Things are on the up.................

What a difference one day can make!!!!   I got that BEAST sewn together FINALLY (let`s just say that it is NOT a small quilt). It got loaded and by lunch time (I had other errands I HAD to take care of)  I started to quilt. I managed to get half of it done and could have pushed more, but I GOT AN EXTENSION of ONE WEEK. Now that is not to say that I will slack off because I cannot - too many other things that have to be done, BUT I am going on a FOUR DAY sewing retreat next week (hence part of my scheduling issue) and I might take this quilt and hand stitch the binding there. It would be perfect.

I switched the style of quilting from what I had originally told the owner and I am happy I did. This looks so much nicer and more appropriate to the style of the quilt and it is pretty easy to do. Even working WITHOUT the stitch regulator which is not something I like to do. Just means that I did the stitching in one direction and then much easier to take the quilt off the machine and turn it one quarter to do the rest. It is currently off the machine (letting all the fibres rest in a natural position - without being tightly rolled around a roller) and I will reload it and do the other half this afternoon.

I went to yoga yesterday at 5:30 PM. OH MY GOODNESS - the capacity of the room (so they told us on the first day is 60) - there much have been 65 in the room. It was literally mat to mat and it was HOT YOGA to boot. Oh boy!!!!   But no one got decked - it was a GREAT class and I didn't know my body could do some of those stretches. She held them for longer periods of time, but boy did I feel much more flexible when I left. I am going to keep up with the yoga - the more you do - the more you enjoy it and downward dog doesn't become a pain in the wrists!!!!!   Unfortunately all weekend classes are in the morning when my classes are happening. Drat - maybe I can get out on my bike.

The other thing I did last night since some of the pressure was off was tidy up the studio. Now normally it is pretty neat, but with all the Pampered Sit n Sew days and other goings on - sometimes, I did heap things instead of putting them away. I KNOW  - happens even to ME!

So I spent a hour setting aside the stuff that needs to be put away, sorted through the current stuff (how come there is so MUCH current stuff) and then I started to put away the stuff that needs to be put away. I did some more this morning and I need a bit more time this afternoon to get it all done. Just doing that has made me feel much calmer, more relaxed and HAPPY. Of course - it could also be the fact that DH left last night for some golf time and M was away at a sleep over!!!!!!!!

Got my classes all prepared for this morning - not getting any of the blocks sewn these days, but at least getting things prepared for the others. Should have some great show n tell tomorrow.

OK - as I was tidying up this morning, I thought about my plastic drawer set. I am always telling people that I keep my stuff organized and in that cabinet, but I don`t think I have ever shown you what it looks like - so here is a peek.

THE cabinet - a very inexpensive 6 shallow drawer unit that you can get at Canadian Tire or Zellers or Walmart for very inexpensive. I like the one with the shallow drawers, although I have others that have deeper drawers but for all these little bits - the shallow drawers work best. It is easy to get to things

Drawer one - BOBBINS - both pre-wound and not. Yes - It is time to wind my sewing bobbins. (that is the tray of empty green bobbins). Unfortunately  my bobbin winder isn't working to my standards and so I have been lax and winding one at a time (which I HATE) while the part for the sewing machine comes in. I have asked them once before to fix it, but it did NOT get fixed. So now we are going to try replacing another part. The machine is 12 or 13 years old and has wound MANY bobbins - I am afraid one of these days that it is going to go belly up.
OK - so there is a stray spool of thread in there too - but it is for a specific project - OK - I should put it in a bag and attach it to that project!!!!!   OK - I HEAR YOU!!!!!!

Hey - has anyone tried the SideWinder and is it worth it??????    Does it work for all machines????   And most important - are the bobbins wound TIGHT????????

Sewing machine feet. Yep - got a lot of those. Including those two white boxes which are also filled with the feet that are in the packaging so I have the instructions on how to use them. The main ones I use are in the plastic container, but others like the beading foot - I use occasionally and it is in the white boxes. Extra bobbin cases are under the plastic case. You know - the one for doing FANCY bobbin work. Haven't purchased any new feet in a couple of years - I probably have them all anyway!!!!!!

