Maintenance

Sewing is a high maintenance activity!!!!  Just wait to see what happened to my day and you will understand.

 I had a short class to teach in the morning (more on that later) and then I had the entire day stretching in front of me. Well - it didn't work out that way!!!!  M's friend Caroline "volunteered" me to help with a project that their school is undertaking with a local Senior's Center. Some of the students and teachers volunteer at the center and they wanted to do something for the center. Bottom line - they are making a quilt - a memory quilt to be hung in the lobby of the building. I think it is a brilliant project. The teacher, myself and Caroline arranged to meet once I got home from my class.

They looked through some books and some of the quilts that I had made and then they discussed and came up with a very nice design. Something that will be easy for the students to help the seniors with and yet I think it will look pretty cool when it is done.

After the teacher left, Caroline was left with a task of sorting buttons which she tackled with great enthusiasm.

She left with a nice collection of buttons. And before you say "oh - she took on another project". I am being compensated for the project. The teacher had acquired a small budget which she happily gave to me and I am supplying the materials and the expertise. So it will be a win/win for everyone. I think the due date is early June so there is lots of time and the students will be doing the bulk of the work.

Then I had to drive M to work, drive Caroline home, a quick stop at Indigo (pretty convenient to have that store so close, but I still prefer Chapter's), groceries and then back home. By this time it is almost FIVE. And I had got no sewing done. I was absolutely exhausted. After reading one of the recent self help books, I am trying to get one half hour extra sleep and I am feeling great. Of course with the late Friday night at Cockadoodle, that threw my sleep schedule off. I just had a nap - a nice long TWO HOUR nap. See that's the problem - missing one hour of sleep requires more than a one hour nap to recoup.

Then pick M up from work, have dinner and computer stuff - then it was time to sew. I looked at the clock - 9 PM. I never sew that late. I know you are wondering about the maintenance - well I realized that I had run out of wound bobbins. I spent the next hour winding bobbins and tidying up the sewing room. Putting away stuff that I bought at the show and putting away the things that I had used earlier in the day when Caroline and her teacher were here. Now it is 10 PM - I sewed a couple of seams and decided to go to bed. Could not find my iPad - I know where it is because I can see it in my mind - it's under a pile of books, but where is the stack of books - my brain isn't processing that info. I found a paper book to read. But couldn't get to sleep until after twelve. Crap - going to need a nap today and that throws the whole schedule off. GRRRRRRRR

Oh yes - the other thing I did while winding the bobbins was clean out the bobbin case. I DID NOT take a picture because there was a LOT of lint. Yikes - and I changed the needle on the sewing machine. It is primed and ready for action!!!

Then this morning I was pressing and realized there was crap on the iron....

Dirty iron

Supplies for cleaning the iron - IRON OFF HOT IRON cleaner and paper towel

Yes - I just use a paper towel, but I believe you can buy kits that have the iron cleaner and a cloth. Yes - I must find an old face cloth to become the permanent iron cleaner cloth.

Put some of the Iron Cleaner on the paper towel - not too much

Then while the iron is HOT, rub off the dirt and other crud from the bottom of the iron. Mine has these grooves around the steam vents which make for a fun cleaning job. I never get all the junk out of those grooves. Once I used my thumb nail and it melted!!!!!!   I think if you had a thicker cloth than the paper towel that you would be able to get into those grooves without melting parts of your body!!!!

Clean iron

Gunk taken off the iron

So yes - it is pretty important to do these maintenance things in order to keep your sewing room in tip top shape.

I noticed that I seem to be spending a LOT more time sewing on my stuff these days. Granted - I am NOT sewing many samples and that is a GREAT thing because as I mentioned a couple of days ago - they just ended up as UFOs. The other is that I NO LONGER have to search for things in my room (OK - so I lost  - I mean misplaced the iPad, but that doesn't count!!!!). And the only other explanation I can think is that there is something that I am supposed to be doing, but I can't remember!!!!!

And you are going to get a bonus today - a tutorial on Starch Method Applique. It will be in a separate post.

Now you have waited long enough for the reveal from our Christmas Club. This is such a great group of ladies. They are SO CREATIVE and not afraid to let go and try anything. Remember - this is the Piece o Cake pattern - Welcome to the North Pole.

The first block they had for homework was the Three Stars.

Three Stars blocks

Three Stars Blocks

Three Stars Blocks

I forgot to take a picture of them all on the design wall so had to run around and get pictures of them all afterward On a block as simple as this - I don't think that anyone did the same thing. Some used patterned or glittery organza overlays, button hole stitch with metallic or rayon thread, satin stitch, stars made from ribbon. And some will put trim on after the blocks are quilted. This is the MOST EXCITING part of this project - seeing what everyone has come up with.

The next block was the Elves Rec Center.

Elves Rec Center

Elves Rec Center - Karen - nice sparkly trim for the roof (don't ask where she got it unless you want to go to Mexico!!!)

Elves Rec Center - Marlene - she used a frayed lamé as the trim along the roof of her rec center)

Elves Rec Center - Linda used construction (bricks) fabric for her house

Elves Rec Center - May put a row of icicles (from fabric) along her roof line and it is also beaded. 

Elves Rec Center - Jeanette used sports fabric for her Rec Center and she has the NEATEST hand writing for the signs.

 Next time - I will try to take a close up of all the blocks as they are all exciting and each person has a different twist to their blocks. VERY CREATIVE!!!!!

And I needed a picture for my article - well here it is.......

Here they are having FUN!!!!  We are going to have a baby in our class soon as Kristen (in front on the right) is due in June. See Jeanette in the back doing her version of the Queen's wave!!!!!!   Oh yes - what a group although the trouble makers (won't mention any names) were quite calm yesterday!!!!

Then we had show n tell of NON Christmas Club items.

Beth's braid from the Wednesday (last week) class

Beth with her lighthouse quilt. I think this was a Lorraine Stangness pattern. 

Beth with her postage stamp quilt. I LOVE THIS. Of course it is all little tiny squares. I think she said there were over 2000. She had it marked on the label!!!   It is stunning. I did not get a picture of the back, but it is pieced, although the pieces are much bigger than these. 

Linda had a Zentangles tile and another Linda has her Patchwork Sampler. Since you have seen those already - I did not put them up again.

Progress report

Red White: the center is TOGETHER!!!!!!  And I made the missing pieces for the border. Here is the quilt with the last border row on and ready to sew today.

So what do you think - do you like it with the border or without?????

Yep - I agree - WITH the border.


Patchwork Sampler blocks completed: ZERO
Tim Horton Hot Chocolates drank: ZERO  (that is TWO DAYS in a row). Yes there were moments yesterday when I would have drank one, but I decided that it is more important that I DO NOT. Besides misplacing the iPad, I think I have misplaced my brain too!!!!!!  And do you know how much time I gain by not waiting in the drive thru - plus the gas I will save. OK - SHOOT ME NOW!!!   Next thing you know - I'll be running around braless and hugging trees!!!!!!!

Speaking of Tim Horton's my aunt sent me an e-mail last night and I will pull a couple of pictures from it. There were a lot more examples, but I think you get the message. Each sugar cube is representative of ONE TEASPOON of sugar contained in each item.

Bottom line - guess I'll be eating a LOT of carrots, strawberries and Special K!!!!   Just kidding - I'm NOT a fanatic - yet!!!!!


Have a great day!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!