop out the extra of that photo. I know how at home, but this computer deals with photos differently. Don't ask me why or how. 

A puzzler's to-do list

OH MY GOSH ---- I am a dolt. Yesterday, when I listed the classes, I forgot AGAIN about the Show-and-tell quilt from Elizabeth Hartman. I did add it yesterday, but some of you may have read the blog before I did. There are patterns all over the booths at this show. Well, I saw samples of the quilt, and that reminded me I forgot to add that to the blog post. 

If you happen to be here at Quilt Canada and plan to buy that pattern, and want some incentive and fun to get it done, watch my blog for the sew-along dates. Or if a friend buys the pattern, let them know. My sew-alongs are fun and not expensive!!! PLUS—you get a lot of extra information —it's not just about following the pattern! 

So here is the information one more time, including Show and Tell. 

I will get the dates, costs, and more links up, probably next week, but in the meantime, this gives you an idea of what is happening. This was all decided on based on the feedback I got from you! 

There is nothing to do at this point in time. I am not taking signups; I don't have dates yet, but I will get the information to you ASAP. All classes are on ZOOM - once a month, lasting for one hour. My rates are ridiculously cheap. And be sure to pass this information along to anyone who wants to know. I will be sending out emails and posting online as soon as I get a chance to put those dates in the calendar. 

Here are the classes: 

• One class is My Kinda Town - paper pieced. While I have chosen a specific pattern, I suppose you could pick any paper-pieced pattern if people absolutely wish. Will be several classes - not determined yet. 
• One class will be on scraps—9 or 10 sessions.
• One class will be an ongoing quilt with crazy blocks to work on (9 or 10 sessions) - 40 shades of grey.
• One class will be handwork - wool applique - I have a specific project in mind, but anything goes. Here is a link to the kit I highly recommend. Keep in mind that there are six kit styles, and within each kit, there are four colorways. See the picture below. If you are at Quilt Canada, I think Wonderfil will have those kits, so you may want to pick one up. Otherwise, I'll give you local resources to buy. I'm trying to see if we can kit this with some thread that you can buy at a local store. You can contact me about that one if you wish. 

My Kinda Town

40 Shades of Grey

Sue Spargo precut wool applique kits.

Show and Tell

While you may think that is a lot, it's not really, and hopefully this will help you plan. I can tell you that 40 shades of grey, the scrap quilt, and Show and Tell will be long-term projects. Starting in September and running until June - something like that. And the other two will run in a shorter time frame, which I am working on. 

Remember, as you look at the offerings, you do NOT need to take all of them. Do what you WANT to make, not because you have FOMO. 

And as I get ready for the show today, I want to remind everyone of my tips for attending a quilt show. Please read them so you aren't disappointed when you arrive at the show. Please note that they are also in the latest issue of the Canadian Quilter magazine. Happy quilt show looking today. 

I will NOT be in the booth this morning, as I am assigned to one of our sewing machine classrooms. I will be around the booth on and off this afternoon. But I should be in one of the booths (we have PFAFF, Singer, and Husqvarna VIking) tomorrow and the next day. 

And on that note, I need to get myself organized and out the door. The students in the class will be eager to get started, and we need to thread those machines!!!! I'm super excited!!!!! 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Alexa saves the day!!!!

So I was buzzing around the house trying to finish off the laundry, including making the guest bed, putting clothes away, and folding towels. Mission accomplished. I managed to get the filter and pump cleaned in the pond, and decided that the water level was a bit low, so I grabbed the hose and let the water run. I set a 30-minute timer (Alexa - the only thing we use it for in our house). Murphy had already been walked, but Lexi needed a walk, so after the cleaning crew arrived, I took her out for a thirty-minute walk.  

When I arrived at the house, I could hear Alexa beeping in the kitchen. OH MY GOD!!! I totally forgot I left the water running. Can you imagine if I had left the house for the airport with the water running? And who would have known it was running? It would have been a costly and messy mistake. Thank goodness for Alexa!!!! I ALWAYS set that timer when I'm filling the pond!

At the last minute, I decided there was one more quilt I wanted to take with me, and I had to cram it into a suitcase, and then it was time to go. The girls got a cookie and were unhappy that they couldn't take it to the backyard to eat it. But I had to leave. I had three suitcases and my backpack. When you choose Uber, you get to choose a regular-sized car or an XL, which is larger, like an SUV or van. I didn't need that, but I also didn't need a Prius coming to pick me up. 

Thankfully, the guy had enough room in the car for the suitcases and even helped to get them in and out. Oops - I must remember to tip him. I haven't done that yet on the app. Yep -- there's an app for that! There's a flipping app for everything these days. 

One little SNAFU with the luggage drop-off at the airport. I'm not sure what was happening, as one bag didn't like being scanned, but a ticket agent soon took care of it, and then I was through security, and all was good. I had plenty of time to spare. Look at me --- PLENTY of time. 