Let's see - oh yes - here we have all the pins (the ones that are NOT in the pin cushions that are spread around the studio), Q-tips for cleaning the machine, an extra pin cushion, a small feather duster for the machine and my extra thread for piecing. Not a lot of extra, but extra. Normally I buy the large cones of thread (Aurifil 50/2), but I snagged this box of smaller spools at wholesale price so I couldn't resist. 

Next drawer - that little box has snips - lots and lots of snips which are a MUST by the sewing machine. DO NOT use scissors for clipping your threads - just too cumbersome. There is a box of safety pins (all of them are open of course because that saves time) and then a BIG white box. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM   - what could be in the white box?????

Why a box of scissors of course!!!!!!!

And how many scissors does one quilter need??????    LOTS and LOTS. This doesn't count the scissors that are scattered around the studio (the scissors by the long arm), the general purpose scissors at the cutting table, the scissors that are in the embroidery/applique box and then I am certain that I have about 5 other pair of those small black handled ones (which I love) but I kept LOSING them in a project. Well I don't think I need to buy any new scissors for a while. 

Next drawer - binding supplies (includes the binding clips and all my hand quilting thread which is what I stitch the binding down with), TWO boxes of hand stitching needles, a tin of thimbles, finger cots, a small box of safety pins (OK - that has to be moved to the BIG box of safety pins) and a small sewing kit which has junky stuff in it, but I liked the tin. I should replace it with good stuff and keep on hand. (Why I need a sewing kit is beyond me, but it is a cute tin)

Last drawer - all kinds of glue in one container (probably half of it is dried up - should check that one day), extra rotary cutters including a brand new one (you don't want to see inside the box and see how many rotary cutters I have), circle cutter (under the new rotary cutter - HEY - I've worn those cutters out so I need some spares. An empty case for a rotary cutter and a box of measuring tapes. OK - even though there are three in the studio - you never know when you will need a new one. ONLY 120 inches PLEASE. We do NOT mess with those short ones.

And by the way - when I had a sewing day - I had a yellow tape measure AND an orange one. At the end of the day - I had two orange ones (they are the cheap thin ones) and my good yellow one was gone!!!!!!   I see I am going to have to search people's bags when they leave!!!!!!

And there you have it - I did NOT clean up that drawer before the pictures. That is the WAY IT STAYS all the time. And I am VERY diligent about putting those items away. Why????   They are expensive, they are important and if I lost one of them and couldn't find it - it would frustrate me until I found it. NO ONE touches that cabinet - that is MINE!!!!!!


QUILT SHOW ALERT


One more thing - the Etobicoke Quilt Show is NEXT WEEKEND. March 30, 31 and April 1. Check out their web site for more details................

Etobicoke Quilt Show 2012

Now why should one go to a quilt show?????   INSPIRATION, meeting other quilters, seeing some amazing quilts, buying tickets on the raffle quilt, food, vendors. See, there are LOTS of reasons to go to a quilt show. And take your camera or your sketch book. While you may appreciate the beauty of a quilt, if it is the quilting you like - then take a picture of that. Like this one I took of one of Elaine Quehl's pieces.

Close up of quilting on Elaine Quehl quilt

Print these out or trace them or use as inspiration to create your own quilting designs. I so often hear from people (oh my - these are so complicated), but when you break it down - trace the lines - the designs are NOT that complicated. It is an ILLUSION. And put those inspirations into a book!!!!!    Where you can easily find them next time you need some inspiration to quilt a quilt.

Have fun at the show - I will be there on Sunday late in the afternoon (closes at 4 on Sunday) - then I can pick up MY winning raffle quilt. HA HA - don't I wish. It is a beautiful quilt. Go to their web site to see it.



Anyway - that is is for today. Wow - I even have ONE HOUR before I have to leave - maybe I will sew a block or two - nah - I will go an finish putting that stuff away so when I get home, it will be done - well more of it anyway.


Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!