Sunday, November 23, 2014

Making a list.....................

I am not a big fan of shopping on-line. I like going into the shops and checking out the merchandise. Not only is it more fun, but I am supporting my local businesses. However some on-line stores are making it very hard to NOT shop with them. There are two reasons - one - the prices are cheaper and AVAILABILITY.  I was trying to order a quilt book through Ruti's (my local quilt store). The book was just released at the end of October.  "Sorry - that book is on back order". Well I pestered the girls at Ruti's until they - well - they were getting tired of me asking and insisting that they call their supplier.  I broke down and bought it through Amazon and within TWO days I had my book.


GRRRRRR - that is WHY I have a love/hate relationship with on-line stores. They are so big and place such big orders - there is NOTHING left for anyone else.  I HATE HATE HATE that.  However I do like the WISH LIST on Amazon and I have been adding to my wish list all throughout the year. It is time to update that list and I have been culling the list as I went through my books.  I recently found a book at Sew Sisters that was listed on Amazon for BIG BUCKS.  So it pays to shop around and see what you can find - both locally and on-line.

Now that my wish list is up-to-date (I think!) - it is time to forward to family members!!!

Don't worry - I will share the book with you, but not right now. I need to make something from it first and it is partially completed. So cute and so ME!!!!

Yesterday was another long crazy day. Started off with show n tell at The Hobby Horse for our year long projects. And for those of you waiting for Dear Jane show n tell - I will get it up this week. Anyway - I will post the show n tell pictures over this coming week.

Then a class on free-motion also at The Hobby Horse.  Well these ladies were having FUN and I heard them say that on NUMEROUS occasions. They were loving the free motion and this is one of the best classes that I have ever had - MANY of them did some practicing from the last class.  Oh yes - we are going to have a LOT of great free motion machine quilters in the neighbourhood.

The big thing with free-motion - take it easy, relax, break things down into little pieces, NEVER assume the professionals just sit down and quilt - they don't. Well most will now, but as they were learning - it was a long and laborious process.  Hopefully that class will continue to do the exercises I gave them.

I did have a bit of show n tell. Valerie brought in her table runner that she made in my fusible applique class last week. She got all kinds of ideas for quilting.


Snowman table runner. Pattern is from Art to Heart - Table Please - Part Two

It is very cute and very DOABLE for a new free motion quilter.  Good luck Valerie!!!


After class, I had a few errands to do and then back at the quilting machine. Had to make the backing for this quilt - then got it loaded and quilted.

Customer quilt - DONE

I have another Sit n Sew today. Six people coming to sew. So if you have been paying attention to the pictures of my studio that I have posted recently - it is a mess. It is easy to find room for THREE people to sew, but I have SIX.  ACK.


So among this mess - I have to find THREE tables. 



Progress is being made


And VOILA - three tables that are clear and ready for people to sew. 


Don't even ask where everything went that was on the tables. I didn't have time to process it - I just bagged it up and dumped it in the storage room. I am going to try and deal with it a bit at a time.  (I know I will be searching for stuff for days!!!)  Oh HOW I wish I could make that happen.  Just take ONE PROJECT and get it to the completion stage.  I NEED to be firm on this, I doubt it will happen. And it isn't just me - I need something to show a class - so I dig something out and do a bit of work. Ooops - no time to finish before it is time to prep the next thing!!!!   Well - I am almost at the end of classes for this year so hopefully my time will be a bit more MINE for the next month.

I have been lazy at replacing lights - I had THREE burnt out bulbs. You can tell which fixtures needed bulbs replacing - I have always had trouble getting those covers off and succeeded in breaking EVERY ONE I tried to remove. I had TWO covers left - both of them needed to come off this morning. And would you believe it - they both just fell out in my hands!!!!!!!!!!   Go figure - I figure out the system at last!!!!!!!

Burnt out lights

And one more

But I am prepared - got a box of new bulbs and now I am all set for today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


A while back I attended a lecture with a long-arm quilter from the US. She raved about this Niagara brand of starch for "shrinking" fullness in quilts.  I sent out a plea if anyone was going to the US (not available in Canada) and Susan snagged me a couple of bottles of Niagara starch.  I am dying to try it. I am hesitant to put on customer quilts and I hate to say that I am not likely to run into problems on my quilts. Oh well - I will figure something out. Thanks so much Susan!!!!!!!


Niagara starch

And Sparky is just nerotic.  I put up the sign to block the stairs last night. Then I woke up and couldn't sleep so I came downstairs to read. I didn't put the sign up because I thought she would stay with me. Nope - within minutes I hear her going up the stairs. DRAT!!!!!    Stupid dog. Then I had to practically carry her down this morning. That is it - that sign stays up ALL THE TIME.  I can't let her up the stairs for fear that she will fall down them.  Yeah - senile senior citizen!!!!!!!!!!!!


Talked to my Mom last night. Not good news. She had another episode of irregular heart beat and now she is back on all the meds and monitors and whatnot. Now she has to go for more testing at a different hospital. I guess she is going to go by ambulance!!!  It is over 100 KM away so that should be fun!!!   Anyway she seems to be in good spirits but they just can't seem to figure out what the heck is wrong!  Good thing I am not a worrier!

On that note - I have a bit of stuff to clean up this morning - prepare the backing for the next customer quilt and a couple of quilts to trim and one more binding to put on. I might just get that all done before the groups this morning.

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


Ciao!!!!!!!!!


No comments:

Post a Comment