I learned something new at the airport. I typically stop at this one store and pick up a sandwich and a bottle of water. It can cost over $20 for those two items. This time, I decided to go only to Tim's and get everything there, which I remember was equally expensive. I bought a medium tea, a cookie, a bottle of water, and a breakfast sandwich for $15. I guess I won't be buying my water or sandwich from that other place any longer!!!

Then I actually got to sit in the boarding area and enjoy my tea. I met up with my colleague, and my boss eventually showed up as we were boarding.

The flight was pretty uneventful, which is always a great thing. 

WAIT -- I had a few minutes before I left and I did this. Of course I did!!!! I grabbed all the lighter purple pieces and laid them on the table. Only one color left after this round!!! I even managed to get a few pieces of the puzzle in place, and you can see the work along the table's bottom edge. OK -- I confess - obsessed!!!!

Almost done with the gradient color jigsaw puzzle.

In the Facebook group, there's a participation event where a puzzle style is selected each month, and you can post what you have done. This month was rainbows, gradients, and color. It's just a way to keep everyone engaged, and I think it's great. Not everyone strictly adheres to the theme, but I guess they do what they can with what they have. So far this month, there are 450 posts of their puzzles. Last month, it was close to 1,000. I am going to make two posts, as I have another puzzle that I want to get done this month as well, as it fits within the theme. Wait until you see that one! 

The three of us took a cab together to the hotel. We needed a van, as between the three of us, we had nine suitcases!!! I know -- it's crazy, but that's what happens when you travel to a quilt show, and you need quilts for display purposes. And samples for my presentations next week. 

There was only one cart at the hotel, so I bundled my three suitcases like this and got them to the room in short order. It works like a charm. 

How to move three suitcases at the same time

Of course, I was at the complete opposite end of the hall from the elevator!!! 

A long walk down the hallway

That would be my room -- 725 in the far corner. Look at the size of 724. Hmmm -- must be a suite, but this room is plenty big enough for me. 

As far from the elevator as you can get!

And look --- my name on the screen when I walked in the room. They must do that remotely. It didn't stay on very long. I don't think I have ever turned on the TV in a hotel room. 

My name in lights

I had one largish quilt at the top of each of the two big suitcases, and the first thing I did in the room was get them out. I didn't want them squished for the show. This is one, and well, you can't see the other, but it sure cheered up the room a thousand percent. I even remade the bed this morning, which I rarely do in the hotel. I never have my room made up either. I don't have that service at home; it seems silly to insist someone make my bed for me while I am away. 

My bed in the hotel

I love this quilt above. It's one I taught online a couple of years ago—sorry, can't run downstairs to check my poster for the year. The designer had a single word on each side of the square quilt. I loved the idea of words, but I wanted something more. Something that spoke to me, so I found a great quote. By the way, I just checked the blog, and it was 2023.  

Check out the quote - I found one that split nicely into four sections, and one section is appliqued onto each side of the quilt. 

Part one of the quote

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Isn't that just the perfect quote for me? There are so many good quotes, and we need to keep them close to us as reminders of what we want to accomplish, who we are, and how we feel. Anyway, I'm glad I remembered that quilt at the last minute and that it's on my bed. While others are comfortable staying on a steady course, I would be bored to death. So in everything I do, I try to find something new outside my comfort zone! 

The first order of business after checking in was to find some food. My breakfast sandwich didn't go far. There is a restaurant on the main floor, so we grabbed something light, with the intention of going down later to eat. Well, later never came as I wasn't hungry - I had brought the leftovers of our nachos to the room, and I finished that off. And that's OK. My eating has been so erratic over the last week; it's good to try to settle things down. Sadly, there won't be any big donuts on this trip!

But I had a huge laugh when I saw this on the menu. I took a picture and sent it to KU. No deep frying for this restaurant!! I don't know why, but the smell of air frying makes me ill. OK -- so I'm exaggerating - I don't get sick, but I find the smell obnoxious. And I know -- it's probably all in my head!!!

Air frying in the hotel kitchen

WAIT --- when will chain restaurants follow suit? Instead of hot, greasy fries, we're going to get air fries? 

Then Margaret had to go to the drug store, so I tagged along to get some steps in. I spotted this in the magazine rack and bought it. I know!!!! I got sucked in, but the cover promises so much. I want to see what all the hype is about. What I'm afraid of is that I'm going to see apps or commands that will suck the fun out of my day. Planning, scheduling, and a whole lot more. It's basically saying that if I let AI do stuff for me, I'll lose weight, have well-panned meals, a completely decluttered house, and save time. But where the heck is the fun in that? 

And I'm saving time so I can do what? In my case, that is working on a puzzle or sewing, but for others, it means spending more time on their phones. With all the AI, we will be married to our phones and have ZERO skills in our brains. I know people argue that they have to give AI the commands so they are still in control. WAIT—before any of us judge, let me read it. 

I'll be reading it with a very open mind (OK -- I'm going to try to maintain an open mind), but I suspect most of it will never happen in my life and is for people who—well, not for me! 

I'm going to call that research reading!! I want to know why I should or shouldn't be using this technology. Notice how it says, I can streamline my schedule? Could it really do that? I doubt it! Be open!!!! 

OK -- here's a tricky question for you. I am sure that every one of you has a shower in your house. What's the one thing about a shower that annoys the heck out of you? It doesn't matter if the shower is in the tub or standalone - the same silly setup exists. 

What is that one thing that every one of us hates!!!

Well, have a look at the shower in my room. Here is the right side. 

The right side of the shower

And here is the other side. There is a solid glass wall on the right, and it's open on the other side. Although I originally thought water would splash everywhere, I really like this style. There is less glass to keep clean!

The left side of the shower

Did you notice anything unusual? Look again. What's ONLY on the right, and what's ONLY on the left? 

Yep—the showerhead is on the right, and the controls are on the left. Now - doesn't that make super logical sense? How many times have you popped in the shower and either scaled or frozen to death as you tried to adjust the water temperature? This is brilliant. I want a new shower at home, and I want this in it!!!

It's something so simple, so why haven't I seen it before? 

But here's a new puzzle to contemplate in the shower. Can you tell me what this bar is for? 

A mystery bar in the shower

It's on the left side of the shower, near the floor. I have two theories. Of course I do. Can you guess what they are? 

The position of the bar

Theory number one -- you put your foot on there to brace yourself as you get shampoo and soap from the dispensers. Those dispensers, by the way, are brilliant. They have been in hotel rooms for many years, and there is no bar of soap to slip on, no waste, no plastic bottles. Just brilliant!!!!! By the way, it's easy to get the shampoo out of the dispenser, so I doubt that's the reason the bar is there. 

Theory number two - should you slip on the floor and can't get up, is that bar there to drag yourself away from the water jet and try to grab the other grab bar? LOL!!!!

I have no idea what that bar is for. So now I have a new mystery to solve. 

OK -- so I Googled it! It's to put your foot on while you shave your legs (seriously?), or you exfoliate your legs/feet. Good lord—I would have thought of that—I really would have!!! By the way, that was Google's AI that told me that. 

But here's the thing - I am confused by AI and Google. I know that Google has AI, but it also had an amazing search engine once upon a time. That seems to be replaced by their version of AI. To me, Google's AI is just a search engine on steroids. It's all very confusing!

It doesn't matter -- we now know why that bar is there. Personally, I preferred my theories. They are more fun! 

Well, it's setup day at Quilt Canada - my favorite day of any quilt show, and I can hardly wait to get started!!!! NOT!!!!! But it's fun to chat with others. OH -- as I entered the line at Tim's in the airport, the person in front of me said hello! One of my students from an online class!!! It's so hard to recognize people in person when you used to seeing only their face. I'm not good at facial recognition. I'm sure that's the first of many encounters!!! 

All kidding aside, I am not fond of setup day, but the hard work pays off when you see the booth set up and all the quilts and other projects on display. So much eye candy, and it's going to be a great show! I also have TWO things I want to check out while I'm here. I am remembering that I don't have a ton of room in my suitcases!!! But I could always wear several layers of clothes home, or I could pack a bit tighter, and I'll have room for the two things that I hope to buy here. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

PS-- I know you are anxiously waiting for me to post the list of classes. I still need to put the dates in my calendar! I know—perhaps I should ask AI to do that for me. But seriously --- I will try to post at least the projects I have chosen, so you will be aware of what I will be teaching. 

I will get the dates, costs, and more links up, probably next week, but in the meantime, this gives you an idea of what is happening. I think this was all I decided on based on the feedback I got from you! 

There is nothing to do at this point in time. I am not taking signups; I don't have dates yet, but I will get the information to you ASAP. All classes are on ZOOM - once a month, lasting for one hour. My rates are ridiculously cheap. And be sure to pass this information along to anyone who wants to know. I will be sending out emails and posting online as soon as I get a chance to put those dates in the calendar. 

Here are the classes: 

• One class is My Kinda Town - paper pieced. While I have chosen a specific pattern, I suppose you could pick any paper-pieced pattern if people absolutely wish. Will be several classes - not determined yet. 
• One class will be on scraps—9 or 10 sessions.
• One class will be an ongoing quilt with crazy blocks to work on (9 or 10 sessions) - 40 shades of grey.
• One class will be handwork - wool applique - I have a specific project in mind, but anything goes. Here is a link to the kit I highly recommend. Keep in mind that there are six kit styles, and within each kit, there are four colorways. See the picture below. If you are at Quilt Canada, I think Wonderfil will have those kits, so you may want to get one. Otherwise, I'll give you local resources to buy. 

40 Shades of Grey

Sue Spargo precut wool applique kits.

OMG!!!!! I forgot that we are also doing Show and Tell by Elizabeth Hartman. I knew I was going to forget something.  No picture but search online